Are You Ready to Proclaim the Gospel?

24 Wednesday Sep 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Uncategorized

Tags

Believe in the Gospel, Charlie Kirk, Evangelization, Gospel, Grace, Kerygma, Mk 1:15, OCIA, Proclamation, Salvation of souls, Truth

There is a movement going on. In the wake of the assassination of Christian influencer and “almost, but not yet, Catholic”, Charlie Kirk, many folks in the U.S. have jumped off the fence into the greener pasture of Christianity, and many have gravitated to the Catholic Church. Yet, while Kirk’s death might be a catalyst for the conversion of many, this movement to return to morality and a spiritual life – or, in other words, a relationship with Jesus that satisfies more than relative worldly pleasures – has been developing for a while. For three consecutive years our little parish has experienced a record number of adults and youths entering our OCIA process and desiring to become Catholic. This year we have 56 catechumens and candidates enrolled, more than the last two years combined.

As always, we have some who are choosing to become Catholic because their spouse or fiancee’ is Catholic. Some have been influenced by friends, and some have decided their Protestant services are not fulfilling them. But the majority are making the decision because they know there is something more to life, and specifically to a life of faith, than they’ve been experiencing. They are searching for truth….and they are in the right place!

Just as we would react to a change in the weather forecast, we should prepare ourselves for this spiritual shift in our culture because the likelihood of being asked about our faith is increasing. Instead of asking, “What will I wear for tomorrow’s weather?”, we should be asking, “What will I say when someone asks me why I am a Christian or, more specifically, Catholic?”, and, “Will I be convincing?”. Another’s conversion may depend totally on our response.

In today’s Scripture passage, the verse before the Gospel is from Mark 1:15. They are the very first words Jesus says when he begins His Galilean ministry: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” ….Believe in the gospel! If one of these people seeking to know more about your faith asks you, “What does it mean to believe in the gospel?”, would you be able to answer them? If not, don’t feel alone. I suspect eight out of ten Catholic Christians may also be stumped. But, don’t you think you should be able to provide a satisfactory explanation?

In his homily on Sunday, September 21st, Fr. Mike Schmitz gave us a four-part recipe to answer these questions. “This is the Gospel”, he says:

That God is good and made the world good, and made us in His image and likeness;

We freely chose to break the world with our sin, but God did not abandon us;

He sent His only begotten Son so that we could have eternal life;

And, we respond to that in faith and put our trust in Him, the One who has entrusted us with all of His grace so that we could have new life.

This is the truth, the reason for our faith. It’s what it’s all about. This is the kerygma, the essence of the proclamation of the Gospel. To effectively evangelize, we should commit these four points to memory. Will you do that? Write it on a sticky note. Repeat it daily until it becomes rote. Then look for opportunities to share it with others. You may just save a soul.

“Generous God, if I learn and remember nothing else from today, help me to commit the kerygma to memory, to live in accordance with it, and proclaim it at every opportunity. Your words are infinitely and eternally more important than any news headline, any sports team’s statistics, or the intriguing messiness of a celebrities life. If proclaimed, they may effect the salvation of someone’s soul. May I have the grace to deliver them. Amen.”

(Are You Ready to Proclaim the Gospel? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2025 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

A Prayer for Continued Progress

04 Thursday Sep 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Prayer

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Body of Christ, church, Colossians 1:9-14, Faith, Grace, Holiness, Meditation, Prayer, Resolution, Scripture

A reflection on Colossians 1:9-14

The first Scripture reading for today is from Colossians and, in my New American Bible, it’s labeled, “Prayer for Continued Progress”. In it, St. Paul affirms that he and Timothy continue to pray for the Church in Colossae for growth in holiness. My first thought as I read this was that it is a great prayer to say for the men to whom I serve as their Spiritual Mentor. And then I thought why limit it to just those ten men, why not pray it for all my friends and all the faithful in my parish? Then, why stop there, why not pray it for the entire body of Christ?

Thinking I had just determined what my resolution would be for today to do God’s will, I began to wrap up my prayer time. But then the thought came to me, what if someone else is praying this same prayer and it is me who is the object of their prayer? Am I doing all that they are desiring of me for growth in holiness? With that, I had to reopen my Bible and read the passage again from a personal point of view.

“Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding…” (v.9).

Do I know His will for me? Can I articulate it? Do I spend time daily in prayer discerning His will and resolving to do it that day?

“…to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing [to Him]…” (v.10a)

Do I live my life in a manner that is worthy of Jesus and in a way that pleases Him?

“…in every good work bearing fruit…” (v.10b)

Do my actions and the way I live my faith bear fruit for the Kingdom? Am I doing what I need to do to bring Jesus to others or bring others to Jesus?

“…and growing in the knowledge of God…” (v.10b)

Do I consistently make the effort to grow in understanding my faith and grow in my relationship with the Lord? Do I have a good grasp of our Catechism and knowledge of the saints?

“…strengthened with every power, in accord with His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy…” (v.11)

Do I receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist regularly so as to be strengthened to face the trials of day to day life, to be patient and humble when things don’t go my way, and yet find joy in not only the process but the outcome?

“…giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.” - (v.12)

Am I grateful for all that God has given me, even those things which I did not choose, didn’t like, and couldn’t change because He knew them to be in my best interest?

“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” - (vv. 13-14)

Do I believe and accept that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was for my redemption, that He has forgiven my sins, and do I attempt to lead a sinless life but repent when I fall short?

Wow! That was an exercise I hadn’t planned on today! A line from a Jerry Jeff Walker song, “The hardest thing for a man to do is look inside and see the truth about himself” easily came to mind. Yeah, there are some things I do better than others, but I really need to work on a couple of these.

In reading this passage, what is God putting on your heart to ask yourself? What can you work on today to grow in holiness?

“Generous and loving God, thank You for letting me see how I can use Your Word in today’s Scripture for not only the benefit of others but my own as well. I pray for the grace to work and improve on the one or two that need prompt attention. Amen.”

(A Prayer for Continued Progress was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Curious Like Nicodemus

29 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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Tags

christianity, Evangelization, Faith, Fear, Friendship, Grace, Jesus, Jn 3:1-15, Nicodemus, Prayer

Jesus and Nicodemus, Crijn Hendricksz Volmarijn, c. early 1600s

The Gospels for yesterday and today (Jn 3:1-15), put us in the scene with Jesus and the renowned Pharisee, Nicodemus, who came to Jesus under the cover of darkness to ask questions about his ministry. We are led to believe that Nicodemus must have seen or heard of Jesus’ healing miracles and wanted to learn more about him. We know that Nicodemus eventually converted to be a secret follower of Jesus, so we can surmise that his curiosity was genuine and not a ploy to trap Jesus.

The fact that he came to meet Jesus at night may also give us a clue about his intentions. A nighttime rendezvous would be less conspicuous. If he was genuinely interested about Jesus, he may have feared being observed by other Pharisees that could result in his condemnation and rejection. In his position, he would have accumulated wealth that supported a luxurious lifestyle, which would have been jeopardized if his clandestine meeting had been discovered.

When I placed myself in this scene, I pondered Nicodemus’ motive and his dilemma. He had to satisfy his curiosity for truth, but the answer could result in his ruin. His fear of the environment and exterior influences would ultimately cause him to lead a secret and unfulfilled life.

There are millions of Nicodemuses in our world today – men, women, and teens, who are searching for truth, who are curious about Christianity, and who would like to know more but, because of negative social influences, balk at publicly asking questions for fear of what others will think or what they might lose. They are hiding out there in our workplaces, our schools, and our neighborhoods. We should be looking and waiting for them with intentionality, ready to answer their questions and allay their fears.

When a modern day Nicodemus does muster the courage to step out and seek answers, he may simply want to learn more about Jesus, or he’s aware that there’s possibly a different set of beliefs and a better way to live than he’s ever experienced. His curiosity may manifest itself by privately asking questions to a Christian friend or acquaintance. When he does, he is giving us an opportunity to evangelize, and we need to respond utilizing good listening skills. His questions may be phrased in ways that hide their real intent, and we may have to look behind the words. We should not make stuff up, nor answer questions with excess theology. He needs simple answers, and if we don’t know an answer, we should say so and endeavor to find the answer for him. We should try to avoid vocabulary that is foreign to non-Catholics.

