What's past is over and done with. We can't recover our lost youth or our lost opportunities or our lost loves. But with each new day we can enhance and enrich and energize our expectations. Expectation plays a big role in our lives -- as was the case perhaps, with an extremely overweight man who was heard to say on his first visit to "Weight-Watchers," "I just can't wait to get home and not eat." Now that's serious expectation!
In a recent newspaper ad, a digital clock called "Timisis" was touted as a "perfect gift idea." This is a digital clock that does more than merely tell time or wake you up. By punching in your age and your gender, it constantly reminds you of how much longer you can expect to live. And it displays your remaining time (based on life-expectancy tables) in hours, minutes and seconds. "An average lifetime lasts 678,900 hours or 2.4 billion seconds." says the Timisis ad. "How much of that time do you have left? Well, Timisis will tell you right down to the last second."
Commenting on the new product, which sells for $99.95, a Chicago syndicated newspaper columnist wrote that he had a similar idea years ago ... It was when I realized that every morning, I would wake up, sit on the edge of the bed and stare at my feet for about 20 seconds. I figured out how many seconds a year I spent mindlessly staring at my feet. And how many days of my life I would do it. The result of my calculations were so disheartening that I started sleeping with my shoes on -- and broke the habit.
Now, if Timisis ever should become a standard household gadget, I can just hear someone saying to me, "Did you sleep well last night." "Oh yes," I would reply, "when I dozed off I had an estimated 100,648 hours left to live. When I awakened only 100,642 hours remained. And now that I've shaved and showered and had my coffee, my life expectancy is down to 100,641 hours." Now that's no way to live! It would be better to have a safe fall on my head than watch the time tick away hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute, second-by-second. 1
If ever we are going to enhance, enrich and energize our life-expectations, there must come a point at which we begin to "hang loose," "let go," and surrender our future to Divine Providence:
There must come a point at which we make all our hopes and dreams, all our inclinations to happiness, all our aspirations, all our expectations, a prayer to God, because every good thing comes from God.
There must come a point at which we place all of our talents, all of our productive energy, all of our possessions, in the service of the Lord of all creation. To use these good gifts contrary to His Will only serves to transform them into the thistles and weeds that choke up the seed before it has a chance to bloom and bear fruit.
The depth of God's Plan for our fulfillment is beyond our understanding, but it is not beyond our imagination or our expectations. Let them soar! Learn to expect the unexpected from a God who is good, from a God who is for us, from a God who is with us always, from a God who never ceases to sow His good seed. His voice can be heard, but only if you are listening. The vision of His "Good Life" can be seen, but only if you are trusting.
"Stand fast in the freedom to which you have been called," the Apostle Paul has written. Christ has set us free to "hang loose" in anticipation of happy surprises from Divine Providence. Christ has set us free to expect the unexpected from Divine Providence. Christ has set us free to trust in the Mercy of Divine Providence.
It must be added, however, that the freedom to which Jesus calls us is neither a mindless, superficial optimism nor an alternative to facing life's everyday problems. To the contrary, Jesus charges us with the responsibility of decision-making every day of our lives. Jesus charges us with the responsibility of looking ahead and weighing the consequences of our actions. Jesus charges us with the responsibility of participating in the ongoing work of creation. We are destined to achieve our fulfillment by the Grace of God and the sweat of our brow.
The story is told of a man who felt as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. One bright autumn day he was sitting at the breakfast table, thinking. "I've certainly had a lot of problems lately," he said to himself -- "troubles at work, troubles at home, troubles with the kids. I really ought to take time to pray about them." Then a strange thing happened! In the troubled man's own words ... Suddenly, I sensed that someone had walked into the room and was standing behind me. I turned and gasped. "Lord Jesus, what are You doing here?" I sputtered. The unexpected visit had unsettled me, to say the least, and I wondered why He had come. Had I done something wrong?
