I’m thinking of a spiritual lesson I’ve had to learn over and over in my life. It’s the simple fact that God wants all of me.

What do we mean when we say “all of me” (all of you)? Think of our many parts . . . our mind and its reasoning, our memory, our desires, our freedom, our work, talents, relationships etc. God wants to be in charge of all these things.

The problem is I want to be in charge of them. After all . . . It’s MY life!!

So throughout my life, I’ve tried to strike a deal with God. “I’ll give you most of me Lord. You can have my work and those work relationships. You get back what gifts you’ve given me (my big mouth). I’ll even throw in what kind of TV I watch (nothing smutty, you wouldn’t like that). All this is Yours.”

“But . . . don’t ask me to give you my habits or my preferences. I’ve spent a lifetime developing them: my bedtime, my cocktail, my personal time, a particular hobby, etc., all these are mine. I’ll do what I want with them.”

So God is patient. He lets us have our way. Habits and preferences (even the good ones) start to protect themselves. To the point where they can start to run the show. We start living in a way that expects these habits to have no interference. (“What do you mean the plane is delayed? This just can’t be. I have to be in Rochester this evening!!” OR “No coffee!!? That’s ridiculous!”)

Once again God lets us have our way. And I don’t know about you, but every time I take free reign of my life, with no concern for God’s will (I’m a good guy – – I don’t need God’s will to tell me what to do) . . . things get muddy.

It’s weird. I start out wanting a little “life for myself”. God won’t mind. And now I discover there’s a growing part of me that doesn’t want God interfering with my habits at all.

Now look what’s happened to God. God becomes “the Law”, the cop in my rearview mirror. A kill joy, someone to fear or at least avoid. This friends is the effect of original sin in us. God is someone to flee.

Poor God. How we twist things about Him. How we make Him out to be some grumpy boss who loves to order people around. Our vision of life slowly changes. Happiness is something to be grasped by ourselves. God is someone to flee. Adam and Eve hid themselves.

So what went wrong? We did. We failed to give God everything. Call it what you want . . . mistrust, selfishness, pride, arrogance . . . it’s all the same. It’s a voice that says, “NOBODY IS GOING TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO.” Quietly God calls to us but we’re not in the mood to listen.

Ever have that feeling? Ever hear yourself saying that? Welcome to this fallen world.

We’ve forgotten that God loves us. We’ve forgotten that, in His knowing love, He knows us better than we know ourselves. He made us! And it’s from this love we receive His will. And, get this. God’s will is our true happiness! St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, prayed this prayer (The Suscipe) for God to have all of him. See what you think.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

~ St. Ignatius of Loyola

Next Week Pentecost!!

Fr. Tim

So there’s a lull in a conversation with friends and someone you know, but not all that well, asks you, “Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?” Everything stops, doesn’t it?

Catholics especially find it hard to answer this question. “I THINK I have,” might be our answer. Pressed further as to when you accepted Jesus someone might say, “Well, I go to mass on Sunday”, “I don’t cheat anybody.” “I give to the United Way.” “Oh I don’t know!”

It’s not through any lack of faith that one is left in confusion. It’s just that most Catholics show our faith in a different way. Taking Holy Communion at mass is probably the premiere moment for Jesus and me in the week. Yes, THERE HE IS, my Lord and Savior! (Chances are, our inquiring friend would not understand this answer) . . And just before that we turn to each other and say, “The Peace of Christ be with you!” and we smile at each other and somehow we feel Jesus is with us.

That’s it. That’s Jesus and me. And is He my Lord and Savior? Of course He is!

However . . . that’s not enough. Faith is a gift that is meant to be shared. Christianity is not just about “Jesus and me”, it’s about Jesus, you and me, all of us together. (Why else would Jesus leave the 99 safe in the meadow to search out the lost sheep?)

So how do we uptight Catholics begin to share our faith? It starts with an attitude of affection. We have to like our neighbor, to genuinely care how they are, to be happy when they are happy and sad when they are sad. Not that everyone is our best friend, but everyone can count on us to be in their corner. We want goodness to find everyone.