Like Nicodemus, his questions may appear antagonistic but probably aren’t meant to be so. Instead, they are likely due to his personal cynicism and relativism that has developed over years. He’s not ready to reveal that he’s on any kind of spiritual quest. He is curious but cautious, and still needs to feel safe and unthreatened when asking questions. We should respond in a friendly manner to increase the trust that has allowed him to ask questions in the first place.

Our gentle evangelizing should have an eye towards bringing this person from a a place of curiosity to being open to exploring the idea that God is a personal God rather than a concept, and that we can have a relationship with Him. We can introduce him to Jesus and the story of His passion, death, and resurrection in atonement for our sins. And we should be patient and pray for him, being grateful that, while he may not yet be making a commitment to spiritual or personal change, he no longer rejects the idea.

“Heavenly Father, I thank You for the virtue of fortitude given to me with my Confirmation that has prepared me to proclaim the saving message of salvation of Your Son, Jesus. May I ever be vigilant and prepared to welcome anyone who is curious about our Christian faith. I pray that Your Spirit affords me the grace to respond to them lovingly with humility and gentleness. Amen.”

(Curious Like Nicodemuswas first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Ephphatha!

27 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Catholic, Curing of the Deaf/Mute, Ephphatha, Evangelization, Faith, Grace, Holy Saturday, Holy Spirit, Is 50:4-5, Mk 7:31-37, Prayer, RCIA

This Saturday morning, Easter Saturday, I will have the pleasure of leading eighteen adults and youths in the final rites before they are baptized and enter into full communion with the Church that evening at the Easter Vigil Mass. One of those rites is the Ephphatha Rite, the opening of the ears and mouth of the Elect to help them more clearly hear and proclaim the Word of God. The Rite is based on the curing of the deaf and mute man in Mark’s Gospel (Mk 7:31-37).

Saturday will be exactly eleven years to the day since I received this rite, the day I was baptized and became a Catholic Christian. A remembrance of this came back to me this morning as I read today’s first reading:

The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to answer the weary a word that will awaken them. Morning after morning he wakens my ear to hear as disciples do; the Lord God opened my ear, I did not refuse, did not turn away. – Is 50:4-5

More happened that day than my conversion becoming official. God truly opened my ears and my tongue as well as allowing the words to flow from my brain through my hand to pen or computer keys. I was never one to journal or record my thoughts on paper, in fact, I abhorred writing, was terrible with grammar and punctuation, and, most of all, didn’t dare say anything about a belief with which someone else might contend. Yet, within two weeks, I began writing articles on this blog as a means to evangelize and lead others to a better understanding of their faith in hopes that they would grow closer to Jesus. Now, eleven years and 300 blog posts later, I still feel the call.

On March 30, 2013, I would have said you were crazy if you’d prophesied the future and said I would retire, go back to school to become a certified Catholic Spiritual Mentor mentoring dozens of men, and eventually be re-employed as Director of Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation within our parish. Miracles happen, and, with God, all things are possible.

“Good and gracious God, by Your grace, You joined me with holy people who accompanied me on this journey ever since I chose to follow You. Through them, You taught me how to pray, how to converse with You, how to tell You what is on my heart, how to listen to Your promptings, and, especially, how to help others do the same so that their interior lives can flourish. You opened my ears and loosened my tongue so that others may hear Your Word. I give You thanks every day that when I heard Your calling, ‘I did not refuse, did not turn away.’ Amen.”

(Ephphatha! was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2024 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Road Trip Reflections: Once in a Lifetime Grace

19 Tuesday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Grace

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Dad, Death, Faith, Family, Father, Grace, Grief, Hope, Love, Road Trips, Trust

I returned home Monday night from what seemed like a twelve day road trip. Actually, it was two 16 hour roundtrips nearly back to back. Neither was one I looked forward to taking. The first was to be with my mother and siblings at my father’s bedside as he lay dying, and the second was to return for his funeral.

