My mom always had a great strength for showing my brothers and sisters (5 of us) the joy and blessings of our Lord. She taught us to question but also to give thanks and gratitude each day. Later in her years, it seemed like she was in constant prayer - something I am now experiencing. We were never taught to chase money but rather to give to others. My life's work of caring for people with special needs taught me that those who appear to have nothing to give are God's truest angels sent here to teach us. Money is more than a challenge, yet I have experienced 3 true miracles in my life. I was told I would never have children, yet have 2 sons. Two life threatening pregnancies caused premature births, but they are strong, healthy men who give daily to their communities. They make me proud.I also had a major back surgery due to my life's work, and it was truly miraculous.
I find that during the darkest of times, the Lord truly carries us as I know he is doing now. I pray that my anger to my next door Trumper neighbors dissipates , but I am definitely a work in progress! Thank you Father Rich for your words, your guidance and wisdom. Through your teachings, I am growing closer to our Lord and I am eternally grateful. Have a beautiful day
Cindy, it sounds like your mother gave you one of life's greatest gifts, a faith that wasn't just spoken about but lived every day. "Pray without ceasing" isn't really about saying prayers every waking moment, it's about learning to see God's presence in every moment, including the miracles and blessings that others might overlook.
As for those neighbors, I often think of the spiritual life like strength training. The stronger we become, the more weight we add. Loving the people who are easy to love is one thing. Loving the people who test our patience is where real growth happens. Jesus points to this in the Sermon on the Mount when He calls us to love even our enemies. Not because it's easy, but because it changes us. It sounds to me like God is giving you an opportunity to grow even stronger in faith and love. I'll be praying for you on that journey.
Over the course of a long, and imperfect life, I have met many persons who call themselves Christians. Some caused me to feel so uncomfortable that I tended to distance myself from them. Others demonstrated so much goodness in their life that I found myself drawn to them. I’ve often been told that one cannot pick and choose their own version of Christianity, but the kindness and understanding in your writing draws me much closer to God.
Linda, I think you've touched on something many people have experienced but struggle to put into words. I've met Christians who made me want to leave the room, and Christians who made me want to know God better simply by the way they lived. I hope my writing always falls into that second category. Thank you for your honesty and for walking this journey with us.
Father, your words make such perfect sense. I have a Christian friend who apparently had words with a mutual atheist friend, and they no longer speak. This was a relationship of more than 50 years, snuffed out in a huff. He couldn't stand her constant evangelizing (which admittedly is a bit overboard and not always in keeping with her actions, but I digress), and she felt so strongly that he must be converted. Now it is a broken relationship beyond repair. It is very sad because we all used to be friends and it's made things almost a competition to see whose side are we on... we're not on a side, we're just living our lives in accordance with our beliefs, quietly, personally - it's become an uncomfortable friend group. All I can say is I try to live like the words of one of my favorite hymns "Love One Another", which simply says "Love one another as I have loved you, care for each other - I have cared for you. Bear their burdens, bind up their wounds and so you will know my return." I sing it in my head all the time and it reminds me to be humble and loving. It's not always easy, but it is an idea that keeps me grounded. Thank you for this essay - it will stay with me a long time!
Liz, this comment may be its own article. One of the great tragedies of Christian history is how often we've convinced ourselves that winning an argument is more important than preserving a relationship. Jesus certainly called people to repentance, but He also had an extraordinary way of making people feel seen, loved, and welcomed before they changed a thing. Thank you for sharing this. It gave me a lot to think about.
Thank you. I have happy tears
My mom always had a great strength for showing my brothers and sisters (5 of us) the joy and blessings of our Lord. She taught us to question but also to give thanks and gratitude each day. Later in her years, it seemed like she was in constant prayer - something I am now experiencing. We were never taught to chase money but rather to give to others. My life's work of caring for people with special needs taught me that those who appear to have nothing to give are God's truest angels sent here to teach us. Money is more than a challenge, yet I have experienced 3 true miracles in my life. I was told I would never have children, yet have 2 sons. Two life threatening pregnancies caused premature births, but they are strong, healthy men who give daily to their communities. They make me proud.I also had a major back surgery due to my life's work, and it was truly miraculous.
I find that during the darkest of times, the Lord truly carries us as I know he is doing now. I pray that my anger to my next door Trumper neighbors dissipates , but I am definitely a work in progress! Thank you Father Rich for your words, your guidance and wisdom. Through your teachings, I am growing closer to our Lord and I am eternally grateful. Have a beautiful day
Cindy, it sounds like your mother gave you one of life's greatest gifts, a faith that wasn't just spoken about but lived every day. "Pray without ceasing" isn't really about saying prayers every waking moment, it's about learning to see God's presence in every moment, including the miracles and blessings that others might overlook.
As for those neighbors, I often think of the spiritual life like strength training. The stronger we become, the more weight we add. Loving the people who are easy to love is one thing. Loving the people who test our patience is where real growth happens. Jesus points to this in the Sermon on the Mount when He calls us to love even our enemies. Not because it's easy, but because it changes us. It sounds to me like God is giving you an opportunity to grow even stronger in faith and love. I'll be praying for you on that journey.
Over the course of a long, and imperfect life, I have met many persons who call themselves Christians. Some caused me to feel so uncomfortable that I tended to distance myself from them. Others demonstrated so much goodness in their life that I found myself drawn to them. I’ve often been told that one cannot pick and choose their own version of Christianity, but the kindness and understanding in your writing draws me much closer to God.
Linda, I think you've touched on something many people have experienced but struggle to put into words. I've met Christians who made me want to leave the room, and Christians who made me want to know God better simply by the way they lived. I hope my writing always falls into that second category. Thank you for your honesty and for walking this journey with us.
Father, your words make such perfect sense. I have a Christian friend who apparently had words with a mutual atheist friend, and they no longer speak. This was a relationship of more than 50 years, snuffed out in a huff. He couldn't stand her constant evangelizing (which admittedly is a bit overboard and not always in keeping with her actions, but I digress), and she felt so strongly that he must be converted. Now it is a broken relationship beyond repair. It is very sad because we all used to be friends and it's made things almost a competition to see whose side are we on... we're not on a side, we're just living our lives in accordance with our beliefs, quietly, personally - it's become an uncomfortable friend group. All I can say is I try to live like the words of one of my favorite hymns "Love One Another", which simply says "Love one another as I have loved you, care for each other - I have cared for you. Bear their burdens, bind up their wounds and so you will know my return." I sing it in my head all the time and it reminds me to be humble and loving. It's not always easy, but it is an idea that keeps me grounded. Thank you for this essay - it will stay with me a long time!
Liz, this comment may be its own article. One of the great tragedies of Christian history is how often we've convinced ourselves that winning an argument is more important than preserving a relationship. Jesus certainly called people to repentance, but He also had an extraordinary way of making people feel seen, loved, and welcomed before they changed a thing. Thank you for sharing this. It gave me a lot to think about.
I should have said the song mentioned is just the refrain from the actual song. 😊