Something happened a few years back at a conference I was attending. The subject was “vocation” and how we find God’s way and plan for our life. A young priest presented an image that surprised and delighted all of us. He gave us a picture of how life gets pieced together in partnership with God.

He used this image. See what you think.

Picture you’re weaving a cloth with various shuttles and yarns attached to them. The cloth is suspended over your head much like an umbrella. The garment you’re weaving is of course “your life”.

You view your cloth from the bottom and see several openings which could receive your shuttle. So seeing the pattern you’ve already begun, you choose an opening that seems to best add to your cloth. You push the shuttle through and wait for its return.

Meanwhile God is there above to receive your choice. He takes his time in returning the shuttle. He’s partnering with you as co-weaver! Finally He drops the shuttle back down to you but not exactly where you thought He would. It’s “over there”.

“Oh,” we think, “that changes things. Now what? Where do I send my shuttle back to Him?”

And up and down the shuttle of life goes. Each time we make the best judgment we can about life’s choices . . . Is this the person I should marry? Do I work or stay home with the children? Do I apply for the new opening at work? Where do we send the children to school? How do I handle this new problem? Etc.

So you think about things; maybe talk things over with family or friend. Hopefully you’ll say a prayer for the Holy Spirit to guide you. But then comes the moment of decision (“Mom, dad, I’ve decided to go into the military.”) and with that you’ve sent the shuttle up through the cloth of your life. What will God send back? We’ll see . . .

Get the picture? It’s really a nice meditation on the partnership God has with us in guiding us through our lives.

Two points seem critical to me in this process.

1. When we ponder where to send up our choices (the shuttle) there needs to be some sort of prayer. “Oh Lord, please guide me, enlighten me. Show me where to send this choice in life. I give it to you. Help me.” Then act with the confidence that God will indeed help your choices. He loves you!

2. When God drops the shuttle back down to you, no matter how unexpected its placement— trust that it is God’s answer to your prayer. The events of our life that follow our prayerful action is what we call God’s Providence (His loving grace given to us His children). Trust that He has heard you and has answered your prayers.

Case in point: Two years ago we prayed that God would guide the selection of our president and government officials in the recent election. When I went to the poll that day I pushed the shuttle through (to continue the analogy) for a different candidate. What came back to me (and to you!) was Donald Trump as our next president.

Following the points mentioned above, we now regard President Trump as God’s will for America at this present time. My responsibility as a citizen is to support him wherever I can and speak up when government policies violate matters of social justice.

God in his providence has something to teach us in allowing the election process to give us this president. I continue to search for what that lesson may be.

God is waiting for your next prayer as together you weave the pattern of your life.

Bless you. Happy Easter.

Fr. Tim

PS. Partner with God. Make your garment breathtaking!

1. A persistent fascination with the idea of becoming a priest. (It just won’t go away. Girls are wonderful too but why do I keep thinking about life as a priest?)
2. An appreciation for the Catholic Faith. It really does have the deepest and truest answers to life’s mysteries. (I think I could explain it to help people.)
3. A vague desire to do something dangerous for Christ. (This is weird. Guys just like something that tests them. Something risky and different, like rock climbing, but this time . . . something for the Lord!)
4. You find yourself watching priests at your parish. (Hearing his homily you might think . . . “I could do that, maybe even better!” Or thinking about counseling a worried person, you might think “Here is what I would say to someone with that problem.”)
5. If not me . . . then who? (If you see and feel that something needs to be done, why would you tell someone else to do it? Picture someone needing help climbing stairs . . . you don’t wait for someone else to help, do you? The very fact that YOU SEE what’s needed is a sign that YOU are called to step up. This sometimes feels almost like a burden. A sweet burden!)
6. People, out of the blue, tell you they think you’d make a good priest. Ever tell that to a young man? It could change his life. It changed mine.