Dad was 91 going on 19. His physical body was ravaged from too many years of dialysis after kidney failure, but his mind was still sharp as ever, and his sense of humor intact in spite of his suffering. After being in a coma for most of a week, he awoke long enough to respond to a nurse when asked how he was feeling that morning, “Okay, I guess, but I’m not ready to go dancing yet.” I think those were the last words he said before passing two days later.

I had an eight hour return trip home after he passed, and on the way it occurred to me that, amidst the sadness of dad passing, we also received many graces that come only once in a lifetime.

It’s a rare occurrence that my brother, two sisters and I get together. We were all able to make it there and hold vigil before dad died. We stayed with mom at the hospital, told stories and relived old memories of good times with dad. There was a love present in that room that we probably hadn’t experienced in quite some time.

I sensed an unsettling grace in my silent gratitude for all that dad did for his family, especially the sacrifices he made which were not always convenient or understood by us kids – gratitude that should have been expressed many times but never was.

Between us all, there were dozens and dozens of friends and a few remaining relatives praying for us and for dad. Speaking for myself, I felt the outpouring of overwhelming love from each of them.

There was grace in the realization that God is in control, not us, and that one day we, too, will pass away. This grace is a gift from God that gives me power and strengthens my desire to live a faith-filled virtuous life so that I will be ready for that day.

I found grace in knowing that my grieving was a result of the love I have for my dad, and that, with God, nothing is wasted – my grief, offered up with trust, is being put to good use.

And, there was comfort and grace in the hope that dad is now with the only One in the universe Who loves him more than we do.

Returning to my home town for the funeral also brought more graces. I saw a few relatives I hadn’t seen in decades who came to comfort mom, and old classmates of my sib’s and I, who stopped by to offer their condolences.

Dad was a U.S. Air Force veteran from the early fifties, and he chose to be buried in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery. He received an honor guard farewell complete with rifles fired, and taps played beautifully by a disabled vet. Two Air Force airmen removed the flag covering dad’s casket and, after folding it perfectly, presented it to my mother with the words, “On behalf of the President of the United States….”. There was a flash of humorous irony in this as dad was a life-long, die-hard Republican and was probably rolling over in his coffin at that moment thinking about the current President. But, in the next moment I found some grace in the thought that he might be, at that very moment, being saluted by President Dwight Eisenhower under whom he served as a United States Air Force Technical Sergeant.

Off you go into the wild blue yonder…Rest in peace, Dad. I will love you always. Save me a place up there!

“Good and gracious, God, thank You for the gift of a loving father and for the virtuous example he demonstrated to his family. Thank You for the graces that came from being with him in his final days, graces that came through family and friends, and from remembrances of loving moments shared together with him. Amen.”

(Road Trip Reflections: Once in a Lifetime Grace was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Unexpected Grace

23 Saturday Dec 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Grace

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Answered prayers, Grace, Love, Prayer

This is the year our three married daughters spend Christmas with their in-laws. Our youngest daughter, Grace, who is unmarried, and who has traditionally came home for Christmas, informed us a couple weeks ago that she is scheduled to work both Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas and, thus, would be staying in Nashville for Christmas. Then, much to our surprise and delight, she told us last weekend that she would be off work Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and would be coming home Monday night!

Unfortunately, thinking I had no reason to do otherwise, I scheduled work related meetings for Tuesday and Wednesday that prevented me from spending any quality time with Grace while she was home. But, before she left early Wednesday afternoon, I decided to take a couple hours off and come home for lunch and spend at least a little time with her. On the drive home I prayed, “Lord, I am thankful that Grace could come home for a couple days, and I’m thankful for the little time I’ve been able to spend with her. I just wish we’d been able to have more quality “father/daughter” time together. Amen.”

Pulling into our driveway, I saw her car and remembered she had mentioned that her driver’s door window would not roll down. I thought the problem was perhaps simply a blown fuse. So, I unlocked her car and found the fuse box under the steering column. and, after getting down on the ground and contorting my body into an unnatural position, I determined that the fuse was not blown. I reinstalled the cover, and then began the process of reversing my motions to get up off the ground.

