WHO, WHAT, WHERE OR WHEN?

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, OR WHEN?

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God.

We are quite naturally impatient in everything

to reach the end without delay.

We should like to skip the intermediate stages.

We are impatient of being on the way to something

unknown, something new. And yet it is the law of all progress

that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—

and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you;

your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,

let them shape themselves, without undue haste.

Don’t try to force them on, as though you could be today what time

(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)

will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit

gradually forming within you will be.

Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you,

and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself

in suspense and incomplete.”

― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

What you have just read is the recipe for living a life of peace.  Trusting in God is a very, very difficult thing to learn, but like anything worth doing, the result is worth the effort.  Think of the times in your life when you were learning something.  If the something was not your choice, like Algebra, the process is extra hard, but if the something is your choice, like playing the piano or juggling, you will put in the time.  Believe me when I say that living your life in the full knowledge that God has your back is worth every effort to achieve.

When Jesus was confronted with someone in dire need of healing, he put his hands on them in the sure knowledge that God would heal them. That kind of confidence comes with practice and experience.  (It is probably why it took Him 30 years to begin his public ministry.)  We are not trying to do spectacular things or change the world, but to us the things we struggle with are just as important and of all the tools we need to solve them, trust in God is the most important.  When you know you are not struggling alone, it colors your choices, your attitudes and your outlook.  We are constantly asking ‘who, what, where or when?’ The uncertainty about the outcome is the tough part and that prompted the words of de Chardin; “Accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.”

A beloved friend of mine jumped out of an airplane to celebrate her 80^th birthday. She said that the there was no sense of falling but of flying and the professional diver who held her in his arms as she descended made her feel completely safe and confident that she would land easily and without mishap.

That describes a life lived in God perfectly.

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA                                               

WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS

WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS

In all of life there are certain procedures we follow whether it’s in business, cooking, sports, you name it.  Some are tried and true, as they say, but every once in a while you find that the standard approach is no longer working.  In my life it was when my second child was born.  The first one was pretty easy, a lot like me perhaps, so understanding him wasn’t difficult, but my second son was quite different.  He did not fit the mold.  I spent a lot of time trying to figure out his way of thinking and I realized that the standard procedure was not working.  I had to ditch the ‘tried and true’ and go in a new direction. 

It sounds as if God had a similar situation in Jeremiah 31: 31-35;

“…I will make a new covenant…I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. They will no longer teach their friends and relatives, “Know the Lord!” Everyone, from the least to greatest, shall know me for I will forgive their iniquity and no longer remember their sins.”

What are we to make of this?  C. S. Lewis contends that evidence of this covenant is in the fact that even the most primitive tribes in the world know that it is wrong to kill your neighbor, or steal from them, or lie to them.  This is without benefit of a tablet of stone telling them so.   Basic decency or even good manners depends on the simple idea that everyone counts.  Everyone is touched by God, but some never sense God and so go through life unaware of the power within them to live a blessed life, a happy life.  Even though the quote seems to say it isn’t necessary to teach others about God, we know Jesus was the final covenant and he told us specifically to make him known to the world. This should color how we view everyone. Not only are all people his creations, they have his Law written on their hearts. It gives us a head start in connecting to them. Never forget to include that last line of the scripture, “I will no longer remember their sins.”  It is the one message everyone wants to hear.  It could be the thing that finally prompts them to want to get to know the God who loves them.

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin

DO NOT BE SILENT

DO NOT BE SILENT 

St. Paul was a man who threw himself into his work, passionately sure of the rightness of his causes.  He was a diligent persecutor of Christians and was heading to Damascus at full speed to round up the followers of Christ and bring them to justice when God intervened.  Knowing Paul very well, God stopped him in his tracks with a dramatic flash of light, which threw him off his horse and blinded him.  God knew when to fight fire with fire. 

Thus began the transformation of Paul of Tarsus from enemy to friend.  As the transformation progressed Paul did not change personalities because God needed him just the way he was to spread the Good News, he just changed his perspective and understanding of Jesus of Nazareth and what He would mean to the world.  Armed with his usual single-minded drive, Paul set out on the greatest evangelical journey in history.  He went from place to place proclaiming Christ as the Messiah, but like all forceful people he sometimes worried that he was too forceful, that he might be turning people off with his approach.  The Jews were not responding and he had gotten angry and stormed off.  One night as he slept, God spoke to him: “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking; do not be silent, for I am with you.” (Acts 18:9-18)

Most people shy away from the idea of evangelizing; it sounds as though they are expected to be like St. Paul, which does not come naturally to them, but the important part of God’s command is ”Do not be silent, for I am with you.”

Those are words we should keep in the forefront of our thoughts when the occasion arises.  No one expects you to preach like Paul but to be yourself and say simple things like: “I believe in Jesus and I think you would too if you knew Him. He can change your life and give you hope.”

There was once a Jewish man named Apollos who came to Ephesus.  He was a believer and it was said of him: “He gave great assistance to those who had come to believe through grace”. (Acts:18:23-28)   It’s as simple as that.  We shy away from speaking afraid of the reaction.  We forget we are not alone! 

Look about you.  The power of Christ to change lives is from God, you are simply the instrument he uses to enrich the lives of his creation.  If God were not the driving force behind Paul’s ministry and that of the the other early believers, Christianity would have died in infancy.  As it is, Christianity has survived every test and will continue to do so until God decides it is enough.  You must believe that God is at the center of it all, that we are not alone, and never will be.  See in his words to Paul the promise of everlasting companionship and be brave.  There are people who need to know Jesus and when you encounter them hear the words of God: “Do not be silent.  I am with you.” 

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin, OPA

THE INVITATION

THE INVITATION

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

 (Matt 11:29-30)

What an invitation!  Who could resist? 

“Come to me” he says.

“Yes, I will” we answer, but Jesus doesn’t stop there.  Oh no, he presents us with another invitation while irresistible, also seems impossible.  He suggests that we yoke ourselves to him.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your soul.”

A yoke, as you probably know, is a bar placed across the necks and backs of animals, usually oxen, and used to pull heavy loads.  No animal is yoked alone, they must have a partner and they must both be trained to move in unison comfortably and placidly. Trainers have noted that many teams are uncomfortable until they are reconnected each day, so strong is their bond.

The yoke Jesus suggests is perfect, strong and everlasting; you and he in perfect harmony, pulling the burdens of life together.  He promises you will not be sorry and your burdens will be lighter.

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

At times, we are yoked to something or another, be it fear, addiction, depression, anger, or something else.  But those yokes are heavy, unwieldy and can’t follow a straight line to any kind of reasonable destination. 

This invitation is easy to accept.  Simply say, “Come Lord Jesus” and open your mind and heart.  No dues required, no hoops to jump through and it comes with a lifetime guarantee.  If you believe anything Jesus said, believe this.  He will be your partner through your life.  He will walk beside you and will always be there.  He will not be distracted from your needs and you will feel his love every moment of your existence. 

You may get a lot of invitations during your lifetime but never any like this one.

RSVP immediately.

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA