Tim Speer's Blog, page 2
September 30, 2015
Fighting With Prayer
Like a lot of people, I sometimes find myself too eager to jump into an argument. And when I do, suddenly winning that argument becomes the most important thing. But do we really ever win? And if the argument happens to be about faith, or God, is it the argument, or the soul that we should really want to win.
The other week I saw the movie "War Room", and it was a powerful reminder that the best way to win an argument is through prayer. And how ironic is it that it took this movie to remind me of that. For even my own novel, "Return To Paradise", has the power of prayer as a main theme. It is through prayer that the town of Spring River receives help in a time of crisis. And it is through prayer that David, the main character, is able to help.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have. And, in the end, sincere and heartfelt prayer is more powerful than the best of arguments. So from now on, I will try to jump into prayer a little more often, and jump into arguments a little less.
The other week I saw the movie "War Room", and it was a powerful reminder that the best way to win an argument is through prayer. And how ironic is it that it took this movie to remind me of that. For even my own novel, "Return To Paradise", has the power of prayer as a main theme. It is through prayer that the town of Spring River receives help in a time of crisis. And it is through prayer that David, the main character, is able to help.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have. And, in the end, sincere and heartfelt prayer is more powerful than the best of arguments. So from now on, I will try to jump into prayer a little more often, and jump into arguments a little less.
September 22, 2015
One Moment In Time
The other day I was listening to some music when the Whitney Houston song, "One Moment In Time", started playing. This song was written for the 1988 Olympics, and it is definitely a very inspirational song. If you're like me, it conjures up images of standing up on some big stage, or podium, accepting accolades for some great achievement you've accomplished.
And isn't that what we all want? A moment in the spot light, recognition for what we've done. As Whitney Houston says:
"Give me one moment in time
When I'm more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me"
But then I started thinking about it. As I listened to the song, I realized it doesn't say anything about public recognition. It talks about personal satisfaction, and working your hardest, striving to reach your goal. In the songs case, the goal is yet to be reached:
"My finest day
Is yet unknown"
So let's go back to the beginning of the song. The song starts out:
"Each day I live
I want to be
A day to give
The best of me"
The bottom line is, we really don't have to be Olympic champions, or do anything that brings us wide public recognition. What the song calls us to do, is to be the best we can be each and every day. And, that is also what God calls us to be.
And then I thought a little more. That "one moment in time, When I'm more than I thought I could be," I've already lived it, and more than once. In fact, many times. Some stand out more than others. Among them, the day I was married, and when my children were born. For on each of these days, I was given a gift from God that made me not just more than I thought I could be, but more than I ever could have been without them.
So what are the other days in my life that I count as such great moments? None measure up to my wedding day, or the birth of my children. But yet, they were still days, that through God's Grace, I became something greater than I could have ever dreamed.
And, as for the future, each and every day can, and should, be one of these moments in time. The key is not just to strive to be your best, but to look around, and recognize what God has given you. The last verse of the song sums it up:
"You're a winner for a lifetime
If you seize that one moment in time
Make it shine"
So today, and every day, we should strive to be the best we can be. And, we should look around and recognize the many graces God has blessed us with. Sieze the moment, and we will have not just that one moment in time, but every moment in time.
And isn't that what we all want? A moment in the spot light, recognition for what we've done. As Whitney Houston says:
"Give me one moment in time
When I'm more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me"
But then I started thinking about it. As I listened to the song, I realized it doesn't say anything about public recognition. It talks about personal satisfaction, and working your hardest, striving to reach your goal. In the songs case, the goal is yet to be reached:
"My finest day
Is yet unknown"
So let's go back to the beginning of the song. The song starts out:
"Each day I live
I want to be
A day to give
The best of me"
The bottom line is, we really don't have to be Olympic champions, or do anything that brings us wide public recognition. What the song calls us to do, is to be the best we can be each and every day. And, that is also what God calls us to be.
And then I thought a little more. That "one moment in time, When I'm more than I thought I could be," I've already lived it, and more than once. In fact, many times. Some stand out more than others. Among them, the day I was married, and when my children were born. For on each of these days, I was given a gift from God that made me not just more than I thought I could be, but more than I ever could have been without them.
So what are the other days in my life that I count as such great moments? None measure up to my wedding day, or the birth of my children. But yet, they were still days, that through God's Grace, I became something greater than I could have ever dreamed.
And, as for the future, each and every day can, and should, be one of these moments in time. The key is not just to strive to be your best, but to look around, and recognize what God has given you. The last verse of the song sums it up:
"You're a winner for a lifetime
If you seize that one moment in time
Make it shine"
So today, and every day, we should strive to be the best we can be. And, we should look around and recognize the many graces God has blessed us with. Sieze the moment, and we will have not just that one moment in time, but every moment in time.
September 18, 2015
Seventy Times Seven
This is the official announcement that I have started my new book, "Seventy Times Seven". You should by now have some idea about what one of the major themes will be.
The decision to write this book is not one I made lightly. It is ultimately the result of considerable prayer. There are several reasons for this. First and foremost, as I said in one of my earliest posts, I write because I feel called to do so by the Holy Spirit. I absolutely do believe this. I also absolutely believe that if I ever write for my own reasons, I will fail. Thus, I wanted to be sure it was a true calling of the Holy Spirit. I might add that the Holy Spirit not only leads me to write, it inspires a lot of the content. Another reason I waited a while to start writing "Seventy Times Seven", is that I had a major hole in the plot that I was unable to fill in. I believe that it was no accident that the idea I needed to fill this hole in came to me during Adoration.
Another reason I was a little hesitant, is that this book will suggest that you do something that I myself would have a hard time doing. Yes I know we are called to forgive, and I do. But like many, there are limits to what I would easily be able to forgive. So it's my sincere hope that I am never called to forgive to the degree that the main character in Seventy Times Seven is called upon to.
And, as I discovered with "Return To Paradise", writing a book is no small commitment. And, as I have also discovered, it doesn't end when finish writing the book.
So the good news is that I have not only decided to start writing "Seventy Times Seven", I have actually started writing. Timing wise, I hope to have it published by mid-2016, which means you will still have to wait a while for it.
Now, at least for some of you, the bad news. It is not a sequel to "Return To Paradise". I say this because a number of the people who have read "Return To Paradise", have expressed their desire for me to write a sequel to it. This does not mean that I will never write a sequel to it. We'll just have to wait until after I finish "Seventy Times Seven" and see what the boss says.
For those of you who "gots to know", I have written a short epilogue to "Return To Paradise". Since it is an obvious spoiler, I will not post it here. It is available for download on my website: http://timspeer.net
For those of you who would like to know a little more about "Seventy Times Seven", I have posted a synopsis of it on my website.
The decision to write this book is not one I made lightly. It is ultimately the result of considerable prayer. There are several reasons for this. First and foremost, as I said in one of my earliest posts, I write because I feel called to do so by the Holy Spirit. I absolutely do believe this. I also absolutely believe that if I ever write for my own reasons, I will fail. Thus, I wanted to be sure it was a true calling of the Holy Spirit. I might add that the Holy Spirit not only leads me to write, it inspires a lot of the content. Another reason I waited a while to start writing "Seventy Times Seven", is that I had a major hole in the plot that I was unable to fill in. I believe that it was no accident that the idea I needed to fill this hole in came to me during Adoration.
Another reason I was a little hesitant, is that this book will suggest that you do something that I myself would have a hard time doing. Yes I know we are called to forgive, and I do. But like many, there are limits to what I would easily be able to forgive. So it's my sincere hope that I am never called to forgive to the degree that the main character in Seventy Times Seven is called upon to.
And, as I discovered with "Return To Paradise", writing a book is no small commitment. And, as I have also discovered, it doesn't end when finish writing the book.
So the good news is that I have not only decided to start writing "Seventy Times Seven", I have actually started writing. Timing wise, I hope to have it published by mid-2016, which means you will still have to wait a while for it.
Now, at least for some of you, the bad news. It is not a sequel to "Return To Paradise". I say this because a number of the people who have read "Return To Paradise", have expressed their desire for me to write a sequel to it. This does not mean that I will never write a sequel to it. We'll just have to wait until after I finish "Seventy Times Seven" and see what the boss says.
For those of you who "gots to know", I have written a short epilogue to "Return To Paradise". Since it is an obvious spoiler, I will not post it here. It is available for download on my website: http://timspeer.net
For those of you who would like to know a little more about "Seventy Times Seven", I have posted a synopsis of it on my website.
