Over the last two pastor’s columns I have been talking about stories: sharing your story with God as part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and just last week, sharing your stories of God with your family. And I continue to think about our stories of faith and this life of grace.
One of the amazing moments of my sojourn to Israel this summer was actually holding mustard seeds in my hand. And, trust me, you had to look very closely. I took a picture and when I show it to people most guess that it is very fine grains of dirt. When I say that it is a mustard seed, then the power of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed comes to the fore. Continue reading
Stories carry the lifetime of wisdom, experience, reflection, and all manner of insight – a true treasure trove. When I am at the bedside of a dying patient at TGH, with the family gathered, if it seems appropriate, I will ask them to tell me stories of their loved one. It is often difficult to be the first one to offer an account, but when they do, the floodgates open and the stories pour out. They are stories that make you laugh, cry, roll your eyes, and remember all the impish delight and love this one person brought into the world. As I said, a true treasure trove. 
St. Augustine of Hippo begins his great work “Confessions” with a question: “How shall I call upon my God and my Lord, when by the very act of calling upon him I would be calling himself into myself? Is there any place within me into which my God might come? How can God who made the heaven and earth come into me? Is there any room in me for you, Lord, my God?” (I:2)
Last weekend was one in which there was an intersection of what is best and worst about the Catholic Church. We had a mission cooperative weekend scheduled in which we hosted Fr. Machado from St. Rita’s in Dade City. The parish was welcoming, listened to his message, responded generously with financial assistance, and asked “What can we do to help?” Already parishioners are in dialogue with the staff at St. Rita’s seeking to organize some help programs for the school children. It is Church and community at its best when a people sustained and nourished by the Eucharist, spontaneously reach out to help nourish others. 
Last week I wrote about Catholic men’s movements in the United States during the last 10-plus years. “Men also need support from other men and mentors. Catholic conferences, retreats, seminars, and parish groups provide a supportive and prayerful context for the emotional and spiritual support men need, but usually won’t ask for on a personal level. And so, groups of ordinary men of all ages, from every social and ethnic group, who simply want more out of their Catholic faith, are coming together to make it happen.” I then went on to note that our own parish has several groups that support the spiritual life of men: Men’s Prayer Group and the Knights of Columbus. 
Every year there are many apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, dystopian movies that make the big screen — and a whole lot more that make Netflix, Amazon Prime, and all the other outlets for cinematic entertainment. These are just a few I thought of over the last several years: “The Hunger Games,” “The Matrix,” “Serenity,” “Blade Runner,” “The Book of Eli,” “Children of Men,” “Divergent,” “Maze Runner,” “The Postman,” “Terminator” — and you will note several of these were series of multiple movies. 
Cue the music marking the entry of Indiana Jones on horseback (replete with leather jacket, hat tilted at a rakish angle, whip at the ready) accompanied by skilled Bedouin horsemen all at a mad-dash gallop – and all we need is an amazing backdrop. The Nabatean world historical site at Petra, Jordan was happy to supply the setting for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Part of my summer pilgrimage was a two-day excursion into Jordan visiting the place of Jesus’ baptism, Mt. Nebo, where Moses overlooked the Jordan River into the Promised Land; and Petra. Petra is an amazing place for which my photographs do not do justice. But other than “how I spent my summer vacation,” why would I bring it up in this column? 
friarmusings 