Once we have our neighbor fixed in our hearts as “brother” or “sister”, we can speak to them as to a friend — because that’s what they are.

Next we need to check our memory bank for the times God has popped up in my life. These are moments when I cried out to God and He heard me, or a joy beyond all expectation filled my heart. These are my life’s faith stories, my “God history.” These things I know, not because I read about them, but because they happened to me personally. These are the things that Christ asks me to share with my neighbor when the Holy Spirit moves.

So how do I find my “God history”? It really is up to each person to search and find. But here are a few classic moments that many people have found to contain “something from God”.

• Strangely, God’s grace comes many times in moments of distress. “Powerlessness” is a particular favorite for God to work with. The times, with nowhere else to turn, we finally call out to God . . . “Help me.” And guess what? Something happens.

• “Things that overwhelm” is another favorite tool God uses to open our eyes. Moments of great beauty in a thou- sand different places (the face of a child, a walk with a friend, something said in church, the memory of a loving person, sickness that brings a new vision of life, someone’s word to us that goes deep, etc.)

• Where there is love there is God (1 Jn. 4:7). Any moment of love whether small or large is a golden thread that leads directly to the heart of God. God IS love. (A love beyond all measure. Think “giving” without counting the cost – – Christ on the cross). Have you witnessed this kind of love? Then God has come to you!

God will give you a time to share your confidence in His grace. Because you’ve experienced it.

Be kind this week.

Fr. Tim

Something happened a few years back at a conference I was attending. The subject was “vocation” and how we find God’s way and plan for our life. A young priest presented an image that surprised and delighted all of us. He gave us a picture of how life gets pieced together in partnership with God.

He used this image. See what you think.

Picture you’re weaving a cloth with various shuttles and yarns attached to them. The cloth is suspended over your head much like an umbrella. The garment you’re weaving is of course “your life”.

You view your cloth from the bottom and see several openings which could receive your shuttle. So seeing the pattern you’ve already begun, you choose an opening that seems to best add to your cloth. You push the shuttle through and wait for its return.

Meanwhile God is there above to receive your choice. He takes his time in returning the shuttle. He’s partnering with you as co-weaver! Finally He drops the shuttle back down to you but not exactly where you thought He would. It’s “over there”.

“Oh,” we think, “that changes things. Now what? Where do I send my shuttle back to Him?”

And up and down the shuttle of life goes. Each time we make the best judgment we can about life’s choices . . . Is this the person I should marry? Do I work or stay home with the children? Do I apply for the new opening at work? Where do we send the children to school? How do I handle this new problem? Etc.

So you think about things; maybe talk things over with family or friend. Hopefully you’ll say a prayer for the Holy Spirit to guide you. But then comes the moment of decision (“Mom, dad, I’ve decided to go into the military.”) and with that you’ve sent the shuttle up through the cloth of your life. What will God send back? We’ll see . . .

Get the picture? It’s really a nice meditation on the partnership God has with us in guiding us through our lives.

Two points seem critical to me in this process.

1. When we ponder where to send up our choices (the shuttle) there needs to be some sort of prayer. “Oh Lord, please guide me, enlighten me. Show me where to send this choice in life. I give it to you. Help me.” Then act with the confidence that God will indeed help your choices. He loves you!

2. When God drops the shuttle back down to you, no matter how unexpected its placement— trust that it is God’s answer to your prayer. The events of our life that follow our prayerful action is what we call God’s Providence (His loving grace given to us His children). Trust that He has heard you and has answered your prayers.

Case in point: Two years ago we prayed that God would guide the selection of our president and government officials in the recent election. When I went to the poll that day I pushed the shuttle through (to continue the analogy) for a different candidate. What came back to me (and to you!) was Donald Trump as our next president.

Following the points mentioned above, we now regard President Trump as God’s will for America at this present time. My responsibility as a citizen is to support him wherever I can and speak up when government policies violate matters of social justice.

God in his providence has something to teach us in allowing the election process to give us this president. I continue to search for what that lesson may be.