September 14, 2015
Loving Jesus
Like a lot of women, my wife loves inspirational love stories. You know, those movies us guys call "chick flicks". Not always, but quite often, these movies have a man who ignores either his wife, or his children, or both. We all sit there thinking "what a heel this guy is".
Hopefully we aren't like that. I personally tell my wife I love her, not just every day, but multiple times a day. And I don't just tell her, I try to show her. I try to make her understand that she Is the most important thing on this side of heaven to me. And I have also tried to do the same with my children. Granted, I'm not always perfect, but I do try.
But do we do the same when it comes to Jesus? Sure we say we love Jesus, but do we show that love? Or do we think to ourselves "an hour a week should be enough". And I'll be there (for that game, that recital etc.). But then often, when the time comes, something else comes up. Or we're just too busy, or too tired, or too whatever.
But wait, you say. We do talk to God. We say A prayer every day. And many of us do. We ask him to do this for us (wash the car, take out the trash, iron my shirt etc.), or to help us with that (help me with the dishes, help me with the kids etc.), and just maybe, we say thanks every now and then. And all too often, our prayers come out not like a conversation, but a short text message. If this is all we do, we really aren't any different than the "heel" in that chick flick we just watched.
We are called to love God with all our heart, all of our mind, and all of our soul. That's a lot. And if we really love God, we should want to be with him. And not for just an hour a week, but every day, as much as we can. We should want to talk to him as often as possible. And not to just to ask him for things, but to thank him, and maybe even ask him what he would like us to be doing. That, of course, means we should also listen to him. And spending time with Christ should be our number one priority.
Hopefully we aren't like that. I personally tell my wife I love her, not just every day, but multiple times a day. And I don't just tell her, I try to show her. I try to make her understand that she Is the most important thing on this side of heaven to me. And I have also tried to do the same with my children. Granted, I'm not always perfect, but I do try.
But do we do the same when it comes to Jesus? Sure we say we love Jesus, but do we show that love? Or do we think to ourselves "an hour a week should be enough". And I'll be there (for that game, that recital etc.). But then often, when the time comes, something else comes up. Or we're just too busy, or too tired, or too whatever.
But wait, you say. We do talk to God. We say A prayer every day. And many of us do. We ask him to do this for us (wash the car, take out the trash, iron my shirt etc.), or to help us with that (help me with the dishes, help me with the kids etc.), and just maybe, we say thanks every now and then. And all too often, our prayers come out not like a conversation, but a short text message. If this is all we do, we really aren't any different than the "heel" in that chick flick we just watched.
We are called to love God with all our heart, all of our mind, and all of our soul. That's a lot. And if we really love God, we should want to be with him. And not for just an hour a week, but every day, as much as we can. We should want to talk to him as often as possible. And not to just to ask him for things, but to thank him, and maybe even ask him what he would like us to be doing. That, of course, means we should also listen to him. And spending time with Christ should be our number one priority.
September 8, 2015
The Beautification Of Jesus
I often see pictures and posts on Facebook that show glowing pictures of the Eucharist, or a priest holding the Eucharist up for consecration in a glowing light. Yet my experience at mass is that the priest, and the Eucharist, often look very plain, and nowhere near as dazzling as the pictures I've seen. Oh, to be sure, the priest is dressed in his fancy vestments, but his overall appearance is quite ordinary. And the appearance of the Eucharist itself is fairly ordinary.
Now before those of you who post these jump on my case, let me just say that I do believe in the Eucharist. And I have a great reverence for it. And I know that while the Eucharist may appear ordinary, it is in fact very extraordinary. And although the priest may appear ordinary, he is performing a very extraordinary task.
But we have a tendancy to make the physical appearance more spectacular than it really is. And it's not just with the Eucharist. Take most any picture you see of Jesus. He's basically made out to be the biblical age equivalent of tall, dark and handsome. Is this the way he really was?
The Reality
For our reality check, let's go back to when Jesus first came to earth. That angelic manger scene with Mary and Joseph looking so heavenly, looking down adoringly at the baby Jesus. The only problem is, it wasn't anything like that. The "manger" was most likely a small cave. And as for Mary and Joseph, they had been traveling on a dusty road all day. Joseph on foot, and Mary on a donkey. And they hadn't even had a bath! Later in his life, when Jesus was traveling and teaching, there were probably many times when he would have appeared a little dirty and grubby. A far cry from the beautiful pictures we see.