6 Tricks of the Enemy to confuse and frustrate God’s call. (Comment)

1. “Who do you think you are?! You’re not holy enough.” (You’re right. You’re a sinner. Just like the rest of us. God doesn’t call “perfect” people and THEN make them priests. No, he calls simple everyday people like the fishermen/apostles. It’s a lifetime journey that makes you holy.)
2. “It’s a lifelong commitment. I can’t do that.” (Gee, that’s too bad. So I guess you’ll never get married or have children or be a true friend to anyone. They all call for lifelong commitments. So you’ll re-invent yourself every seven or eight years?)
3. “I’ll be lonely.” (So? Nobody talks about this because it’s kinda personal and a little embarrassing . . . . Jesus was lonely. EVERYBODY IS LONELY SOMETIMES. God lets us all have this feeling to get us looking forward to the joy of heaven.
4. “I can’t do the things I like doing.” (Says who? Talk to priests. They have an amazing interest in all kinds of activities. Some have their pilot’s license, some priests have traveled all over the world, some play an instrument in a band or orchestra . . . golf, wine making, cooking – priests do all kinds of things.)
5. “But I love women. I want to marry.” (Of course you do!! God put that feeling in you. But sometimes God puts another feeling right along side of it. It’s the feeling that Jesus wants you to be his special friend – – – you and him. He whispers “follow me.”)
6. “Priests are busy on Sunday, and then they don’t do anything all week. (That’s not true. Priests have staff meetings, finance meetings, buildings and grounds meetings, Parish Council meetings, counseling appointments, interviews with engaged couples, students for sacraments, parents for baptisms, confessions, teaching classes, going to the hospital, funerals, time for prayer, time to plan homilies, people “stopping by” . . . what else? . . . oh yeah, Maplewood Nursing Home, on call at Rochester General, morning masses, email correspondence. There’s more but that’s enough.)

To Our Young Men

You’re not alone in trying to find your path in life. Talk to your parish priest. He can tell you what it feels like to be a priest. He can help you find whatever God’s plan may be for you.

Fr. Tim

I’ve been playing with the outrageous announcement the Church proclaims everyday but especially at this time of Easter. “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.”

The science we rely on to help us understand the physical world tells us that such an event cannot happen given the laws of nature. Surprisingly science has no objection to “resuscitation” (the return to bodily life of a corpse that was once thought dead. Lazarus, friend of Jesus, was resuscitated. Unfortunately, Lazarus would have to die again.) Science allows for that possibility.

That is not what the Church proclaims. The Church boldly announces that the whole Jesus is alive, body, mind and soul, never to die again. She declares it to be a true historical event. The resurrection is a “fact”.
So why should we believe what our senses can never verify? Actually we do it all the time . . . do you believe your spouse when she says she loves you? Is it a “fact” when your friend says, “I was there. You must not have seen me.” When the state trooper stops your car to tell you the bridge is out up ahead, is it then a fact for you?

Why do we believe something is for real when we’ve never witnessed it? Isn’t it because we know the person who’s giving us the information . . . and we trust them? When you think about it isn’t that how we come to know most things? We trust they’re telling the truth. (So Fr. John tells me he’s used all the hot water – – okay, I’ll shower later!)

Sunday after Sunday in the Easter Season the gospel tells a story of Jesus appearing to his disciples. Why should I believe them? I mean he died on the cross two thousand years ago, they buried his body like any other corpse. How can I reasonably know that Jesus is truly alive and with me?

Here’s what helps me believe:

• Most importantly, Jesus said it would happen. (Mark 9:31, Matthew 17:22, 23)
• The apostles were totally surprised by the resurrection and gained nothing but persecution by spreading the news.
• The God that is revealed by the death and resurrection of Jesus is so contrary to anything humans could ever think to cook up. (“Your God let himself be crucified?!”)
• The Church (for all its human failings) has never wavered in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead even in times of great suffering.
• The gift of Faith creates a willingness in me to submit to a truth that guides my life in a hope filled way. (Before that I had nowhere to steer my ship!)
• Over time, this Faith has provided the experience of a deeper love for God and neighbor that never would have happened otherwise.
• Faith in the resurrection has brought me into contact with people who have shown me a love and goodness that can only be compared to the love of Jesus Christ.

With these thoughts in mind . . . . I take the leap of Faith. And even this leap is caused by God’s grace. He helps us jump!

Now dear friends be ready, because once we say “yes” to the Easter message of eternal life with Christ, we “bind” ourselves to living according to his teachings.

(“Religion”: from the Latin, religare . . . to bind).

That means: loving enemies, living chastely, caring for the poor, faithful spousal love, seeking social justice, forgiveness to all who harm us, trusting God to watch over us, being there for those in need, etc.

Being just small human beings, inclined to selfishness, how will we ever live as Jesus taught? All I can say is “something happens”. Over time we get drawn out of ourselves and begin to live for God and others. And there’s a happiness unlike anything the world can deliver.

Please know that God loves you right now. Right where you are this moment. All he asks is that we surrender to that love. Let it conquer you, wash over you, free you.

Easter joy to you.