God is waiting for your next prayer as together you weave the pattern of your life.

Bless you. Happy Easter.

Fr. Tim

PS. Partner with God. Make your garment breathtaking!

1. A persistent fascination with the idea of becoming a priest. (It just won’t go away. Girls are wonderful too but why do I keep thinking about life as a priest?)
2. An appreciation for the Catholic Faith. It really does have the deepest and truest answers to life’s mysteries. (I think I could explain it to help people.)
3. A vague desire to do something dangerous for Christ. (This is weird. Guys just like something that tests them. Something risky and different, like rock climbing, but this time . . . something for the Lord!)
4. You find yourself watching priests at your parish. (Hearing his homily you might think . . . “I could do that, maybe even better!” Or thinking about counseling a worried person, you might think “Here is what I would say to someone with that problem.”)
5. If not me . . . then who? (If you see and feel that something needs to be done, why would you tell someone else to do it? Picture someone needing help climbing stairs . . . you don’t wait for someone else to help, do you? The very fact that YOU SEE what’s needed is a sign that YOU are called to step up. This sometimes feels almost like a burden. A sweet burden!)
6. People, out of the blue, tell you they think you’d make a good priest. Ever tell that to a young man? It could change his life. It changed mine.

6 Tricks of the Enemy to confuse and frustrate God’s call. (Comment)

1. “Who do you think you are?! You’re not holy enough.” (You’re right. You’re a sinner. Just like the rest of us. God doesn’t call “perfect” people and THEN make them priests. No, he calls simple everyday people like the fishermen/apostles. It’s a lifetime journey that makes you holy.)
2. “It’s a lifelong commitment. I can’t do that.” (Gee, that’s too bad. So I guess you’ll never get married or have children or be a true friend to anyone. They all call for lifelong commitments. So you’ll re-invent yourself every seven or eight years?)
3. “I’ll be lonely.” (So? Nobody talks about this because it’s kinda personal and a little embarrassing . . . . Jesus was lonely. EVERYBODY IS LONELY SOMETIMES. God lets us all have this feeling to get us looking forward to the joy of heaven.
4. “I can’t do the things I like doing.” (Says who? Talk to priests. They have an amazing interest in all kinds of activities. Some have their pilot’s license, some priests have traveled all over the world, some play an instrument in a band or orchestra . . . golf, wine making, cooking – priests do all kinds of things.)
5. “But I love women. I want to marry.” (Of course you do!! God put that feeling in you. But sometimes God puts another feeling right along side of it. It’s the feeling that Jesus wants you to be his special friend – – – you and him. He whispers “follow me.”)
6. “Priests are busy on Sunday, and then they don’t do anything all week. (That’s not true. Priests have staff meetings, finance meetings, buildings and grounds meetings, Parish Council meetings, counseling appointments, interviews with engaged couples, students for sacraments, parents for baptisms, confessions, teaching classes, going to the hospital, funerals, time for prayer, time to plan homilies, people “stopping by” . . . what else? . . . oh yeah, Maplewood Nursing Home, on call at Rochester General, morning masses, email correspondence. There’s more but that’s enough.)

To Our Young Men

You’re not alone in trying to find your path in life. Talk to your parish priest. He can tell you what it feels like to be a priest. He can help you find whatever God’s plan may be for you.

Fr. Tim

I’ve been playing with the outrageous announcement the Church proclaims everyday but especially at this time of Easter. “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.”

The science we rely on to help us understand the physical world tells us that such an event cannot happen given the laws of nature. Surprisingly science has no objection to “resuscitation” (the return to bodily life of a corpse that was once thought dead. Lazarus, friend of Jesus, was resuscitated. Unfortunately, Lazarus would have to die again.) Science allows for that possibility.

That is not what the Church proclaims. The Church boldly announces that the whole Jesus is alive, body, mind and soul, never to die again. She declares it to be a true historical event. The resurrection is a “fact”.
So why should we believe what our senses can never verify? Actually we do it all the time . . . do you believe your spouse when she says she loves you? Is it a “fact” when your friend says, “I was there. You must not have seen me.” When the state trooper stops your car to tell you the bridge is out up ahead, is it then a fact for you?

