WHAT WE NEED

12/9/15

WHAT WE NEED

            Doesn’t it seem that during the Christmas season when difficulties arise they seem so much worse? Is it really true that there are more of those things in this season or is it that we want this month to be trouble free and peaceful?  It’s probably that. With the words peace, love, joy, friendship and harmony all over the place, even on my Christmas dishes, we expect an oasis to appear where we can rest from the cares of life.  But of course, that isn’t possible and if we stop and think we realize that the original Christmas was anything but trouble free.  A young couple far from home, expecting a baby any minute, strangers in a strange town dependent on an indifferent world for help. The art depicting the Nativity has left a false impression and is pretty far from the actual conditions. They are depicted as supremely serene yet it must have been terrifying. Anyone who has witnessed birth and its immediate aftermath knows the truth. In this case the surroundings were dirty, smelly, likely damp and chilly on top of everything else.  All they had going for them was their trust in God. What the future held they had no idea and they hung on for dear life to the belief that God was at their side.  Sound familiar?  It’s a pretty sure thing that at sometime in our lives we will be in a situation where all we have is our faith in God to sustain us.

            The birth of the Savior had to be in such circumstances because He came to give hope to the world.  He came to proclaim that He is willing to do everything it takes to assure us of his Love.  This is truly what Christmas is about.  All the decorations, gifts, and festivities are just trimming and when things are difficult they are not enough to sustain us.

            Through this extraordinary event and the example of Mary and Joseph, He is telling us that when we have Him we have everything we need. 

With love,

Carol Lemelin OPA

(Order of Preachers Associate)

CHRISTIANS

12/2/15

CHRISTIANS

            We seem to be hearing a lot lately about this being a Christian nation.  I like to think that is true.  Everyone may not profess a belief in Christ but much of our law and custom reflect His message.  Our acceptance and understanding of the old saying, “Your right to swing your arm ends at my nose”, for example. We are offended if someone doesn’t hold a door or say thank you or give way at four way stops because not doing so is against custom.  For most people that stems from the Christian principle to care for one another.  Lately though the concept of a Christian nation is being coupled with some very unchristian ideas.  For example, someone recently said that we don’t want Muslims here because this is a Christian Nation.  Someone else said that if the diners in the Parisian restaurant had weapons the outcome would have been entirely different. Perhaps.  Not better though.  The idea that if everyone carried a gun we would have peace has sent the lawmen of the old west turning over in their graves.

            What is happening to us?  If, as we like to think, we are a Christian nation, why are the Christians silent when these things are said?

            It would be a good idea for everyone who calls him/herself a Christian to go back to the foundation of the faith through The Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles and read what those early pioneers believed was required of the followers of Jesus. For example St. Paul’s letter to the Romans (10:9-18):

            “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

            Christianity is two-fold, both heart and mouth are involved. Living life as a Christian but keeping it secret is just as bad as claiming to be a Christian but not living the life. Christmas is coming and we begin the remembrance of Christ’s life all over again.  The love of God becomes flesh and brings with Him all we need to build a world of peace and justice and his final words to us were; “Go and teach.” If only we had enough faith. 

With love,

Carol Lemelin OPA

YEAR OF MERCY

11/17/15

HE YEAR OF MERCY

            Pope Francis has decreed this church year The Year of Mercy.  What does that mean exactly?  Are we going to say special prayers praising God for his mercy?

Are we going to use Mercy as the theme for Lent and Advent?  Are we going to increase our charitable contributions and be satisfied with that, or are we going to search our hearts to find the mercy that should be there? 

            Jesus said that we should try to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.

We all know we are long way from succeeding in that.  But it isn’t the achieving that counts anyway it’s the trying. The first step is acknowledging the humanity of everyone even if they do not acknowledge it in us.  When Christ told the story of the Good Samaritan he was trying to break the insular mindset of his people.  They believed because they were ‘chosen’ they were superior.  Worse, it made everyone else inferior.  That attitude was not and is not limited to the Jewish people of millennia ago. It is alive and well today in all of us.  Everyone wants to think of themselves as superior.  But the followers of Christ know better and have an obligation to fight the tendency.  Christ was very clear to the disciples.  He told stories to the general public to get his points across but to the disciples he was more direct. 