"Would you like to go for a walk?" I heard him say. "Sure, Lord," I replied. And so we walked down the little country road that runs past my house. I began to realize the great opportunity I had been given: "He has all the answers to my problems. All I need to do is ask!" So I turned to Him and said, "Lord, I need Your advice on a number of difficult problems ..." But, before I could finish, He said, "Be still! Do you hear it?" At first I didn't hear a thing, and then I recognized the gurgling of a nearby brook. "Isn't it beautiful?" he asked.
Again I said to Him, "Lord, I need your advice on a number of difficult problems ..." And again He interrupted, "Be still, do you hear it?" At first I heard nothing, but then I recognized the sound of children playing in the meadow grass. "Isn't it wonderful?" He asked.
Again, I tried: "Lord, I need your advice on a number of difficult problems ..." But, before I could finish, He stooped down and picked up a pebble from the roadside, saying, "I'll bet you can't hit the top of that telephone pole." This was not what I expected to hear from the Lord Himself. Casually, He tossed the pebble toward the pole. He missed! Then He handed me a pebble. I took my time. I concentrated on the pole. Carefully, I aimed the pebble. Then I tossed it at the target, but I too missed, but not by much. "Not bad," said the Lord. Then, with a playful smile, He turned to leave. I was totally bewildered until, looking over His shoulder, He said to me, gently, "Stop trying so hard!" 2
If ever you are going to enhance, enrich and energize your life-expectations, there must come a point at which you begin to "hang loose," to "let go," to "stop trying so hard," so to speak. There must come a point at which you are ready, willing and able to surrender your future to Divine Providence. The depths of God's Plan for your fulfillment is beyond your understanding -- but not beyond your imagination or your expectations.
When Jesus was about to begin His public ministry, "a feeling of expectancy had grown among the people," Luke tells us (Lk. 3:15). In today's Gospel Lesson, Luke tells us that "Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in Him, " taught in the synagogues, and everyone praised Him" (lk. 4:14-15). Then He came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and He went into the synagogue there, "and all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on Him." Again, "a feeling of expectancy had grown among the people." Could this be the Messiah, now standing before us? And soon, in God's Providence, the world would learn the ultimate lesson in expecting the unexpected.
Soon, the Son of God would die a horrible, ignominious death, nailed to an executioner's cross. And soon, as a result, the word would go forth to people everywhere that, in Jesus Christ, God was with them always; that, in Jesus Christ, they would never have to go it alone.
Stop trying to go it alone, and start anticipating God's providential surprises. Your way may not be God's way in a given situation. And that's reason enough to expect the unexpected!
1 - Mike Royko, Chicago Tribune (adapted).
2 - Adapted from "Storytelling, Imagination and Faith," Bausch, W.J.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
3rd sunday in ordinary time
There is an old story about a notorious bandit in the Far East who had been badly injured and taken to a Christian mission hospital. As the result of weeks of excellent care, the bandit recovered completely. He was so grateful for the treatment he received that he resolved he would never again rob a Christian. The word got around, and everyone he tried to hold up would immediately say, "I'm a Christian." And so the robber was faced with a problem: "How can you tell whether or not a person who claims to be Christian really is a Christian?" So he went back to the hospital and asked the missionaries. They said, "Well, every Christian should know the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments." And from that time on, he would tell his intended victims to recite the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. If they could not, he would rob them.
If everyone here present were asked to prove their faith by reciting the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, I don't know how many would pass the test, but I do know it would not be a true test of faith.
You may be able to recite the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. You may be able to recite the Apostles Creed. You may be able to sing dozens of hymns from memory. You may be able to repeat the Sermon on the Mount, word for word. But even if you are able to do all these things, in themselves they do not answer the question, "Are you a Christian?" That is to say, "Are you trying to pattern your life on the teachings of Jesus Christ? Are you trying to live as a christian. Are you one with God in Jesus Christ or are you estranged from God? Is God dead or alive in your life?"
