By Ken Rolheiser
听
The foreman looks down from ten stories up and tries to holler to a worker. He can鈥檛 get the fellow鈥檚 attention. He drops a twenty-dollar bill. The worker picks it up, pockets it and does not look up. He drops a hundred-dollar bill. Same result. Finally he drops a stone, which strikes the worker and causes him to look up.
听
When God tries to get our attention, he may send blessings. We don鈥檛 look up. We often take the credit for our good fortune and forget God. When crosses come our way, we turn to God. We take and take and take. God gives and gives and forgives. (Example from homily by Father Franklin Emereuwa)
听
When Jesus walked among us, when he went through the towns and villages, all who touched him were healed (Mark 6:56). People followed and brought out the sick on matts. And he healed them all.
听
Jesus still loves us. He loves the sick and the suffering. But guess what? He is ignored by many who have forgotten him or just not heard of him. They are not flocking into the streets to follow Jesus. That鈥檚 where you and I come in.
听
We all have a hunger for God things. At one point in his life Charles Coulson; Methodist lay preacher, religious author, mathematician, chemist and physicist; prayed to find God. He did.
听
Coulson went on to explain that God鈥檚 actions were evident in nature鈥檚 processes rather than apart from them. Coulson coined the expression God of the gaps in opposition to many who used God鈥檚 presence only in the things science cannot explain.
听
Again, this is where you and I come in. We can be in touch with God. Jesus still loves us and has not changed. Often we are afraid of getting near to God. 鈥淭he truth is,鈥� Jean Vanier says, 鈥渋f we get closer to him he鈥檚 going to give us a hug.鈥�
听
Through Faith we can touch others. In a good Saskatchewan metaphor we hear that the harvest is ready, but the labourers are few. Ask the Lord to nourish and energize the workers.
听
Jesus left the Bread of Life with听 us. Jesus, the Word of God, is still with us.
His love flows into us all, and, if we do our part, from us to all. We are the Body of Christ on earth. If any are to touch the Body of Christ and be cured, we are that Body.
听
In the words of Mother Teresa: 鈥淲ho is Jesus to me? Jesus is the Word made Flesh. Jesus is the Bread of Life鈥esus is the Word鈥攖o be spoken. Jesus is the Truth鈥攖o be told. Jesus is the Way鈥攖o be walked. Jesus is the Light鈥攖o be lit. Jesus is the Life鈥攖o be lived. Jesus is the Love鈥攖o be loved.鈥�
听
Our lives must be given to the greater purpose of Christ鈥檚 redemptive work in the world. In our families, the domestic church, we must be evangelizing, passing on the message to our children and our community.
听
It is very simple: 鈥淚 am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.鈥� Mother Teresa
