A Knight's Walk in the Kingdom

theophilus October 24th, 2009

One of the things that I admire about our Evangelical Christian brethren is their zeal for Christ and their lack of shyness in showing it.  Come on, face it, most Catholics are, at best, reserved and introspective about our faith in Christ.

We don’t talk about our faith in social settings; we do not wear our faith upon our sleeves; we tend to hide our belief in Christ.  Even during Sunday Mass, we can be a quiet bunch when it comes to singing and expressions of prayer. And no one better catch us praying outside of church or having any identifiable object upon us.

I was thinking about this difference today when reading a passage written by St. Anthony Claret, whose feast day is today.  He lived in the 19th Century, born in Spain, bishop of Cuba, very effective anti-slavery voice, recalled to Spain where he did important work for the Church in a tumultuous era. He was known for his zealous love of Christ and his fellow man. Some appreciated this zeal, others less so.

In this passage from the Office of Readings (Liturgy of the Hours), he preaches about Christian zeal-

“The love of Christ arouses us, urges us to run, and to fly, lifted on the wings of holy zeal. The man who truly loves God also loves his neighbor. The truly zealous man is also one who loves, but he stands on a higher place of love so that the more he is inflamed by love, the more urgently zeal drives him on. . . . The zealous man desires and achieves all great things and he labors strenuously so that God may always be better known, loved and served in this world and in the life to come, for this holy love is without end.”

Zeal get us “to fly” and to desire and achieve “all great things.”  Zeal gets us to a “higher place of love”  But its zeal for God that raises us to these heights.

Zeal also impacts our relations with others-

“Because he is concerned also for his neighbor, the man of zeal works to fulfill his desire that all men be content on this earth and happy and blessed in this heavenly homeland, that all may be saved, and that no one may perish for ever, or offend God, or remain even for a moment in sin. Such are the concerns we observe in the holy apostles and in all who are driven by the apostolic spirit.”

Zeal gets us to think about each other not just in our day-to-day relationships but also in a divine and eternal sense. We must love each other and this love must be expressed and be a channel of God’s grace.

My reading today concluded with this passage-

“The man who burns with the fire of divine love is a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and wherever he goes, he enkindles that flame, he desires and works with all his strength to inflame all men with the fire of God’s love. Nothing deters him: he rejoices in poverty; he labors strenuously; he welcomes hardships; he laughs off false accusations; he rejoices in anguish. He thinks only of how he might follow Jesus Christ and imitate him by his prayers, his labors, his sufferings, and by caring always and only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.”

In a sense, we are responsible for each other.  We are held accountable for each other.  We are strongly cautioned against going around talking about God without reason or purpose, or praying and fasting aloud like the hypocrites, or judging others, or making others feel uncomfortable in our presence.  Rather we should show our zeal by our actions, in all aspects of our lives. Instead of pushing people away from Christ or ignoring him, we are called to bring others to him.

Do you love?  Do you show that love in the way you act and treat others? Do you go out of your way to help those in any type of need? Do you listen? Do you show compassion and patience?  Do you forgive?  Do you seek to understand? Do you truly and meaningfully talk to others to help them reach answers to their own questions? Are you honest and trustworthy regardless of the situation? Do you do the right things, always? Do you know, hold fast to, and defend the basic truths of our faith?  Do you prevent others from sinning and provide a good example to keep others from sinning? And do you either introduce them or remind them of God’s love for them in the process?

Do others see a fire within you for Christ?  A fire that is not burning indiscriminately and out-of-control, but a fire that is contained and intense at the same time.

Do others know who you belong to? Do they see that confident peace and joy within you that can only come from Christ? Are you a force for good in this world?

Today’s Mass begins with this opening prayer -

“Father, you endowed Anthony Claret with the strength of love and patience to preach the Gospel to many nations. By the help of his prayers may we work generously for your kingdom and gain our brothers and sisters for Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

This prayer sums up our own mission.  With strength, love and patience, to work generously for God’s kingdom and to bring our neighbors to Christ.  And also to preach the Gospel; maybe not by our words, but most definitely by our actions.  And by our actions and whatever words Christ puts into our mouths, showing the zeal that should be natural to us as children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ.

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theophilus September 21st, 2009

I had an incredibly grace filled weekend of movies.