Fr. Tim

Brothers and Sisters,

Some things are hard to put into words. Some things are understood only by Faith. Today the Christian world proclaims a great wonder. Our brother Jesus Christ, who’s every heartbeat was truly human, surrendered that heart to God his Father in an act of love for the human race.

And now, the divinity that lay hidden in his every human moment, the divinity he possessed before the earth was created, shines forth as Eternal Love. Jesus is alive. We’re invited to share that life with Him. How? “Love one another as I have loved you”. He’ll take care of the rest.

A Blessed Easter to you all.

With Love,
Fr. Tim

Was it just me or was this past winter a particularly hard one? Maybe it seemed that way because I’m getting old- er and less vigorous in mounting the usual “winter coun- ter attack”; you know . . . brisk winter walks in the snow (blaah!).

But now it’s spring and we know what is soon to happen. Driving down to Elmira last week I passed mile after mile of brown, matted field grass. Not a blade of green. The fields seemed to say to the infant springtime . . . “you think you can raise all this brown to life? We’re REALLY dead. But give it a shot, see what you can do.”

And here’s your thought for the day – – do you want to start again? Do you want to live another year? Like nature are you ready to come back to life? Are you ready to embrace the trials and joys of living on this earth?

Certainly we all want to “keep living”. But that’s not what I’m asking. Are you ready to EMBRACE the duties you carry at this stage of your life? Are you ready to “steady on” as loving spouse? Faithful friend? Patient sufferer? A lonely remnant, honoring what once was?

These days of Lent give us the opportunity to look more deeply at things we sometimes take for granted. Like life itself.

It’s a gift. It comes from God through our parents. It gives us a chance to experience an amazing moment in time – – this time, this moment. We have an invitation to contribute something the world has never seen before. Your love. Your caring.

Sooo? After all these winters, do you want to come to life again? It’s really rather simple, it all starts with attitude. What’s yours?

Are you still trying hard to get the shiny things in life? Are you trying mightily to be free of cares or worries? Does thinning or absent hair make you sad? Does being unappreciated and ignored cause resentment?

I think of all the time I’ve devoted myself in this way. Full blown, they create an attitude that expects life to be “for me”, “mine”. My choices are carefully arranged to serve…me. Jesus tells us this way of thinking misses the purpose and reason for which God gave us life.

“If anyone wants to come to me, he must forget himself. Whoever wants to save his life (i.e. protect it , guard and hoard it) will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (save it).” Luke 9: 23, 24.

And again . . . “Unless the grain of wheat dies it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies it will bear fruit a hundredfold.” John 12: 24.

The message? We are here to be “for” something other than ourselves. That’s right. Our lives, given to us as a gift, are to be given back in love and service, first to God and then to our neighbor.

This saving message of Jesus reveals the purpose of our life. With it, comes a whole shift in attitude. We begin a life of “giving ourselves away”. And guess what hap- pens?! Peace. “Peace is what I leave with you. My own peace I give you. Not like the world and its peace.” John 14: 27

So again. Do you want this new spring? Do you want to pick it up again? That cross you’ve been carrying?

I do. Want to join me? Happy Lent!

Fr. Tim

(While Fr. Tim is away this week the following article was previously written on March 22, 2015, the 5th Sunday of Lent).

As we celebrate the 5th Sunday of Lent this weekend, I’m imagining a couple things may have happened to you in these last weeks.

Some of us have entered vigorously into this season of penance. On Ash Wednesday, with the dirt on your forehead, you were resolved to really make this a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. By now you have begun to feel the spiritual effects of such efforts— a felt desire for God in your life, an eagerness to do good things for the Lord, perhaps a happiness or peace in the midst of day to day difficulties. If so. . . . thank God. This is a great grace you have received.

Others of us have not been so diligent in our observance of the discipline of Lent. Maybe like New Years resolutions, we just got started and then dropped the whole project. Or, perhaps we tried to sacrifice or do something extra in prayer, but saw our efforts slowly go down hill. Maybe you are just now considering this holy season and thinking, “What the heck, it’s more than half over- – – I’ll just wait for Easter and do it up right.

May I offer a suggestion? First off, perhaps the fail- ure to follow through on our Lenten efforts is part of God’s plan for you. In the opening prayer for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (half-way) the Church prays, “Lord, when we are discouraged by our weakness, give us confidence in your love.”

Maybe God wanted you to learn how weak you are! Maybe now you know how much you need God to help you do even the slightest sacrifice. Perhaps in our failures we are beginning to learn the mysterious lessons of humility.