Back in the late sixties, during a scholarly discussion of the "God Is Dead" theology, Dr. Erich Fromm told his colleagues that instead of debating the question, "Is God dead?", they should be debating the question "Is man dead?" The psychologist explained:
Man has been transformed into a thing, a producer, a consumer, an idolater of other things. He sits for hours in front of bad television programs without even knowing that he's bored. He learns that millions of children around the world are literally starving to death without even relating that reality to the teachings of religion. He joins the rat race of commerce, where personal worth is measured in terms of market values, and he remains unaware of the anxiety he is enduring. All this represents death as christians understand it. It is not true that physical death is the last enemy. The last enemy to be conquered is hell. The last enemy to be conquered is spiritual death. The name is not important; the essence of it is separation from God, whether on this side or the other side of physical death.
In today's Gospel, Luke tells us that after Jesus' long retreat in the desert where he was tempted by the devil, He "returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. And He taught in the synagogues, being glorified by all" (Luke 4:14-15). Jesus was beginning to attract attention. The crowds were coming out to hear Him preach and teach. Jesus' public ministry was off to a great start. "And He came to Nazareth," Luke continues, "where He had been brought up; and He went to the synagogue, as His custom was, on the sabbath day." And He stood before the congregation and read a passage from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed..." (Luke 4:18).
And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him,Luke tells us. Once more, Jesus had made a powerful impression on the people. Then He began speaking to them again, saying, "Today the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." In other words, "That passage from Isaiah is really about Me. The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, and it is I who have been anointed to preach to the poor and to minister to the blind and to relieve the oppressed and to proclaim freedom for all." Again, the congregation was greatly impressed. Going a little beyond today's Lesson, we learn that "all spoke well of Him." They "wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth." But as we continue to read from Luke, we discover that before that sermon was over, everything had changed. The very people who were praising Jesus suddenly became a lynch mob. Then and there they tried to kill Him. Why? Because He made it clear that those gracious words of hope and liberation were meant not just for them, not just for a chosen few, but for everyone. He made it clear that God's benevolence extends to all people -- even to those people of other nations and other cultures and other religions Whom they regarded as enemies.
Several years ago, in an interview, a well-known Christian preacher said that some of the meanest people he knew could "quote the Bible forward and backward. They are familiar with the facts," he said, "but they have never been able to translate fact into life." The Apostle Paul said, "Your attitude must be that of Christ." In other words, it is not enough merely to know Christ came to bring us the Good News of God's love for us and to liberate us from despair and to give us hope of becoming fulfilled human persons. We must allow His Good News to permeate our beings so that it makes a difference in our life; so that our attitude toward self and our attitude toward all others is the attitude of Christ.
This attitude comes through beautifully in a little essay called "Hands" by Sylvia Sunderlin:
On my father-in-law's one hundredth birthday, I knelt by the side of his chair and took his pale hands in mine. He bent forward, and said in his wavering voice, "You have lovely hands." It seemed an extravagant compliment. I'd always been a bit ashamed of my misshapen knuckles, my twisted thumb and, in later years, the arthritic lump in my left index finger. Touched, I could only murmur, "Thank you, Dad."
The moment remained with me. I looked at my hands from time to time, thinking how kind Dad had been. And how wrong! But then, gradually, I began to examine my hands more closely. I began to notice what they were doing.
They were holding pencils and needles, brooms and trowels, books and tennis rackets. Kneading bread and lighting birthday candles. Flitting over typewriter and piano keys. Wielding paintbrushes and irons. Brushing a child's hair, wiping away tears, bandaging a hurt finger, patting a back. Clasping my husband's face for a good-night kiss...
And one day I looked down at my hands and they were lovely! Dad had helped me see my hands as God intended me to see them: Holy gifts from Him, given character and made beautiful by serving!
Your attitude must be that of Christ so that others may see your hands as "lovely" -- Christian hands--given character and madebeautiful by serving!
If everyone here present were asked to prove their faith by reciting the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, I don't know how many would pass the test, but I do know it would not be a true test of faith.
You may be able to recite the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. You may be able to recite the Apostles Creed. You may be able to sing dozens of hymns from memory. You may be able to repeat the Sermon on the Mount, word for word. But even if you are able to do all these things, in themselves they do not answer the question, "Are you a Christian?" That is to say, "Are you trying to pattern your life on the teachings of Jesus Christ? Are you trying to live as a christian. Are you one with God in Jesus Christ or are you estranged from God? Is God dead or alive in your life?"