Last Sunday, our homily was on William Wilberforce, a British legislator, who combatted the slave trade at the turn of the 19th Century.  I had read Amazing Grace, a book about his life and efforts, but I had never seen the movie.  So, I stopped into Blockbuster on Tuesday and found it.  While I walked out, I noticed the recent movie about Pope John Paul II, starring Jon Voight and Cary Elwes, so I picked that one up as well.  While watching Amazing Grace on Friday night, we saw a preview for The Ultimate Gift, which looked promising.  So on Saturday, I picked this movie up.  We watched The Ultimate Gift on Saturday night; and I finished up my movie weekend by watching Pope John Paul II on Sunday.

So, in one weekend, I saw a movie (Amazing Grace) about a man who started an effort almost single-handedly that ended up transforming the world.  It took him 20 years to do it but he succeeded in ending the slave trade and ultimately slavery in the British Empire – without a shot being fired.

Then I watched a surprisingly humorous movie (The Ultimate Gift) highlighting the gifts we are all given, most important of which may be forgiveness, redemption, and mercy.  But we all know that the Ultimate Gift is love and this movie reminds us how multi-layered this gift is in our lives and how often we reject it.  Watch the movie and find out for yourself.

Finally, I ended the weekend watching a movie (Pope John Paul II) about a man who recognized God’s hand in his life at every step and followed his will.   He was courageous and steadfast; approachable and full of Christ’s light which he shown to the world.  He was always one of the brightest minds in the room, but could reach everyone with Christ’s message.  And all the while, he underwent immense suffering, both physical and emotional.  The totality of his life is epic.

I am inspired and ready to go kick some serious butt for the Lord this week.  Get these movies and I guarantee you will feel the same.

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theophilus September 7th, 2009

I am a Catholic and a runner, and I”m starting to see some similarities between the two.

I was six months into my forties when I issued myself a challenge – to run a half-marathon.  It didn’t matter that I had never run more than a mile at a time, ever.  I was struggling with being 40 and I decided I needed something to help me forget how fast my life was accelerating.

That was a couple of years ago.  It didn’t take long for me to catch the running bug (or addiction, as my wife calls it).

Now, after a handful of half-marathons, I’ve decided to step it up and try a full marathon this November.

In the past, I’ve always trained alone.  Unfortunately, it’s too often the way I undertake the challenges in my life, alone.  But this attempt at a full is going to be the third time I’ve committed to one, and the other two times I backed out.

So, to help with my training this time, I’ve joined a running group put together by a local running store.  Twice a week, 20-40 runners each time, all ages, all levels of ability.

And I’ve noticed that my mileage for each run has increased, my pace has improved dramatically, and my body is starting to look better than it did in my twenties.  I’m pushing myself harder and harder.  I’m not skimping on my runs.  There are no more excuses.  I’m persevering through more adversity because there is no give up when you’re running with others.

The best part of running groups is that there is always someone to chase, always someone to push you from behind.  Even on long runs (the other day was 16 miles), when I may lose contact with other runners, I know there is someone ahead of me and someone behind me, somewhere.  And that thought keeps me running.  There’s an accountability, a comradeship, a commonality, a connection, a universality . . .

a catholicism.

There is really only one way to run, putting one foot down and then the other.  There is really only one goal in running, to finish the run you’re on.  Whether you’re going it alone or in a running group, I have finally realized that there are hundreds of thousands of runners throughout the world, hitting the pavement or the treadmill at that moment in time, doing exactly what you are doing, putting one foot down and then the other, pushing to finish the run.

You know that the world-class athletes are out, and so are the plodders.  Every Saturday, there is a race somewhere with runners pushing themselves to their best, connecting to something deep inside of them.

Runners each run for their own reasons.  Some are running to something; some are running away from something.  Some are running because that is just what they have always done.

But for whatever reason you run, you eventually figure out that you do not run alone.  Even in the darkest hours of the dawn, you know there is someone else out, heart rate up, mind clearing out the sleep, ears listening to the wonderful sounds of the cadence of their footfall.

Sitting in Mass yesterday, I realized that our parish and Church are a lot like running.  Every Sunday, we know there are millions of Catholics throughout the world who are celebrating pretty much the exact Mass with the same readings and prayers.  While there are variations, the Mass is essentially the same throughout the world.  Christ is present in the consecration in every Mass, in every tabernacle, in the world.

