St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

  "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." Jn 12:24

St Lawrence reputedly said while being grilled on an open fire as punishment for his failure to obey the the Roman Prefect : Turn me over. Like so many other stories, it misses the point.

St. Lawrence should be known for something very different. When the Roman Prefect demanded Lawrence bring him the treasures of the church, Lawrence went throughout the city and gathered all the poor and sick declaring: These are the riches of the church. The Roman Prefect, embarrassed and enraged, demanded that Lawrence be burned like an animal and Lawrence accepted his punishment for telling the truth. Indeed, the poor and sick are our greatest treasure.

We must all, like Lawrence, fall to the earth and die if we want to witness to the the gospel in an authentic way. Unless we have the faith and courage to let go of our narrow and limited world views, we cannot bear the fruit of God, the fruit that will last forever.

Today, ask not to be afraid of the daily dying demanded by the Gospel.

Who has died so that you might live?

Slow Down

  “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” 1 Kgs 19:11

Finding God everywhere is possible, even easy at times, as long as we are willing to let God lead us, but most North Americans are so busy that they often fail to hear, much less, accept God's invitation. Worried, like Martha in the Gospel of of Luke (10:38-42) about too many details, we miss the forest for the trees. We need to learn to slow down everyday and notice God's finger everywhere. When we fail to breathe the morning air deeply, stretch and look around at what nature is presenting each day, we miss the God hidden in all of creation. 

The prophet Elijah teaches us this lesson powerfully. When God told Elijah to go outside and wait for God who would be passing by, the prophet obeyed and discovered God, not in a fierce wind, an earthquake or a fire, but in the tiny whispering sound. Unless we are willing to let God speak to us in God's voice, we will rush past the God who is everywhere beckoning us, often in a whisper, to come closer.

Today, slow down for ten minutes and see what God says.

Where are the most ordinary places you hear God's voice?

The Mind of the Lord

  “Who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Cor 2:16

It is incomprehensible to think we can counsel God, but unfortunately that is exactly what some try to do. Upset with what they don't understand about the world, faith and life, they want to tell God how God ought to act. There is a humorous saying about those who do this. Do you know the difference between you and God? God  never thinks he's you.

Living with the unknown and submitting ourselves to God with absolute trust is always difficult. It is natural to want to know what tomorrow will bring, but no matter how we plan or scheme, each day unfolds outside of our control, and our task is to live each day with faith and hope. When we are able to do this, life is simpler and more honest. Yes, we are more vulnerable than we like, but this is the price of a living faith.

Today, let the Christ guide you in every way. Listen to him.

What practices help you to let go of your compulsions?

St Dominic

  "Dominic was a man of great equanimity, except when moved to compassion and mercy." Office of Readings for the Feast of St Dominic

The feast of St Dominic is an important one for Franciscans like me. Dominic, like Francis himself, is called Holy Father by Franciscans in order to help the friars minor understand that anyone who professes poverty and itinerancy is indeed a Father to us. More helpful, perhaps, in understanding this custom, is the short biography of St. Dominic from today's Office of Readings.

Most of us strive to have a peaceful spirit, to live with "great equanimity" but often enough this desire fulfills our hopes and understanding of holiness, not necessarily God's desire for us. When Dominic is described as a man of "great equanimity" his biographer is clearly talking about a God given gift since he reminds us that Dominic lived a life of equanimity "except when moved to compassion and mercy." In other words, there are moments when it is important to be quiet, reserved and outwardly peaceful, but there are others times, especially when someone is suffering and in need of God's companionship, that we need to let go of all restraints in order to give ourselves totally, like God, to the person in need.

Today, let go of self concern and reach out for anyone in great need.

Who has shown you unconditional concern in your confusion and suffering?