Reflections of a beloved son

  “Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house; they have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.” Ezekiel 12:2 Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time There have been news of more riots and looting in recent days. One news outlet interviewed a leader of the movement and they justified those actions saying, whatever they took, they deserved it and that it was reparation. He said whatever clothes the people stole they did so because they needed it and now they have clothes, and so it is fine and justified. That’s just downright bizarre. Just because we need something it does not give us the right to do damage and steal. We all have needs, all different and of varying magnitudes, and we all have needs to be met, but it must be met in the right way. People may feel that the only way for them to live and survive is to steal and loot.  But we should ask them “how may we help you?” instead of justifying ...

“Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:6 Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus There is nothing that God cannot do. He is the Master Artist, the Potter, Our Creator and Maker. We need to want to be clay. We need to want to be shaped. The Potter has a plan for His work.  God has a plan for us. A plan only for good. Do we believe it? Do we believe Him? When life takes us to places we’d rather not go, will we trust that we are in God’s hands?  We will trust that God remains with us? Do we believe that those difficult moments of our lives will somehow make us stronger? God will give meaning to those struggles and challenges, those pains and sufferings. God will turn those struggles and challenges into means by which we may receive great grace. But we must be willing to let Him shape us. We are God’s masterpieces, each perfect and unique, each sp...

“O LORD, you mete out peace to us, for it is you who have accomplished all we have done.” Isaiah 26:12   Have you ever had the experience of “Wow, I don’t know where that came from?” or “I don’t know what came over me when I did that or said that?” There are times in our lives when we experience an encounter that we perhaps never thought capable or possible. Oftentimes people credit their adrenaline rush. But I dare suggest it was rather the power of the Holy Spirit. “ Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say ” (Mt. 10:19). God always supplies. In His Providence, God always has our back. The question we must ask ourselves is if we trust Him.   Everything that has come to be God either caused it or permitted it. Even when it seems like it was done by us, it was God. We were the instruments through which God worked His creating, healing, and saving powers. But we must allow God to work thro...

“Behold, I am sending you like   sheep in the midst of wolves;   so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” Matthew 10:16 There’s so much good out in the world. People helping the poor, feeding the hungry, mentoring the youth and the troubled, standing together in prayer. Yesterday I was at a prayer meeting for a missing girl, and it was amazing to see how much people who did not even know the girl that came out to pray together for her and the family. There is indeed so much good out there. But, there’s also a lot of bad and evil. People who exploit the goodness and generosity of others. Those who use the name of God to manipulate others to pursue their selfish wants. Those who pervert the truth to justify their evil deeds. As Christian disciples we are asked to live in this world but not to be of it. We are called to be a beacon of truth in a world that no longer believes in objective truth. We are asked to bring the Gospel of Love to people in a world that chooses to ...

God does not require us to do anything extraordinary. We do only what we can and are able to do. It is God who transforms our ordinary acts and offerings into extraordinary ones. So, let us give what we can and the little that we are able to give God will make more than enough. #GodProvides #Providence #FiveLoavesandTwoFish #BelovedSonMinistry