We also know that no matter when we pray our traditional prayers, we know there is someone else somewhere in the world praying those prayers – the Hail Mary, the Our Father, the Glory Be.  When we profess the Creed, it is the same Creed, the same profession of our faith everywhere in the world.  Whether it’s the modest St. Joseph’s in rural Ohio or the Notre Dame, two strangers from the farthest reaches of the world can pull out their Rosaries and begin to pray together.

No matter our wealth, intelligence, job status, or achievements, we are all equal in the eyes of Christ and have a rightful place in front of his altar.  No matter our failings and sins, his home is our home and we are invited into it, wherever we are in the world.  Redemption, salvation, grace, consolation, healing, subsistence are available to each of us in the fullest of measure.

In the Church, we are never alone.  In Christ, we are united to our brothers and sisters, living and dead, in the faith.  We pray for them, knowing they are praying for us.  We may worship with them in community, or worship in the silence of our hearts and homes, but we are still worshiping together.  Our voice is a common, united, Catholic voice carrying itself to the eternal reaches of heaven.

In running, you are never alone, even though it may be the most solitary of sports.  In the Church, we are never alone, even in the deepest solitude of our worship, devotion and prayer.

That is one of the majestic mysteries of our faith; that is one of the enduring truths of  the Catholic Church.

In the Church, we are never alone.  There are a billion others in this with us, putting one foot down and then the other, trying to finish their run.

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theophilus July 15th, 2009

Due to the Swine Flu, the Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Reverend John Gladwin, has banned the use of holy water and seems to be on the path towards doing the same for “the wine in the chalice” (his quote).

I don’t know much about the Anglican Church, except for some studies on King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, but I gather they tie themselves into some theological knots.

But, with all of the stories of the Swine Flu, we have some good questions to ask of ourselves in the Catholic Church.  Do we really believe that Holy Water is a divine reminder of our baptism and a sacramental that can heal the spiritually and physically sick, and do we believe that the “wine in the chalice” is the Precious Blood of Christ?  And, do we decline these gifts out of fear or indifference?

If someone is sick, it is probably prudent for everyone’s state of mind if they go to the priest for other arrangements in receiving the cup and holy water.  But, if we are not sick, are we still denying ourselves the Blood of Christ and Holy Water because we are afraid of what we might catch or because we just don’t care?

It’s a tough call in this age of pandemic alerts, but do we really believe what the Church teaches about Holy Water and the Precious Blood?

Do we deny ourselves the blessing of saying -

“By this Holy Water and your Precious Blood, wash away my sins, O Lord.”

As Catholic Online.org tells us -

St. Theresa of Avila on holy water: “From long experience I have learned that there is nothing like holy water to put devils to flight and prevent them from coming back again. They also flee from the cross, but return; so holy water must have great value.”

Holy water is a means of spiritual wealth — a sacramental that remits venial sin. The Church strongly urges its use, especially when dangers threaten. The devil hates holy water because of its power over him. He cannot long abide in a place or near a person that is often sprinkled with this blessed water.

I’m not sure if Bishop Gladwin was too reactionary, but I can’t help but think that similar actions on the part of our bishops would call into question basic tenets of our faith.  In any case, we must remember that Holy Water and the Precious Blood are gifts from God; we should not decline them lightly.

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theophilus May 21st, 2009

Do you ever get the feeling that everyone is rejoicing; while you’re stuck with a feeling of anxiety mixed with a spark of hopelessness?  That somehow, you’re left on an island, solitary and alone, worried about the future; while everyone else is regaling in the excesses of the present?

Recently, I’ve actually been talking to a great number of people who share this view.  They fear that the world has gotten more dangerous, the economy more uncertain, their futures less promising, and their religious freedom less secure.

Yet, if we are to believe the polls and media, and many of our political and cultural leaders, things have never seemed more hopeful.  We are being told that we should embrace, not fear, the Teutonic shifts threatening to overthrow the way we live our daily lives; that we should join the chorus celebrating these shifts as great progress, just like everyone else.

If you’re one of these “unenlightened” folks, guess what?  Today’s (non-Ascension Day) gospel (from John 16) has a message for you.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

Jesus was talking to his disciples on the eve of his Ascension.  He was discussing with them the meaning of the words he had just shared with them – “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” I can’t blame the disciples for not exactly grasping what Jesus was trying to say there; but, his followup – “you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices” – is easy enough to understand.