Well, at my age (and size), that’s no longer easy to do. I suppose I used the door arm rest to leverage myself up and, in doing so, I hit the door lock button. Without thinking, I shut the door and, of course, the keys were in the car. Grace’s spare key was in Nashville, Tennessee.

Having paid outrageously for a locksmith in the past, I turned to YouTube for advice on how to unlock a locked car door without a key. Obviously, there must be many Subaru Outback owners who have locked their keys in their cars because there were several videos to view. I learned all I needed were two tools: an inflatable pillow called an air jack, which, when deflated, can be inserted between the door post and the door, and then inflated by pumping a bulb by hand; and a long crooked rod with a hook on the end, and “presto”, the door is opened.

Obviously, Grace wasn’t going anywhere soon so I invited her to go to the hardware store with me and purchase the air jack. Forty minutes later we were back home. She inserted and inflated the pillow while I crafted a coat hanger with a hook to fit between the gap. The coat hanger was about six inches too short and too flexible. I found four one-foot long, one-eighth inch diameter rods that I had saved from somewhere (because you never know when you might need something like that), and I connected them with electrical tape. But, they were too stiff to make a hook on the end.

Grace’s keys had slid off the console onto the passenger’s seat and the buttons on the fob were facing upwards. Grace had the ingenious idea that we try to use the rod to push the unlock button on the fob. We relocated to the passenger side and reinserted and inflated the air jack. The rod reached the fob with about three inches remaining on the outside of the door – too little to hold onto and control the rod’s movement – but still enough to grab onto with a pair of pliers. After another thirty minutes of maneuvering, getting just the right kinks in the rod, and taking turns, I was able to land the end of the rod on the fob’s unlock button and apply enough downward pressure to release the lock! Hallelujah! Amen!

Grace had a five hour drive ahead of her so she hurried and packed her things into her car. After hugs and goodbyes, she headed home and I headed back to the office. On the way in, I thought about the grace I’d just received, about how I’d spent an unexpected extra two and a half hours with my daughter, working together solving a problem, each of us gaining some experience and, best of all, some valuable “father/daughter” time together. I had prayed for that time, and God delivered, not in a way that I could have expected, but He delivered none the less.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for answering prayers in unexpected ways. Thank You for this opportunity for Grace and I to work together, for the time to talk and enjoy each other’s company. And, thank You for the grace to know of Your presence in the moment. Amen.”

(Unexpected Grace was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2023 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Grace, God-Moments, and First Graders

30 Monday Oct 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Grace

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God-moments, Grace, Lk 12:35-38, Predominant Fault, Third Watch, Vice and Virtue

Last Tuesday’s Gospel (Lk 12:35-38, NAB) had Jesus telling his disciples, “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who wait their master’s return….Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.” Jesus is giving a warning that we shouldn’t wait til the last minute to live virtuous and holy lives. We should live as such every day because we don’t know when that last day will be.

He then goes on to say, “And if he should come in the second or third watch and find them prepared, blessed are those servants.” The second or third watch. Jesus is implicating those who are in their middle years or towards the end of their lives. He’s placing an importance on becoming more virtuous and growing deeper in relationship with Him as we age.

I think I’ve entered into the third watch of my life.

To me, being vigilant at my stage of life is synonymous with being virtuous – doing the right things, for the right reasons and in the right amount. And, the deeper I grow in my relationship with the Lord, the more my predominant faults, those bad habits and things to which I’m attached – my vices – become apparent to me. I’ve found it is getting more difficult to summon up the gumption to combat those to which I’m especially attached.

There is one particular bad habit that raises its ugly head over and over – my eating habits and my lack of exercise – the two things that should go hand in hand for better health. I admit it, I love to cook and I love to eat. I snack too much, and I don’t push away from the table as quickly as I should. I don’t get as much exercise as I should, either. Since I returned back to work six months ago, I have a lot more “desk time” than I do “up and moving around time”. It shows.

So, Tuesday morning during my morning meditation, I prayed for God to help me get better, to find the strength to overcome the inertia. I resolved especially to carve out a little time each day for some form of exercise. I didn’t have a plan other than to just try to find some time.