Underneath the Cover
Yet, with the manger scene, we know that despite outward appearances something very wonderful was happening. In that manger was a baby who would save the world. And beside him was the woman who would be crowned Queen of Heaven. And the sometimes dirty and grubby man going around teaching, was no less than the direct presence of God here on earth.
So if you go to mass and the Priest appears a little less than glowing, and you find the Eucharist to be somewhat plain looking, you shouldn't be deceived. Rest assured, it is far from ordinary, it is the very presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when you leave Church and go out into the world, it might not hurt to keep in mind that if Jesus comes to you, he probably won't be suave and well dressed.
Now before those of you who post these jump on my case, let me just say that I do believe in the Eucharist. And I have a great reverence for it. And I know that while the Eucharist may appear ordinary, it is in fact very extraordinary. And although the priest may appear ordinary, he is performing a very extraordinary task.
But we have a tendancy to make the physical appearance more spectacular than it really is. And it's not just with the Eucharist. Take most any picture you see of Jesus. He's basically made out to be the biblical age equivalent of tall, dark and handsome. Is this the way he really was?
The Reality
For our reality check, let's go back to when Jesus first came to earth. That angelic manger scene with Mary and Joseph looking so heavenly, looking down adoringly at the baby Jesus. The only problem is, it wasn't anything like that. The "manger" was most likely a small cave. And as for Mary and Joseph, they had been traveling on a dusty road all day. Joseph on foot, and Mary on a donkey. And they hadn't even had a bath! Later in his life, when Jesus was traveling and teaching, there were probably many times when he would have appeared a little dirty and grubby. A far cry from the beautiful pictures we see.
Underneath the Cover
Yet, with the manger scene, we know that despite outward appearances something very wonderful was happening. In that manger was a baby who would save the world. And beside him was the woman who would be crowned Queen of Heaven. And the sometimes dirty and grubby man going around teaching, was no less than the direct presence of God here on earth.
So if you go to mass and the Priest appears a little less than glowing, and you find the Eucharist to be somewhat plain looking, you shouldn't be deceived. Rest assured, it is far from ordinary, it is the very presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when you leave Church and go out into the world, it might not hurt to keep in mind that if Jesus comes to you, he probably won't be suave and well dressed.
August 28, 2015
Swimming and Writing
I woke up this morning, not really any differently than a lot of mornings. My alarm was set early, so that I could get up and go swimming before work. Let me just say here that I swim to keep in shape, not because I really enjoy it. I look at swimming as somewhat of a drudgery, and this morning I was not particularly enthusiastic with either the prospect of getting up early, or swimming. Just the same, my wife and I said our morning prayers, and then I forced myself out of bed. I dressed, grabbed my duffel bag, and headed off to the pool.
Once I hit the water, I tend to feel relaxed and at peace. I wear a waterproof MP3 player, loaded with my Chistian music play list, clipped to my goggles. The music helps to break the monotony of swimming laps.
In the water, I am closed off from the outside world, hearing only my music, and seeing only the bottom of the pool. My thoughts turn inward. Sometimes I start out thinking about what I have planned for the day, or perhaps something I did the day before. Lately these thoughts have been short lived, and I soon start to think about my writing. Sometimes I'll get an inspiration for a blog post. But lately, it's been more often that I'll receive inspiration for my second book. One that I have only been thinking about writing, but now one that it appears more and more likely that I will in fact write. That was the case this morning.
So what was the subject matter of my inspirations this morning? They dealt primarily with the Eucharist, the intercession of Mary, and forgiveness (a major theme of the story). I swim not alone.
Once I hit the water, I tend to feel relaxed and at peace. I wear a waterproof MP3 player, loaded with my Chistian music play list, clipped to my goggles. The music helps to break the monotony of swimming laps.
In the water, I am closed off from the outside world, hearing only my music, and seeing only the bottom of the pool. My thoughts turn inward. Sometimes I start out thinking about what I have planned for the day, or perhaps something I did the day before. Lately these thoughts have been short lived, and I soon start to think about my writing. Sometimes I'll get an inspiration for a blog post. But lately, it's been more often that I'll receive inspiration for my second book. One that I have only been thinking about writing, but now one that it appears more and more likely that I will in fact write. That was the case this morning.