There are going to be times when you will be on the David side of the fight; when you will stand up for what you believe in and will be laughed at, ridiculed, demonized and demeaned.  You will be told that you are a fool, short-sighted, unenlightened, hateful, counter-cultural.  You will watch others revel in their power, influence and good-feeling, while you are stuck wondering what can possibly come next.  You will grow especially wary when even those you think should be on your side line up with the rejoicers.

The question to ask yourself in these circumstances is – do you truly believe you are standing on the side of reason, faith and truth; that you are doing God’s will and serving Christ as he deserves; that you are living as you should as a son or daughter of God?  If the answer is “yes” than you can take comfort from John 16.  It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing, even if everyone else is “rejoicing.”  What matters is whether your thoughts and actions are in uniformity with God’s will – even if it means that you are left to “weep and mourn.”

And if you hold onto Christ’s hope and God’s will for you, especially when it’s the unpopular thing to do, you will find that you are not alone.  Others feel the same way.  Even better, you will also find that one of two things will happen.  You will find out that you are wrong and you can join in with the happy crowd; or you will find out that you are right.  In either case, you will find that one day “your grief will become joy.”

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theophilus January 30th, 2009

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month.

I rarely write about my own birth defects but I’m thinking I better write something about them before this month is out, especially considering that my birth defects and my faith seem to be totally intertwined with each other.

I was born with a cleft lip and cranio-facial birth defects, i.e. the different sides of my skull didn’t exactly form in perfect proportion to each other.  As a result, one side of my face is good to go, the other side has needed a great deal of work.

I have had more surgeries than I can remember; each one exhibiting the marvels of reconstructive medical science.  My conditions are so rare that I was always a must see for interns and residents on their rounds; and I even had photos taken of me for medical textbooks.  To this day, I have a standing appointment for major work with a dentist every decade or so.

My childhood was spent in doctor offices, dentist chairs, hospital beds, operating rooms, and with speech and hearing pathologists.

My sinuses are always a problem.  I need subtitles when I’m watching a movie on TV; and I finally broke down and started bringing a missal to Mass so I could fully “hear” the readings.  My eyesight is such that I can’t bring my eyes together in one single point of sight and my eyes have drastically different levels of vision.  I have little depth perception, so I’m always knocking into things, dropping perfectly thrown passes from my nephew, and losing my golf drives when they fly more than 150 yards off the tee.  I have a speech defect, but am in a field requiring superior communication skills.  I often need people to repeat themselves and they likewise often need me to repeat myself.

I was picked on, ridiculed and bullied as a kid; and rejected by more girls than I care to remember as a teen and college student.  Things got a little better in young adulthood.  To this day, I have people that look at me with THAT look, the one folks reserve for others that look differently than what they have come to expect.

Yet, somewhere along the line, God made me realize that I am the way he chose to make me.  I am made perfect in his image.

I have learned so much about life and about God because of my birth defects.  I have learned so much about others, both good and bad.  I have learned how God expects us to live and treat each other.  I have learned how to be truly grateful.

I am thankful to the doctors and dentists who put my face back together.  I am thankful for the nurses who comforted me when I was a scared little boy in a lonely hospital room in the middle of the night.

I am thankful for my parents, my family, my friends and the girls I’ve dated along the way who all saw through my deformities to the real me.

I am so in love with my wife that it surpasses my understanding.  She fell for and has stayed in love with an incredibly imperfect man, yet she fights for me, she fights for us.  She truly loves me, heart, soul &, yes, body.  She is such a beautiful woman, both inside and out, yet my birth defects have never been an obstacle to her loving me so.

I am so blessed that my parents see me as their son, not a deformed child; my wife sees me as her love, not a deformed man; and my children see me simply as their Daddy, not someone that looks different than others they know.

Actually, it’s been through my children that God has chosen to show me just how much he has blessed me.

My little girl looks like her mother; my son is the mirror image of me.  I have a special affection for my daughter because she is the first blood I have ever known (I am adopted).  But even more profound, I tend to wonder how much of my birth mother is in her.  She looks like my wife; but how much does she also look like my mother?