Later that morning I was sitting at my desk and I glanced out my office window. My window looks out over our school playground. There, about ten feet from my window, two young girls, probably first graders, were sitting on the ground. It was their recess and they were eating their snacks. One girl was nibbling on cookies and the other was dipping a breadstick in a Nutella tub. (And, no, I did not secretly want to run out and steal their snacks!). In unison they took their nibbles and then set their snacks down and did five sit-ups. They’d take another bite, and then do five leg lifts. They did this until their snacks were gone and then they jumped up and ran off to play the rest of recess with their friends. It was quite fun to watch and it made me laugh. As I returned my attention to my work, I wondered why these two little ones with all their energy felt they needed to work off their snacks.

An hour or so later it was lunch time and I unwrapped the sandwich I’d made for lunch. I was about half way through my ham and cheese on wholewheat when I recalled my resolution. And then, those two first graders came back to mind and it occurred to me that they had found a way to carve out a few moments to exercise. And then it hit me, I had just received a beautiful grace-filled God-moment. I had asked for help and God didn’t waste any time. He sent me two first grade girls to show me the way. Never before had any children sat outside my window to play. But that morning they did. It could have been two boys playing rock-paper-scissors, or something worse, but instead it was two skinny six-year old girls worried about their figures.

I looked at my sandwich and then looked at the floor to see if there was room for me to do some sit-ups, but then I imagined how sad I would look as I tried to get up off the floor. It was a beautiful autumn day outside, sunny, and the air was beginning to get crisp. I thought about those kids running and playing on the playground. I looked again at my sandwich and decided I would finish it and then go outside for a walk.

Twice around the school soccer field gave me time to earnestly thank God for answering my prayers, for sending me a simple sign – perhaps more of a challenge – that if little girls could do it, then I could, too!

“Loving God, I know that I cannot amend my life on my own. You hear and answer my prayers…sometimes in simple but always awesome ways. Thank You for Your love and for the grace to realize Your presence in my life. I pray for continued actual grace to match my will with Yours. Amen.”

(Grace, God-Moments and First Graders was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Iris and the Botanical Hitchhikers

05 Thursday Oct 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

God-moments, Grace, Hiking, Psalm 46:10

It’s been a while since my friend Bob has provided me with one of his Random Musings. But, good things come to those who wait, and I’m happy to offer his latest reflection. I don’t think his James Joyce stream of consciousness literary style is intentional, it’s just the way his mind, and heart, works. I love him for that, and it makes for some good conversation when we get together.

Iris and the Botanical Hitchhikers – by Bob Magness

We went for a hike this weekend. Well maybe ‘hike’ is a bit too ambitious of a term, let’s call it a nice walk through the forest of a local state park. This fall season so far has been a continuation of summer – warm and dry. The cottonwood trees are already dropping their dry brown leaves, but some of the maples are showing off their autumn colors. This hike was on a bridle trail that we’ve been frequenting for the last 25 years. In those years, we rarely come across other hikers and seldom see horses. It’s a nice quiet trail.

We take the opportunity to cut the dogs loose and let them burn some energy by running ahead. We are back to having two dogs. Tilly is a wire-haired pointer – I like to tell people she is my dog. Iris is a pointing griffon; she is Robyne’s dog. Iris is a good girl but sometimes she doesn’t hear me so well and other times she just flat out ignores me. They’re both still pups – less than 18 months so they have plenty of energy and this hike gives them a chance to run and explore and to just be a dog. It’s fun to watch.

The inventor of Velcro is said to have made the discovery after walking through a field and was picking burrs off his wool sweater. I would have guessed that he had a dog a like Iris. She is a magnet for all varieties of these prickly seeds. But she’s a thinking kind of dog – she thinks that rubbing up against the forest floor or patch of grass will free her of these botanical hitchhikers. And before long her long hair is wrapped around these tiny seeds, and she is completely matted. Our peaceful walk through the woods is now interrupted as we attempt to free her from this predicament. She doesn’t seem to enjoy our efforts of pulling the seeds from her fur and before long a wrestling match breaks out. For a thinking dog she doesn’t seem to realize that we are trying to help.