Why do we believe something is for real when we’ve never witnessed it? Isn’t it because we know the person who’s giving us the information . . . and we trust them? When you think about it isn’t that how we come to know most things? We trust they’re telling the truth. (So Fr. John tells me he’s used all the hot water – – okay, I’ll shower later!)

Sunday after Sunday in the Easter Season the gospel tells a story of Jesus appearing to his disciples. Why should I believe them? I mean he died on the cross two thousand years ago, they buried his body like any other corpse. How can I reasonably know that Jesus is truly alive and with me?

Here’s what helps me believe:

• Most importantly, Jesus said it would happen. (Mark 9:31, Matthew 17:22, 23)
• The apostles were totally surprised by the resurrection and gained nothing but persecution by spreading the news.
• The God that is revealed by the death and resurrection of Jesus is so contrary to anything humans could ever think to cook up. (“Your God let himself be crucified?!”)
• The Church (for all its human failings) has never wavered in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead even in times of great suffering.
• The gift of Faith creates a willingness in me to submit to a truth that guides my life in a hope filled way. (Before that I had nowhere to steer my ship!)
• Over time, this Faith has provided the experience of a deeper love for God and neighbor that never would have happened otherwise.
• Faith in the resurrection has brought me into contact with people who have shown me a love and goodness that can only be compared to the love of Jesus Christ.

With these thoughts in mind . . . . I take the leap of Faith. And even this leap is caused by God’s grace. He helps us jump!

Now dear friends be ready, because once we say “yes” to the Easter message of eternal life with Christ, we “bind” ourselves to living according to his teachings.

(“Religion”: from the Latin, religare . . . to bind).

That means: loving enemies, living chastely, caring for the poor, faithful spousal love, seeking social justice, forgiveness to all who harm us, trusting God to watch over us, being there for those in need, etc.

Being just small human beings, inclined to selfishness, how will we ever live as Jesus taught? All I can say is “something happens”. Over time we get drawn out of ourselves and begin to live for God and others. And there’s a happiness unlike anything the world can deliver.

Please know that God loves you right now. Right where you are this moment. All he asks is that we surrender to that love. Let it conquer you, wash over you, free you.

Easter joy to you.

Fr. Tim

Brothers and Sisters,

Some things are hard to put into words. Some things are understood only by Faith. Today the Christian world proclaims a great wonder. Our brother Jesus Christ, who’s every heartbeat was truly human, surrendered that heart to God his Father in an act of love for the human race.

And now, the divinity that lay hidden in his every human moment, the divinity he possessed before the earth was created, shines forth as Eternal Love. Jesus is alive. We’re invited to share that life with Him. How? “Love one another as I have loved you”. He’ll take care of the rest.

A Blessed Easter to you all.

With Love,
Fr. Tim

Was it just me or was this past winter a particularly hard one? Maybe it seemed that way because I’m getting old- er and less vigorous in mounting the usual “winter coun- ter attack”; you know . . . brisk winter walks in the snow (blaah!).

But now it’s spring and we know what is soon to happen. Driving down to Elmira last week I passed mile after mile of brown, matted field grass. Not a blade of green. The fields seemed to say to the infant springtime . . . “you think you can raise all this brown to life? We’re REALLY dead. But give it a shot, see what you can do.”

And here’s your thought for the day – – do you want to start again? Do you want to live another year? Like nature are you ready to come back to life? Are you ready to embrace the trials and joys of living on this earth?

Certainly we all want to “keep living”. But that’s not what I’m asking. Are you ready to EMBRACE the duties you carry at this stage of your life? Are you ready to “steady on” as loving spouse? Faithful friend? Patient sufferer? A lonely remnant, honoring what once was?

These days of Lent give us the opportunity to look more deeply at things we sometimes take for granted. Like life itself.