So what was the subject matter of my inspirations this morning? They dealt primarily with the Eucharist, the intercession of Mary, and forgiveness (a major theme of the story). I swim not alone.
August 12, 2015
Pride and Humility
Pride and humility are two opposite forces that most of us are confronted with on a daily basis. Humility is, or should be one of our ultimate goals. It is through humility that we are able to submit ourselves to God's will. We are able to realize that what we have comes from God, not from ourselves. We learn to put the needs of others before ourselves. All of these things require humility.
Pride is what keeps us from submitting to God's will, and in turn receiving the fullness of his love. Pride tells us that we are more important than others. It tells us that what we have is all due to our own efforts. We start to put ourselves first, and God and others last. It leads us to be selfish and self centered. Pride leads to arrogance and, although we may not realize it, pride often makes us extremely foolish.
How foolish can we become. Just look at the example of Satan. He let pride take over, and lost his eternal salvation. He lost all that he had. How foolish can it make one look? Satan didn't stop there. He tried to "temp" Jesus in the desert, in the end offering him all the kingdoms of the world. Hello, news flash Satan, Jesus already was king of all the world. It is here that Jesus finally has enough of Satan's foolishness and tells him to leave. Was Jesus really "tempted" by Satan's offers? I really don't think so. I believe the biggest temptation Jesus had to overcome was the temptation to laugh at Satan in front of his face.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have Jesus as the ultimate example of humility. Jesus had the humility to lower himself to our level and become man, and even to serve man. Ultimately, he had the humility to be sacrificed, and even ridiculed, at human hands for our sake. And yes, he even had the humility not to laugh in Satan's face.
Pride is what keeps us from submitting to God's will, and in turn receiving the fullness of his love. Pride tells us that we are more important than others. It tells us that what we have is all due to our own efforts. We start to put ourselves first, and God and others last. It leads us to be selfish and self centered. Pride leads to arrogance and, although we may not realize it, pride often makes us extremely foolish.
How foolish can we become. Just look at the example of Satan. He let pride take over, and lost his eternal salvation. He lost all that he had. How foolish can it make one look? Satan didn't stop there. He tried to "temp" Jesus in the desert, in the end offering him all the kingdoms of the world. Hello, news flash Satan, Jesus already was king of all the world. It is here that Jesus finally has enough of Satan's foolishness and tells him to leave. Was Jesus really "tempted" by Satan's offers? I really don't think so. I believe the biggest temptation Jesus had to overcome was the temptation to laugh at Satan in front of his face.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have Jesus as the ultimate example of humility. Jesus had the humility to lower himself to our level and become man, and even to serve man. Ultimately, he had the humility to be sacrificed, and even ridiculed, at human hands for our sake. And yes, he even had the humility not to laugh in Satan's face.
July 31, 2015
Abortion and the Rosary
I went to Adoration this evening, something I probably don't do near often enough. I have found that whenever I'm troubled, or in need of answers for anything, there is nothing like a little "one on one" with Christ to give me the answers I need.
My first plan was to go and pray the Rosary. Another thing I probably don't do often enough. But yet also, another thing that often brings me peace, and answers to any questions I have. However when I got there, I felt the need to just pray and to listen. So I was going to be content with just doing that, and not praying the Rosary. But yet again, my plans were changed, and I felt called to pray the Rosary.
The reason for my trouble today was not personal, it was related to the recent news on Planned Parenthood. In addition to the shocking revelations of the peddling of baby organs, in the latest video, the Planned Parenthood official repeatedly made very casual references to D&E. This is where I have to admit my naivety, as I had no idea what D&E referred to. Upon Googling it, I found that it stood for a method of abortion known as Dilation and Evacuation. Still being naïve, I searched onward to find out exactly what that entailed. I will post a link to the best description I found. It is one of the more disturbing things I have read in a long time. For anyone that tries to characterize abortion as a civilized procedure, I invite you to read it.