Wrestling. I wrestled in high school. It is a tough and brutal sport with absolutely no shortcuts or hacks to success. The sport teaches you about yourself – what you’re willing to sacrifice to be better, and what you can endure. In wrestling there is only one person to blame if you lose a match. I look back at those days fondly and mostly grateful that they are behind me. I used to think I was pretty good but for some reason most everybody I wrestled was better. It’s good to be humbled. I found it more than interesting that one definition for “Israel” is “he who wrestles with God.” I’ve thought about that for some time now. It certainly feels appropriate for all my struggles with attempting to understand life and His creation. Wrestling against all those times I thought I knew the better path. Wrestling to understand why my sacrifice was not sufficient for what I thought I wanted. And suddenly, I’m back in the Garden of Eden and there’s the Tree. I’m a thinking dog too… I know how. I know what’s best…

Maybe the hardest thing about wrestling with God is that He doesn’t play fair. Maybe He shows me how silly and futile my actions are while walking a dog through the woods. He gives me a forest and pats me on the head with a resounding “Go get’em boy!” And I come back to Him with all the burrs of life stuck on me while I thrash about trying to shake them loose – so much like Iris. And as I cry out to Iris, “You silly dog just be still, I’m trying to help”, it hits me and I can’t move. I’m pinned as I hear Psalm 46: 10, “Be still and know that I am God.”

(Iris and the Botanical Hitchhikers was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Envy, Unfairness, and Grace

23 Wednesday Aug 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Vice, Virtue

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Envy, Grace, Mt 20:1-15, Tooth Fairy, Unfairness, Vice, Virtue

The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, Andrey Mironov

As I sit down to write it occurs to me that it’s been two months since my last post. Time flies when you’re having fun! Since June I’ve road-tripped about seven thousand miles and I hope to write soon about some of the blessings received on both sides of the windshield. But, mostly, I’ve been busy at my new job trying to find ways to evangelize and bring people to Jesus through other people. I told a friend the other day that, for the first time in a couple decades, I look forward to going to work every morning! I am blessed!

Just because I haven’t written doesn’t mean I’ve not been inspired through reading Scripture and daily meditation. Quite the contrary, my prayer life has been amazing. But, I’ve put other things of importance ahead of writing. Let’s see if I can fix that tonight.

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, Mt 20:1-16, Jesus tells his disciples the parable of the landowner hiring the laborers for his vineyard. He hires some in the morning and then more every three hours during the day. The last hired, at five o’clock, received the same daily wage at six o’clock as those who were hired first thing in the morning. Those laborers who worked all day grumbled about the unfairness of it all, comparing their labor to those who only worked one hour. The landowner reminded them that they were paid what they had agreed on and asked them, “Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?”

Can you imagine that scene? How would you feel if you were one of the laborers hired early and had worked hard all day only to be paid the same as someone who’d not yet broken a sweat? If you’re like me, you’d have grumbled, too. And we both would have succumbed to the deadly sin of envy.

Envy is the vice of finding sorrow in the good fortune of someone else. It can also be the feeling of joy at someone else’s misfortune. It’s the vice associated with comparing one’s self to another. And, when we grumble about the unfairness, we are directing our complaint to God.

As I read this passage this morning I recalled a moment some twenty-one or twenty-two years ago. My youngest daughter, Grace, was five or six years old. She had lost a tooth and placed it under her pillow in hopes of finding money left by the Tooth Fairy when she awoke the next morning. The “Tooth Fairy” was, I think, very generous with the dollar he left under her pillow. But, when Grace awoke and found the dollar, she threw it across the room and exclaimed, “Hannah (her best friend) got five dollars for her tooth!”, and, sobbing, buried her head back in her pillow.

Of course, Grace was too young to really understand the concept of finding joy in another’s good fortune; and too young to understand, appreciate and be grateful for the blessings generously bestowed upon her that others may not receive. She was too young to understand that we have to combat the vice of envy with the virtues of gratitude and generosity. She was only five or six years old.