Whatever this Lent has been for you so far really doesn’t matter—– it’s today that should concern us. Why not let this Monday be a new beginning? Let’s call it Ash Monday.

Ask God for the grace that would give you a plan for these next two weeks leading up to Easter Sunday. Such a plan might include:

• going to confession.
• attending Mass one other time during the week.
• sitting everyday for three minutes (or more, if God so moves you) to consider how you might better spend the fleeting days of your life.
• journey with the people of Holy Trinity by being a part of the Holy Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday).
• acts of kindness for those with whom you live and work.
• some special act of selflessness offered for peace in the Middle East.

So, come along now. Up we go!! We are companions on this journey.

Bless you,
Fr. Tim

I’ve been doing a little reading this Lent. One of the books is a slender volume entitled The Ignatian Workout by Tim Muldoon (Loyola Press). There he describes a helpful exercise for anyone wanting to bring themselves to God in prayer.

He points out the fact that each of us has a history of events and experiences that shape who we are and how we perceive the world. The point is to become aware of “what’s in our bag” as we ask God to meet us in prayer.

One of St. Ignatius’s famous prayers begins: “Take Lord, receive, all my memory.” The questions that follow are meant to open your memory bank to see some of the major factors that have made you who you are.

Some point to moments of happiness that have encouraged you along the way. Some questions ask about some of the darker, painful events in your life. (These are remembered not to make us sad all over again. They’re meant just to remind us “that this too has happened.” Recall them and . . . Know you are safe with Him.)

Don’t try to answer them all. But some will “stick out ” with a special feeling and vivid memory. Take some time with them. The point is not to make us happy or sad again. The point is to own them and how they have shaped us. (Remember . . . God knows these things about you and accepts you just as you are. Let His gentle Spirit lead you to Him).

Let me give you an example of how this memory exercise can help your prayer. To the question, “Who have been your heroes?”, I can honestly say I’ve been given several men and women who have been examples of heroic courage and yet great gentleness and kindness.

I truly am blessed with the memory of these people and how they have touched my life. And how do they help me bring myself to God in prayer? They make me grateful to God for giving them to me. They provide a model for what I want to become for God. Sometimes I picture them sitting in the bleachers urging me on as I sit with God in prayer! Goofy, eh?!

So what’s in your bag? Don’t be afraid of it. It’s part of who you are. But remember, God’s not done with you yet!

Oh Happy Lent! God loves you more than you know.

Fr. Tim

Jesus does it again. The gospel this Sunday hits us with a story that says we were created to increase the Glory of God. (The fig tree that has failed to bring forth figs in season). The owner gives it one more season to prove itself in the garden . . . or else!

That’s right, our lives are designed to do good things. And in so doing we reflect the goodness of God. It’s as if God were saying to us, “You are my sons and daughters. You’ve got my stuff in you. Go show the world how beautiful I am.”

That’s all very lovely . . “to be pretty for God” we might say. But if we just like the idea and do nothing more, we’ll fail in our life’s mission. Or as Jesus says else- where, we’ll be like the grain of wheat that refuses to die to itself; it remains “just a grain of wheat.” John 12: 24.

Bearing fruit. It’s not an option. It’s a command. It comes with the package called human life. There are a couple rules that are writ into us from the beginning:

• We are “creatures”. Like the billions of other creatures, the cause of our existence is outside us. We didn’t make ourselves.
• We’re different from every other creature on earth in that we can act with reason and freedom.
• These two qualities (r & f), are to be used to bring forth love, goodness, and truth. (These are the qualities the bible calls “The Glory of God”.)
• If we don’t bring goodness forth, we’ll be like a bird that won’t fly or a kangaroo that won’t hop. We miss our purpose. Oh dear.
• God asks of us what he asks of no other creature… to be his sons and daughters.

But what does this fruit look like? Do we have to do great things? Is there something we must do that wins an award or makes us famous?

No. Jesus comments on this in Luke 19: 15-17. To the servant who has tried in small ways to advance God’s kingdom, the master says “Well done! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of even more.”

“Little” is one of the Lord’s favorite words . . . “unless you become as a little child”, “If you have faith as little as a mustard seed . . .”. He even calls us his “little children” John 13: 33.

So what is our “little part” to play? It’s really right there in front of us. Be a good and faithful: husband/father, wife/mother, friend, team mate, priest, nun, teacher, car- penter, plumber, doctor, artist, musician, etc.

“Do this and you are not far from the Kingdom,” Jesus says. (Mark 12: 34)

Simple eh? Yes, simple but not easy. So many things get in the way. I could give you a long list of the things that keep us from bearing the fruit God calls forth from us, but I think they all line up under the blanket of Pride and Selfishness.