And then there is my son.  He is perfect in every way.  In him, I see what I could have been, physically.  I look at him and see what I would have looked like without the birth defects.

But, I would haven’t it any other way.  Let me repeat, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

For, I am the way God chose to make me.  I am made perfect in his image.

Every time I look in the mirror, I am humbled.  Every time I look upon someone who looks a little differently than others, I empathize.  Every time I see someone going through a hard time or in distress, I am spiritually connected to them.

And every time that I am going through hard times or get discouraged or don’t know where to turn, God reminds me that he is still there for me, that he is guiding me, that he has always guided me throughout all times of my life, both dark and bright.

He reminds me that he has tested me and found me worthy.

Today’s first reading is from Hebrews 10 and the writer hits the nail on the head, “You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.”

My birth defects and being an orphan taught me endurance, both spiritually and physically.  God has a purpose behind everything he does.  He has a purpose for making me the way I am.  There are times when I don’t know why.  There are times when I fall into self-pity.  There are times when people treat me differently because of the way I look.  There are times when I look in the mirror and want to cry.

But, in these times, God ALWAYS brings me back to Him.  He reminds me of his will and his promise to me.

And when I doubt his special plan for me, he sends my wife to kiss me, my kids to jump on my back, and my parents to call me just to see how I am doing and to tell me that they love me.

And he also reminds me that I am a success professionally.  I am an inspiration to others.  I rise above my limitations and do what he expects of me.  I am bearing the fruit he wants from me.  And I must place my total trust in him.

It’s God’s way of telling me that I am the way God chose to make me.  I am made perfect in his image.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

• Catholic Men , Divine Filiation , Faith , God's Call , Gratitude , Liturgy , Marriage , Prayer , Relationships , Saints
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theophilus January 23rd, 2009

It’s been quite a week for us Americans.  MLK Day, Inauguration Day, Respect Life Day.  Conflicting, historical, ironic, uplifting, depressing, hopeful, disillusioning – all in one week.

In today’s Morning Prayer (LOTH), the refrain for the intercessions was “In your will is our peace, Lord.”

I found myself praying this refrain over and over again throughout the day.

- My kids have been sick and my 5-year old is going through some tests. In your will is my peace.

- One of my friends just went through a divorce and is out of a job.  In your will is my peace.

- I’m fearful that our political system and culture are forever broken.  In your will is my peace.

- I have friends who were working for a company solely because of its stock price and the size of their 401-K, but the stock has tanked (and I do mean tanked).  In your will is my peace.

- The wife of one of my friends has a tumor and they don’t yet whether it is benign or malignant.  In your will is my peace.

I have had to remind myself over the past year that God is always in control.  So for me to truly bear fruit for him in all circumstances, I must acknowledge that he is always in control and truly believe that in his will is my peace.

God is in control, which means all things happen according to his will, which means I must be at peace with what he wants.  And being at peace means doing what he asks me to do so that I carry out his will in all circumstances.

I don’t believe his will occurs in a vacuum.  I believe his will is often a call to action for us; to look inside of ourselves; to help others; to focus on what he wants us to do with our lives.

If we do his will; if we are at peace; we will build his kingdom here on earth; and the world will be worthy of our faith.  But, first we must be at peace with his will in all things.

In your will is our peace, Lord.

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theophilus January 18th, 2009

I envision thirty years from now that I’m taking my grandson golfing.  Over a putt, I’m telling him about great men; those who rose above their limitations and fears; those who were equal to the demands of their times; those who were forthright, courageous, honest, strong.

I will tell my grandson that no matter what is happening around him, he must rise and be the man that God expects him to be.

And I know that I will tell him of a man who was called upon in a time of great trial for our nation; when we were viciously attacked with a promise of worst attacks to come.

This man took on the challenge and did so with a fervent belief that God put him in this place, at this time, to do His will.  He awoke each morning and asked God what he needed to do to protect the hundreds of millions of people put in his care.  He went to bed every night and said a prayer of thanksgiving that, for the most part, these people entrusted to him were safe and secure.

This man looked at the threats throughout the world and did his best to address each one of them; with a focus on not only protecting his own people but on bringing liberty, peace and security to those around the world.

This man’s goal was to bring to the world the peace and joy promised us throughout Scriptures.