Sadly, many folks haven’t improved much by the time they reach 25, or 40, or 65 years old. They often still feel envious over someone’s larger and fancier house, of their new high performance car, of their luxurious vacation, or simply that they have more friends and get more likes on their social media account. I think, though, that I’ve made some progress now that I’m 66. I find that I am happy for another when they receive special recognition, or when it seems that luck has found them instead of me. I’m happy with my state in life and don’t desire more than I need. Through grace, I know that I am loved and that the Lord has been super generous to me, more so than I deserve. And, I know it’s His business to decide the blessings He gifts to each one of us. He’s free to do as He wishes with His own graces. It’s not for me to compare what others receive to what He gives me.

Well, to be honest, maybe It’s more truthful to say that I feel that way most of the time.

Oh, I didn’t mention that my daughter Grace not only received a dollar that morning for her tooth, but she also received the truth about the Tooth Fairy.

And the Easter Bunny.

And Santa Claus.

And then I went and had a talk with Hannah’s dad.

“Gracious and loving God, thank You for all the blessings You so generously bestow on me. I know that I do not always say ‘thank You’. Help me to always be joyful and sincerely grateful over another’s good fortune and the blessings they receive from You, knowing that You willed it out of love for them. May I always rejoice in the many ways that You bless all Your children. Amen.”

(Envy, Unfairness, and Grace was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

The Sweetness of the Word in a Sour World

19 Saturday Nov 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Catholic Moral Teaching

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Cultural Immorality, Faith, Grace, Jn 10:27, Lk 19:45-48, Prayer, Ps 119:103, Rv 10:8-11

In today’s Scripture there seemed to be a common thread of how sweet the Word of God is to the faithful. In Rv 10:8-11, we read about the angel handing John the scroll (the Word of God) and ordering him to “Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.” The prospect of heaven is sweet, but the suffering we experience on our way there can be upsetting.

In today’s Psalm, Ps 119:103, we read, “How sweet to my tongue is your promise, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

In the Alleluia, Jn 10:27: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Sheep are comforted by the words of a trusted shepherd.

And in the Gospel, Lk 19:45-48, the chief priests, scribes and Jewish leaders sought a way to put Jesus to death after he exercised His authority and cleansed the temple by driving out the money changers – “but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on His words.” Jesus was feeding the people with something far sweeter than anything the Pharisees had been providing!

A new prophet was in town. Not just any prophet, but the one the people were calling the Messiah! Don’t you know this drove the Jewish leaders crazy! They were being ignored. They were losing control. Jesus was a threat to their power.

Not much has changed in two thousand years. World political leaders have consistently been frustrated over Christians who choose to follow Jesus, the Word of God, rather than capitulate to the philosophies and cultures they try to impose. Today, you don’t have to travel away from home to experience the sour stomach effects of what’s being shoved down our throats: abortion up to and including the moment of birth, rampant promotion of transgenderism and euphoric celebration of the LGBTQA movement, the redefinition of marriage, the erosion of religious freedom and hosts of other misguided policies that tear down accepted morality and the institution of the family in the pretense that government knows best.

Making it particularly difficult for us Catholics are the various leaders within our government who claim to be devout Catholics yet are on the front lines of promoting these immoralities. Faithful and humble believers are a threat to their agenda, a pain in the rear to the pride that drives their desire for power and control. Desperate people do desperate things and theirs are true acts of desperation. Their level of frustration with all of us who follow the voice of our Good Shepherd must be reaching a crescendo because, from all observations, they are working hard to do the devil’s work.

We must remember to let the evil born of their frustration be theirs and theirs alone. As virtuous Christians, the Church Militant, we receive through prayer the grace to take these issues which we don’t like and haven’t chosen and work to peacefully change what we can. But, for those issues out of our control, we need to pray for that same grace to live lives of virtue, maintain interior peace, and hang on His words – the only medicine that will soothe the indigestion of life and transform our frustration into acceptance that all will be well for those who love and trust Jesus.

Let it be Jesus to whom we listen! Let it be the sweetness of God’s Word we savor rather than the immoral philosophies of the misguided leaders of the world. We will be victorious and it will drive them crazy!

“Lord Jesus, Your sweet words hold the promise of everlasting life. I pray for the conversion of all misguided souls. And, I pray for the grace to be an effective disciple maker, to help change the world by feeding hungry souls on the sweetness of Your Word. Amen.”

(The Sweetness of the Word in a Sour World was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

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