So I went into Adoration partly troubled about the news, and further troubled by my new education. I felt compelled to write something about it - to speak out. But I really didn't have a good idea of what to write, or how to go about it. And so I ended up feeling called to pray the Rosary. My first inclination was that, given the news, and the current state of the world, the Sorrowful Mysteries would be the most appropriate. However, I ultimately decided to pray the mysteries of the day which, as it turned out, were the Luminous Mysteries - go figure.
As it turns out, it may be more appropriate than I first felt it was. For those not familiar with praying the Rosary, it involves meditations on five aspects of Jesus' life. There are different sets of prayers, or "Mysteries" that one can say. Each focuses on different aspects of Jesus' life. And, as the Rosary beads form a circle, ultimately, so do the "Mysteries". They all start with the early part of Jesus' life, or in the case of the Luminous Mysteries, his ministry, and end with the later part of his life. Of course, in the end there is the Resurrection, or "re-birth", and hence a circle is formed.
The first Luminous Mystery is the Baptism of Jesus. Now, Jesus, being free of sin, did not need to be Baptized as such. He did this for two reasons. First to serve as an example, and second, to show his obedience to God the Father. And as he did the Heavens opened up and there was a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Thus Jesus is not just giving us the example of us needing Baptism, perhaps even more important is the fact he is showing the need to be obedient to God, and God's pleasure with us when we do so.
The second Luminous Mystery is the wedding at Cana. This is where Jesus turned the water into wine at the request of his mother, Mary. Thus it serves as the first instance of the intercession of Mary. Yet it also demonstrates something else. Following her request to her son, Mary turned to the servants and said, "Do whatever he tells you." So here again we are reminded of the need for obedience.
The third Luminous Mystery is the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." Here we have a more direct call to both repentance, and obedience. Yet here too, there is more. Jesus is saying the time is now. God, through Jesus is here on earth, here to claim his Kingdom. All we have belongs to God, and God is the ultimate ruler.
The fourth Luminous Mystery is the Transfiguration. This is where Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on the mountain and was Transfigured as "his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light." Jesus had said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." To me, it is not a coincidence that Jesus appears as a light in the Transfiguration. Obviously he is revealing himself in his full Devine glory as the Son of God. However, he is also showing us that he truly is the light, and again, calling us to obedience, calling us to follow him.
That brings us to the fifth, and final Luminous Mystery, the institution of the Eucharist. Here we come full circle. Through Baptism, we are given new life in Christ. Through his death and resurrection, we are again given new life. Jesus had said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Through the Eucharist, Jesus sustains us and gives us life.
So how does this tie back in to the abortion issue. The Luminous Mysteries start and end with our spiritual re-birth. First through Baptism, and then through the Eucharist. The Luminous Mysteries remind us of the spiritual life and sustenance we receive through Christ. They also call us to obedience, obedience to God's will for our life, and for the world. Jesus said, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." Here Jesus is talking about our "spiritual life". However, our physical life is important as well. When we kill an unborn baby, we are destroying life.
Unlike some, I do not feel sorry for the baby. On one hand they are deprived of their life here on earth. But on the other hand, they gain a straight pass to Heaven. All of the glory and joy of Heaven, without any of the worries and pain that we go through here on earth. It's like getting the Monopoly card that says "Advance to Go and collect $200"; and you get to do this without going through the booby traps of properties owned by the other players. Only in this case, it's an infinitely better deal. I do feel sorry for those of us here though. By letting a physical life be destroyed, we are losing a piece of our spiritual life. Instead of following God's plan, and being obedient to him, we are following our own plans and desires. Each time an innocent life is lost, a little piece of our soul is lost as well.
For those of you brave enough, here is the link I mentioned earlier:
http://www.priestsforlife.org/resourc...
My first plan was to go and pray the Rosary. Another thing I probably don't do often enough. But yet also, another thing that often brings me peace, and answers to any questions I have. However when I got there, I felt the need to just pray and to listen. So I was going to be content with just doing that, and not praying the Rosary. But yet again, my plans were changed, and I felt called to pray the Rosary.
The reason for my trouble today was not personal, it was related to the recent news on Planned Parenthood. In addition to the shocking revelations of the peddling of baby organs, in the latest video, the Planned Parenthood official repeatedly made very casual references to D&E. This is where I have to admit my naivety, as I had no idea what D&E referred to. Upon Googling it, I found that it stood for a method of abortion known as Dilation and Evacuation. Still being naïve, I searched onward to find out exactly what that entailed. I will post a link to the best description I found. It is one of the more disturbing things I have read in a long time. For anyone that tries to characterize abortion as a civilized procedure, I invite you to read it.