            “ The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom has been granted to you. Blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. Amen, I say to you many prophets longed to see what you see but did not see it and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Matt 13:11,16-17)

            We are the descendants of those disciples and we see, we hear, and we know the mind of Christ.  We know that the love of God is equally distributed to all. We know we can’t call ourselves Christians and hold hatred in our hearts.  We cannot discriminate, abuse, denigrate or harm the innocent. We cannot lump the innocent with the guilty because they look alike.  We cannot stand by and let those things happen with no protest. We just can’t.

            We have to learn mercy.  We have to remind ourselves daily of Christ’s plea for those who were putting him to death;  “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  We have to hold the Gospel in front of us like a shield against prejudice. 

            We are not starting the Year of Mercy in a merciful mood.  This is a test for us. Are we or are we not, true followers of Jesus Christ?

            Let us all make a pledge for this Year of Mercy that we will nurture mercy in our hearts and reflect it in our words and actions.

With love,

Carol Lemelin OPA

THANKSGIVING PRAYER

LEMELIN FAMILY

THANKSGIVING PRAYER

             

Most generous and gracious Father,

we come today in humble thanksgiving.        

We ask nothing from you because we

 know that without our asking you

 provide all that we need to live and be happy

 in this world.  On this special day

of Thanksgiving we express our gratitude

for all our blessings.  In particular

We thank you for our very lives,

for the love we have known,

for the strength to endure pain and grief,

for the freedoms we enjoy,

for the glories of nature,

for the warmth of our family,

for the good that is in people,

for the challenges of every day life,

for the capability of the human mind to improve life,

for our faith which guides us through all of our experiences,   

and most especially, Lord, we thank you for your

continuing love and presence in our lives. Amen

Carol Lemelin

1990

MATTHEW 5:44

11-20-15MATTHEW 5:44

            After the slaughter in Paris, no one wants to be reminded of this verse:

“You have heard that it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.…”

             When I was a youngster my mother told me that when I had an issue with anyone (in that case it was the principal of my high school) I should pray for that person every time the issue came to mind.  I prayed with clenched teeth for months. But I did it.  It turned out very well and so I have tried all my life to adhere to that advice. But it is never easy.

            After the news broke, in every church, in every country, prayers for the dead and the grieving in France went up.  Where I was no one mentioned praying for those who committed these horrible acts.  The reaction of the world is to meet violence with violence and that may be natural especially for those who have the wherewithal to take revenge but the rest of us are helpless in the face of such a tragedy.  But if we are bent on revenge and wiping out these people how are we different from them?  But there is one thing we can do.  We can pray for the people who are so deluded that they planned and implemented such evil.

            Bombs will not do it.  Security measures have proven faulty. To pray for these people will take all our strength but we can’t turn away from Jesus’ command.  Jesus said that following him will not be easy and now we are faced with the bitter truth of that statement.

            Jesus also said: “The Son of Man has come to save what is lost” (Lk 19:10) Is anyone more lost than these people?  How do we overcome our revulsion to be able to pray?  We must start with God.  Jeremiah 29:12 says: “When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me.”     I had to believe that and start by asking God to give me the strength to pray for ISIS and then composed this prayer. 

Dear God, I call on you to please turn the hearts of the people who are so lost, so angry, so misguided that they have lost all human feeling and were able to plan and execute the horrors visited on Paris. Inspire them to feel pity for the victim’s families and to spare others the same fate.  Help us all to turn from thoughts of violent revenge and focus on finding ways to change their minds and hearts. I pledge to be more aware of the indifference to the struggles of others that could lead them to find that way of life attractive and to help where I can. I pray and promise this in the name of Jesus, Our Lord.  Amen.

            I invite you to at least try.  Imagine if the entire world prayed not just for the victims but also for their murderers.  Our trust in God is being tested.  Our commitment to Christ summoned.

With love,

Carol Lemelin OPA