It’s a gift. It comes from God through our parents. It gives us a chance to experience an amazing moment in time – – this time, this moment. We have an invitation to contribute something the world has never seen before. Your love. Your caring.

Sooo? After all these winters, do you want to come to life again? It’s really rather simple, it all starts with attitude. What’s yours?

Are you still trying hard to get the shiny things in life? Are you trying mightily to be free of cares or worries? Does thinning or absent hair make you sad? Does being unappreciated and ignored cause resentment?

I think of all the time I’ve devoted myself in this way. Full blown, they create an attitude that expects life to be “for me”, “mine”. My choices are carefully arranged to serve…me. Jesus tells us this way of thinking misses the purpose and reason for which God gave us life.

“If anyone wants to come to me, he must forget himself. Whoever wants to save his life (i.e. protect it , guard and hoard it) will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (save it).” Luke 9: 23, 24.

And again . . . “Unless the grain of wheat dies it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies it will bear fruit a hundredfold.” John 12: 24.

The message? We are here to be “for” something other than ourselves. That’s right. Our lives, given to us as a gift, are to be given back in love and service, first to God and then to our neighbor.

This saving message of Jesus reveals the purpose of our life. With it, comes a whole shift in attitude. We begin a life of “giving ourselves away”. And guess what hap- pens?! Peace. “Peace is what I leave with you. My own peace I give you. Not like the world and its peace.” John 14: 27

So again. Do you want this new spring? Do you want to pick it up again? That cross you’ve been carrying?

I do. Want to join me? Happy Lent!

Fr. Tim

(While Fr. Tim is away this week the following article was previously written on March 22, 2015, the 5th Sunday of Lent).

As we celebrate the 5th Sunday of Lent this weekend, I’m imagining a couple things may have happened to you in these last weeks.

Some of us have entered vigorously into this season of penance. On Ash Wednesday, with the dirt on your forehead, you were resolved to really make this a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. By now you have begun to feel the spiritual effects of such efforts— a felt desire for God in your life, an eagerness to do good things for the Lord, perhaps a happiness or peace in the midst of day to day difficulties. If so. . . . thank God. This is a great grace you have received.

Others of us have not been so diligent in our observance of the discipline of Lent. Maybe like New Years resolutions, we just got started and then dropped the whole project. Or, perhaps we tried to sacrifice or do something extra in prayer, but saw our efforts slowly go down hill. Maybe you are just now considering this holy season and thinking, “What the heck, it’s more than half over- – – I’ll just wait for Easter and do it up right.

May I offer a suggestion? First off, perhaps the fail- ure to follow through on our Lenten efforts is part of God’s plan for you. In the opening prayer for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (half-way) the Church prays, “Lord, when we are discouraged by our weakness, give us confidence in your love.”

Maybe God wanted you to learn how weak you are! Maybe now you know how much you need God to help you do even the slightest sacrifice. Perhaps in our failures we are beginning to learn the mysterious lessons of humility.

Whatever this Lent has been for you so far really doesn’t matter—– it’s today that should concern us. Why not let this Monday be a new beginning? Let’s call it Ash Monday.

Ask God for the grace that would give you a plan for these next two weeks leading up to Easter Sunday. Such a plan might include:

• going to confession.
• attending Mass one other time during the week.
• sitting everyday for three minutes (or more, if God so moves you) to consider how you might better spend the fleeting days of your life.
• journey with the people of Holy Trinity by being a part of the Holy Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday).
• acts of kindness for those with whom you live and work.
• some special act of selflessness offered for peace in the Middle East.

So, come along now. Up we go!! We are companions on this journey.

Bless you,
Fr. Tim

I’ve been doing a little reading this Lent. One of the books is a slender volume entitled The Ignatian Workout by Tim Muldoon (Loyola Press). There he describes a helpful exercise for anyone wanting to bring themselves to God in prayer.

He points out the fact that each of us has a history of events and experiences that shape who we are and how we perceive the world. The point is to become aware of “what’s in our bag” as we ask God to meet us in prayer.