So I went into Adoration partly troubled about the news, and further troubled by my new education. I felt compelled to write something about it - to speak out. But I really didn't have a good idea of what to write, or how to go about it. And so I ended up feeling called to pray the Rosary. My first inclination was that, given the news, and the current state of the world, the Sorrowful Mysteries would be the most appropriate. However, I ultimately decided to pray the mysteries of the day which, as it turned out, were the Luminous Mysteries - go figure.
As it turns out, it may be more appropriate than I first felt it was. For those not familiar with praying the Rosary, it involves meditations on five aspects of Jesus' life. There are different sets of prayers, or "Mysteries" that one can say. Each focuses on different aspects of Jesus' life. And, as the Rosary beads form a circle, ultimately, so do the "Mysteries". They all start with the early part of Jesus' life, or in the case of the Luminous Mysteries, his ministry, and end with the later part of his life. Of course, in the end there is the Resurrection, or "re-birth", and hence a circle is formed.
The first Luminous Mystery is the Baptism of Jesus. Now, Jesus, being free of sin, did not need to be Baptized as such. He did this for two reasons. First to serve as an example, and second, to show his obedience to God the Father. And as he did the Heavens opened up and there was a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Thus Jesus is not just giving us the example of us needing Baptism, perhaps even more important is the fact he is showing the need to be obedient to God, and God's pleasure with us when we do so.
The second Luminous Mystery is the wedding at Cana. This is where Jesus turned the water into wine at the request of his mother, Mary. Thus it serves as the first instance of the intercession of Mary. Yet it also demonstrates something else. Following her request to her son, Mary turned to the servants and said, "Do whatever he tells you." So here again we are reminded of the need for obedience.
The third Luminous Mystery is the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." Here we have a more direct call to both repentance, and obedience. Yet here too, there is more. Jesus is saying the time is now. God, through Jesus is here on earth, here to claim his Kingdom. All we have belongs to God, and God is the ultimate ruler.
The fourth Luminous Mystery is the Transfiguration. This is where Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on the mountain and was Transfigured as "his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light." Jesus had said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." To me, it is not a coincidence that Jesus appears as a light in the Transfiguration. Obviously he is revealing himself in his full Devine glory as the Son of God. However, he is also showing us that he truly is the light, and again, calling us to obedience, calling us to follow him.
That brings us to the fifth, and final Luminous Mystery, the institution of the Eucharist. Here we come full circle. Through Baptism, we are given new life in Christ. Through his death and resurrection, we are again given new life. Jesus had said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Through the Eucharist, Jesus sustains us and gives us life.
So how does this tie back in to the abortion issue. The Luminous Mysteries start and end with our spiritual re-birth. First through Baptism, and then through the Eucharist. The Luminous Mysteries remind us of the spiritual life and sustenance we receive through Christ. They also call us to obedience, obedience to God's will for our life, and for the world. Jesus said, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." Here Jesus is talking about our "spiritual life". However, our physical life is important as well. When we kill an unborn baby, we are destroying life.
Unlike some, I do not feel sorry for the baby. On one hand they are deprived of their life here on earth. But on the other hand, they gain a straight pass to Heaven. All of the glory and joy of Heaven, without any of the worries and pain that we go through here on earth. It's like getting the Monopoly card that says "Advance to Go and collect $200"; and you get to do this without going through the booby traps of properties owned by the other players. Only in this case, it's an infinitely better deal. I do feel sorry for those of us here though. By letting a physical life be destroyed, we are losing a piece of our spiritual life. Instead of following God's plan, and being obedient to him, we are following our own plans and desires. Each time an innocent life is lost, a little piece of our soul is lost as well.
For those of you brave enough, here is the link I mentioned earlier:
http://www.priestsforlife.org/resourc...