This Lent is a time to take a good look at ourselves. To see ourselves as Christ sees us. Little, needful, trying, failing. Remember that fig tree story . . . there’s a fellow who intercedes for that barren tree saying, “leave it for now. I will cultivate it and fertilize it. Maybe it will bear fruit in the future.” Luke 13: 9.

That fellow is Jesus. He wants to be the fruit your life will bear. “Christ as it were appealing through you.”

One little step at a time . . .

Fr. Tim

Pope Francis puts a new light on the Lenten practice of fasting. Rather than going without sweets, alcohol etc., why not fast from our bad habits?

Here are some suggestions:

• Fast from angry words. They seldom help; most always they hurt.
• Fast from judgements about others and why they are that way. You don’t really know.
• Fast from always following your feelings. Feelings come and go. They have no mind of their own. Listen to them but don’t be a slave to them.
• Fast from always finding “fault”. Try to see the good right next to the “not so good”.
• Fast from seeing yourself as treated unfairly. Think how many times you’ve gotten away with something!
• Fast from thinking “you’re a cut above” the rest. How many people have had the advantages in life that you’ve had?
• Fast from avoiding people you don’t like. They deserve your kindness always.
• Fast from holding on to hurts and disappointments. My sister tells me to “get over it”. She’s right. “Over it” can start something new.
• Fast from blaming (God, the government, the schools, the liberals, the conservatives, the church, etc.).
• Fast from hoarding. Face it, we all have too much. Let some of your (money, clothes, shoes, coats, toys) go.
• Fast from thinking it “all depends on you.” It doesn’t. It’s what God wants. Get in touch with what God wants.

God will whisper what he asks you to do.

Have a blessed Lent.

Fr. Tim

Maybe it was because my father held a rather strict hand in raising his children. Maybe it was the preaching Old Fr. MacIntyre would deliver Sunday after Sunday in my parish growing up. Maybe it was just “the times” back in the fifty’s and early sixties.

Whatever the reason, I’ve always been a little afraid of the words in the Creed which says God “Will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.”

It tells me that what I do in my life will be examined by God who made me. It’s called “Judgement Day” when “Every one of us will have to give an account of himself/ herself before God.” Romans 14:12

I don’t think we give enough attention to this warning.

We in the United States, we here in Webster (where “life is worth living”), can easily forget that this life of ours will come to an end and then God will have a few questions for us. (I don’t have the slightest idea HOW this will happen . . . but faith tells us somehow there will be a reckoning.)

Other generations had this urgency in their bones. My father, who saw life and death during the war, was fond of telling us that “Life is real and earnest. This is not a dress rehearsal. This is it.”

So many today live a passive response to this urgency. “Whatever” we say carelessly. Or, “that’s a long way off. I can’t be bothered thinking about the end.” Or, “My life is mine to live. Back off.”

We have a choice as to how to imagine our lives. In the end I think it comes down to two basic options. (See if this image makes any sense).

Remember that college or certification class that helped you develop a certain knowledge or skill? You have a choice . . . you can take the course for credit or you can simply audit it.

Auditing has a certain appeal, doesn’t it? It’s cheaper, there’s no essay required and best of all no test. All you have to do is sit there. Take whatever you want and leave the rest. (I audited a course one summer. It was great! I can’t remember a single thing I learned, but I met this really cool girl.)

OR – – – You can take it for credit. This will cost you more in time, money, and sweat. And . . . you will have to show what you’ve learned to get the credit.

So why take the credit course? Because it leads somewhere. It takes you to a new place. You now have something you own and with this achievement you can advance a career, secure a future, realize what you are capable of.

So the question is: are you in this life for credit or are you merely auditing? Jesus has a story that might help you decide. Read Matthew 25: 14-30. (really I mean it, it’ll take three minutes).

An owner gives three people a different sum of money to conduct their portion of the business of running a vineyard. The first two take the money and use it in a way that increases the value of the vineyard. The third fellow takes the money and buries it thinking if he just gives it back that will be enough.

Well guess what? It wasn’t enough. He fired him. The master wanted a return on his investment. He wanted to see some sort of effort to advance the cause of the business.

Jesus tells this story to wake us up. God has given you a life to live. He’s blessed you with certain talents and gifts. What have you done with it?

It’s never too late to begin. All God asks is that we try. He’ll take care of the rest.

This is it. No dress rehearsal.

Fr. Tim