And, yet, this man was viciously attacked personally and done so from all segments.  He was maligned and distorted by Americans on foreign soil, foreigners on American soil, those who were supposed to be his supporters, and those who had a stake in a political agenda to bring him down and vilify him as the worst of mankind.

And he persevered through it all.  He was unpopular, mischaracterized, mocked, belittled and demeaned.  He made a great many mistakes.  But he kept going; trying to do what was best for the people he was called to serve; trying to remind himself that Christ was handed worst treatment.

I hope to teach my grandson that he needs to stand up for what he believes; no matter the cost.  That sometimes doing God’s will isn’t easy and that one’s reputation may be shredded in the process.  That being a real man of Christ entails sacrifice and faith; no matter the opposition arrayed against him.

I trust that I will teach him of a certain man, but do we realize that this man has existed in our time?

I fear that we do not.

Thank you, President Bush.  Well done, God’s good and faithful servant.

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theophilus December 30th, 2008

Today’s gospel carries the rest of the story from Luke 2 of the Presentation of the Lord; and with it, more lessons for us to carry into the new year.

We hear about the octogenarian prophetess Anna.  She worshipped in the temple day and night and spoke about this baby as the Messiah to all who would listen.  She had great faith; a faith that, like Simeon’s, was justified when she held baby Jesus in her arms.

She kept God close to her heart.  She truly believed and hoped.  She, like Simeon, persevered in her long life and was richly and spiritually rewarded.

There are also other lessons from the Presentation.  It’s almost a side note, but this story closes with an observation from St. Luke that “[w]hen they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, . . ..”  The “they” was Mary & Joseph, who showed absolute obedience to what God wanted for them.  In the Presentation, they also showed a humility and earthly detachment that is an example for us all.

They instinctively knew of what St. John writes in today’s first reading from 1 John 2.

“Do not love the world or the things of the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world.  Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.  But whoever does the will of God remains forever.”

In the coming year, along with the lessons learned from Simeon (patience, perseverance and faith), I’m also going to work on the lessons learned from Anna and the Holy Family at the Presentation.  Obedience, sharing the faith, prayer and devotion, hope, trust, humility, and worldly detachment are all good things to work on to bring me closer to Christ.

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve; the end of a very tumultuous year for most of us.  Tomorrow is a good day to allow the Holy Spirit to help you reflect on the year past and what Christ wants you to do in the year to come.  It’s time to reflect on the lessons learned and the lessons that need to be learned.  It’s time to put our lives in God’s hands and recommit our energies to the work of laboring in the fields.

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theophilus December 29th, 2008

I am always amazed at how much we have to learn from the lesser-known figures in Scripture.

Today’s gospel is the story of the Presentation of the Lord, where we meet the old and wise Simeon for the first and only time.

From Luke 2, we learn that he was “righteous and devout” and that he was “awaiting the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”

More importantly, he had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw Christ.

And he believed this promise and waited a lifetime for it to be fulfilled.

We learn so much from this story.  From Simeon, we learn about perseverance and patience.  We learn about faith.

In the silence of his heart, Simeon heard a message from God and did not doubt what he had been told or who had revealed it to him.  He took the time to listen.  He did not waver in the prolonged time it took for his faith to be justified.

In our world today, we have grown accustomed to instant gratification and “what have you done for me lately.”  We want things now and we lose faith when we feel prematurely let-down by someone or something.  This impatience permeates our homes, religion, work, culture and politics.  We see it in our families, workplaces, Hollywood, sports teams, Capitol Hill, Wall Street, and our churches.

The problem with all of this impatience and our inability to persevere is that it undermines what God expects of us.  He asks us to be patient and to persevere in all things.  He asked the same of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, the prophets, the apostles, and the saints throughout the ages.  Heck, America was built upon the shoulders of those who answered God’s call and spent their lives fulfilling God’s plan for them.

We must do the same.  In this uncertain and turbulent world, he needs for us to be patient and to persevere.  He is in control and he needs our faith in his plan.

I’m looking ahead to what I want to improve upon in 2009.  My lack of patience and perseverance are at the top of the list.  I’m going to start with learning one of Simeon’s key virtues; his ability to listen to the Holy Spirit through the silence of his heart.  I need to sit still and really listen to God.  Then patience and perseverence may be easier to achieve.

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