July 19, 2015
Planes, Feet and Automobiles
If you have noticed my absence of posts lately, it is because I have been busy traveling, often in areas with no cell service or internet. Over the past seventeen days I have flown twenty-five hundred miles, driven four thousand miles, and hiked fifty miles. During this travel, I have been blessed to see some of the most beautiful country God has created. The places I visited include the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake, the Redwood Forrest, Yosemite, and the California coast. I traveled and hiked among high, snow capped mountains; steaming geysers; lush, green valleys; cascading waterfalls; jagged, glacial carved peaks; winding canyons; towering, majestic Redwood trees; and cliff lined shores, I walked where buffalo, elk, moose, deer, and Grizzly bears still roam freely. Throughout my travel I was truly humbled as I was continually awed by what I saw, and contemplated how amazing and awesome God's creation really is.
Some say that the best way to appreciate such places is purely to look, and not try to understand . That to have how they came to be explained to you takes away from the wonder of it. However, as someone with a background in geology, and who has a pretty good understanding of how these places were formed; to contemplate how great the forces of the earth that formed these places are, and the numerous stages of development and vast amounts of time involved; fills me with an even greater sense of awe and wonder at how amazing God's creation really is.
As much territory as my trip covered, it barely scratched the surface of all the beautiful and wonderful places there are to visit in this country, let alone the world. And the reality is, I didn't even cover the areas I traveled through very thoroughly. When writing about Glacier National Park, John Muir said “Give a month at least to this precious reserve. The time will not be taken from the sum of your life.
Instead of shortening, it will indefinitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal." This is true of most of these places.
And then there are the vast reaches of space. A modest sized telescope and a dark sky are sufficient to reveal wonders that one could spend years exploring. The size and grandeur of the universe is greater than most people can begin to comprehend. To think about the vastness of space and time, and the terrific forces at work is to feel extremely small and insignificant. To think about the God that was able to conceive and create it, is to realize how awesome and powerful he really is. To think that this great and powerful God loves and cares for someone as insignificant as me, is the most amazing and humbling feeling of all.
Some say that the best way to appreciate such places is purely to look, and not try to understand . That to have how they came to be explained to you takes away from the wonder of it. However, as someone with a background in geology, and who has a pretty good understanding of how these places were formed; to contemplate how great the forces of the earth that formed these places are, and the numerous stages of development and vast amounts of time involved; fills me with an even greater sense of awe and wonder at how amazing God's creation really is.
As much territory as my trip covered, it barely scratched the surface of all the beautiful and wonderful places there are to visit in this country, let alone the world. And the reality is, I didn't even cover the areas I traveled through very thoroughly. When writing about Glacier National Park, John Muir said “Give a month at least to this precious reserve. The time will not be taken from the sum of your life.
Instead of shortening, it will indefinitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal." This is true of most of these places.
And then there are the vast reaches of space. A modest sized telescope and a dark sky are sufficient to reveal wonders that one could spend years exploring. The size and grandeur of the universe is greater than most people can begin to comprehend. To think about the vastness of space and time, and the terrific forces at work is to feel extremely small and insignificant. To think about the God that was able to conceive and create it, is to realize how awesome and powerful he really is. To think that this great and powerful God loves and cares for someone as insignificant as me, is the most amazing and humbling feeling of all.
June 24, 2015
New Inspiration
I have been working on an idea for a new novel. Like I did with my last novel, Return To Paradise, I have been developing it purely in my head - nothing on paper. Yet I have managed to develop some parts of the novel in fairly good detail, including some of the dialogue. The only problem is there is one major piece of the plot that I simply had not been able to put together. I had a general idea of what I wanted, but nothing I thought of for it satisfied me. Then last night, I was at Adoration praying when the idea came to me, and I was at once fully satisfied and at peace with it. And the funny thing is, I wasn't even praying about the novel, I was praying about something that was completely unrelated. Or at least it was completely unrelated. I won't disclose it at this time, but it turns out the subject of my prayer is now the missing piece of my plot.
I have mentioned in my earlier posts that a lot of my inspirations seem to come to me around three in the morning. I have often wondered why the Holy Spirit couldn't pick a more convenient time to inspire me. Last night's inspiration came around seven in the evening. Perhaps I just need to go to Him occasionally.
I have mentioned in my earlier posts that a lot of my inspirations seem to come to me around three in the morning. I have often wondered why the Holy Spirit couldn't pick a more convenient time to inspire me. Last night's inspiration came around seven in the evening. Perhaps I just need to go to Him occasionally.