One of St. Ignatius’s famous prayers begins: “Take Lord, receive, all my memory.” The questions that follow are meant to open your memory bank to see some of the major factors that have made you who you are.

Some point to moments of happiness that have encouraged you along the way. Some questions ask about some of the darker, painful events in your life. (These are remembered not to make us sad all over again. They’re meant just to remind us “that this too has happened.” Recall them and . . . Know you are safe with Him.)

Don’t try to answer them all. But some will “stick out ” with a special feeling and vivid memory. Take some time with them. The point is not to make us happy or sad again. The point is to own them and how they have shaped us. (Remember . . . God knows these things about you and accepts you just as you are. Let His gentle Spirit lead you to Him).

Let me give you an example of how this memory exercise can help your prayer. To the question, “Who have been your heroes?”, I can honestly say I’ve been given several men and women who have been examples of heroic courage and yet great gentleness and kindness.

I truly am blessed with the memory of these people and how they have touched my life. And how do they help me bring myself to God in prayer? They make me grateful to God for giving them to me. They provide a model for what I want to become for God. Sometimes I picture them sitting in the bleachers urging me on as I sit with God in prayer! Goofy, eh?!

So what’s in your bag? Don’t be afraid of it. It’s part of who you are. But remember, God’s not done with you yet!

Oh Happy Lent! God loves you more than you know.

Fr. Tim

Jesus does it again. The gospel this Sunday hits us with a story that says we were created to increase the Glory of God. (The fig tree that has failed to bring forth figs in season). The owner gives it one more season to prove itself in the garden . . . or else!

That’s right, our lives are designed to do good things. And in so doing we reflect the goodness of God. It’s as if God were saying to us, “You are my sons and daughters. You’ve got my stuff in you. Go show the world how beautiful I am.”

That’s all very lovely . . “to be pretty for God” we might say. But if we just like the idea and do nothing more, we’ll fail in our life’s mission. Or as Jesus says else- where, we’ll be like the grain of wheat that refuses to die to itself; it remains “just a grain of wheat.” John 12: 24.

Bearing fruit. It’s not an option. It’s a command. It comes with the package called human life. There are a couple rules that are writ into us from the beginning:

• We are “creatures”. Like the billions of other creatures, the cause of our existence is outside us. We didn’t make ourselves.
• We’re different from every other creature on earth in that we can act with reason and freedom.
• These two qualities (r & f), are to be used to bring forth love, goodness, and truth. (These are the qualities the bible calls “The Glory of God”.)
• If we don’t bring goodness forth, we’ll be like a bird that won’t fly or a kangaroo that won’t hop. We miss our purpose. Oh dear.
• God asks of us what he asks of no other creature… to be his sons and daughters.

But what does this fruit look like? Do we have to do great things? Is there something we must do that wins an award or makes us famous?

No. Jesus comments on this in Luke 19: 15-17. To the servant who has tried in small ways to advance God’s kingdom, the master says “Well done! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of even more.”

“Little” is one of the Lord’s favorite words . . . “unless you become as a little child”, “If you have faith as little as a mustard seed . . .”. He even calls us his “little children” John 13: 33.

So what is our “little part” to play? It’s really right there in front of us. Be a good and faithful: husband/father, wife/mother, friend, team mate, priest, nun, teacher, car- penter, plumber, doctor, artist, musician, etc.

“Do this and you are not far from the Kingdom,” Jesus says. (Mark 12: 34)

Simple eh? Yes, simple but not easy. So many things get in the way. I could give you a long list of the things that keep us from bearing the fruit God calls forth from us, but I think they all line up under the blanket of Pride and Selfishness.

This Lent is a time to take a good look at ourselves. To see ourselves as Christ sees us. Little, needful, trying, failing. Remember that fig tree story . . . there’s a fellow who intercedes for that barren tree saying, “leave it for now. I will cultivate it and fertilize it. Maybe it will bear fruit in the future.” Luke 13: 9.

That fellow is Jesus. He wants to be the fruit your life will bear. “Christ as it were appealing through you.”

One little step at a time . . .

Fr. Tim