Back in the late sixties, during a scholarly discussion of the "God Is Dead" theology, Dr. Erich Fromm told his colleagues that instead of debating the question, "Is God dead?", they should be debating the question "Is man dead?" The psychologist explained:
Man has been transformed into a thing, a producer, a consumer, an idolater of other things. He sits for hours in front of bad television programs without even knowing that he's bored. He learns that millions of children around the world are literally starving to death without even relating that reality to the teachings of religion. He joins the rat race of commerce, where personal worth is measured in terms of market values, and he remains unaware of the anxiety he is enduring. All this represents death as christians understand it. It is not true that physical death is the last enemy. The last enemy to be conquered is hell. The last enemy to be conquered is spiritual death. The name is not important; the essence of it is separation from God, whether on this side or the other side of physical death.
In today's Gospel, Luke tells us that after Jesus' long retreat in the desert where he was tempted by the devil, He "returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. And He taught in the synagogues, being glorified by all" (Luke 4:14-15). Jesus was beginning to attract attention. The crowds were coming out to hear Him preach and teach. Jesus' public ministry was off to a great start. "And He came to Nazareth," Luke continues, "where He had been brought up; and He went to the synagogue, as His custom was, on the sabbath day." And He stood before the congregation and read a passage from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed..." (Luke 4:18).
And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him,Luke tells us. Once more, Jesus had made a powerful impression on the people. Then He began speaking to them again, saying, "Today the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." In other words, "That passage from Isaiah is really about Me. The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, and it is I who have been anointed to preach to the poor and to minister to the blind and to relieve the oppressed and to proclaim freedom for all." Again, the congregation was greatly impressed. Going a little beyond today's Lesson, we learn that "all spoke well of Him." They "wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth." But as we continue to read from Luke, we discover that before that sermon was over, everything had changed. The very people who were praising Jesus suddenly became a lynch mob. Then and there they tried to kill Him. Why? Because He made it clear that those gracious words of hope and liberation were meant not just for them, not just for a chosen few, but for everyone. He made it clear that God's benevolence extends to all people -- even to those people of other nations and other cultures and other religions Whom they regarded as enemies.
Several years ago, in an interview, a well-known Christian preacher said that some of the meanest people he knew could "quote the Bible forward and backward. They are familiar with the facts," he said, "but they have never been able to translate fact into life." The Apostle Paul said, "Your attitude must be that of Christ." In other words, it is not enough merely to know Christ came to bring us the Good News of God's love for us and to liberate us from despair and to give us hope of becoming fulfilled human persons. We must allow His Good News to permeate our beings so that it makes a difference in our life; so that our attitude toward self and our attitude toward all others is the attitude of Christ.
This attitude comes through beautifully in a little essay called "Hands" by Sylvia Sunderlin:
On my father-in-law's one hundredth birthday, I knelt by the side of his chair and took his pale hands in mine. He bent forward, and said in his wavering voice, "You have lovely hands." It seemed an extravagant compliment. I'd always been a bit ashamed of my misshapen knuckles, my twisted thumb and, in later years, the arthritic lump in my left index finger. Touched, I could only murmur, "Thank you, Dad."
The moment remained with me. I looked at my hands from time to time, thinking how kind Dad had been. And how wrong! But then, gradually, I began to examine my hands more closely. I began to notice what they were doing.
They were holding pencils and needles, brooms and trowels, books and tennis rackets. Kneading bread and lighting birthday candles. Flitting over typewriter and piano keys. Wielding paintbrushes and irons. Brushing a child's hair, wiping away tears, bandaging a hurt finger, patting a back. Clasping my husband's face for a good-night kiss...
And one day I looked down at my hands and they were lovely! Dad had helped me see my hands as God intended me to see them: Holy gifts from Him, given character and made beautiful by serving!
Your attitude must be that of Christ so that others may see your hands as "lovely" -- Christian hands--given character and madebeautiful by serving!
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