“What has made this nation great? Not its heroes but its households.”
~Sarah J. Hale, Traits of American Life, 1835
That particular aspect of American culture has been recognized for a long time–at least since 1835. Having healthy families (physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually) is essential for the well-being of our country. Will the households of contemporary America muster the strength to keep our nation strong?
“People without hope won’t take action. If you want to help someone, give them hope.” ~Tom Ziglar
I read that quote this morning from the Zig Ziglar page of Facebook. It affirms once again that many good business practices align with our Christian principles. They are simply good common sense things that build people up. Without hope, a person can feel that there is no point in moving toward action.
The season of Easter–yes, we celebrate Easter for 50 days–reminds us that we are people of hope. Christ has conquered death and has offered us new life. If that doesn’t fill us with hope, what will? The question that looms in my mind is whether or not we have any true sense of what an awesome gift this is to us, or do we just go through the motions year after year celebrating Lent and Easter without experiencing true conversion in our lives? is our relationship with God deeper today than it was five years ago?
In two more weeks we will celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost. This powerful feast reminds us that the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, will guide us into all Truth. Our relationship with God our Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, in communion with the Holy Spirit grows in intimacy when we allow the promptings of the Holy Spirit to truly guide our lives. That is definitely a reason for hope. So then, why does there seem to be a shortage of hope in today’s society–even among Christian believers? When did we lose focus on the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love? There is probably no single answer to that question; our modern culture has developed many allurements in recent decades intent upon distracting us from the Kingdom of God. If we find ourselves being led astray, what do we do to turn back toward God?
Basically, how do we become people of renewed hope? I believe that one good place to start is by being a person of prayer. If we allow our prayer life to suffer, a shortage of hope will certainly follow in due time. If intimacy and union with God is not part of our daily quest (prayer), and we put our hope in worldly things, the virtue of real hope is sure to dissipate from our lives.
Thus, I would add one more component to Tom Ziglar’s quote from above. If you want to help someone–including yourself–invite and encourage them to pray. This will fuel their hope, and in turn, will give them motivation for action. That is when we have the opportunity to truly experience the fullness of the resurrection of the Lord.
(John 10:10)
After focusing on the Gosnell trial yesterday, I want to refresh and re-energize my thinking to a more hopeful outlook. That seems appropriate since I entitled my blog site “Articulating Hope”!
Let’s keep it short and sweet by reflecting on one question. What in your life has given you the greatest fulfillment?
The conscience of a nation–what will the Gosnell trial reveal?
How can a civilized society allow such malicious behavior to take place with no repercussions for decades? How could our government officials repeatedly turn a blind eye to Gosnell’s “House of Horrors”?
It is apparent that a political agenda needed to be protected. Exposing the horrors that were taking place in the clinic could adversely affect that political agenda. Thus, evil was given a free pass to continue.
Where is the outrage? Have we become so calloused that we are no longer surprised by any outrageous behavior? Why have the babies killed after birth in this clinic received no public tears and outpouring of grief? Why has the murder of these children been treated differently by the media than the children killed in school shootings. Why is this killing condoned?
This is the burning question in my heart and mind. Where is the Church in all of this? If people of faith don’t stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves, who will? Has a timid Church allowed society to go astray so gravely?
I realize that the Church can’t cure all of the societal ills that confront us. As a matter of fact, there are times when we struggle to even cure the ills within our own ranks. However, with that being said, how can we stand idly by and allow things like Gosnell’s House of Horrors to exist without resistance? Where are the people of faith while these types of things are going on in our communities?
It is with a heavy heart that I ponder our wandering far from God. We have been killing unborn children for 40 years now. In this particular case our society has also allowed the killing of children after they are born. This clearly reveals that we are steeped in a culture of death–and it doesn’t even seem to bother a significant portion of our population.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is time for some serious prayer and fasting. Complacency, apathy, and indifference can no longer be the mode of operation. It is time for us to truly be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. “God chose us in Christ before the world began to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Let’s live like we believe that!
“Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.”
I find today’s Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker quite interesting, and even a little bit intriguing. Of all the titles that could be bestowed upon St. Joseph, why were the words “the Worker” chosen? What is the significance of this particular title?
Years ago I saw a bumper sticker that said, “Jesus is coming soon… look busy.” I don’t think that had any relation to today’s feast, but I think it raises a good question in a satirical sort of way. What does the role of work play in our lives in regard to our sanctification? Are we trying to “look busy” to get bonus points or does our work truly bring glory to God?
I will admit that I don’t always jump right out of bed in the morning eager to meet the new day and the work that is in store. This feast day reminds me of the attitude that I should have in my approach to work. It also creates a prespective that shows the multiple opportunities for spiritual growth in my life. I know I have improvements to make in this area so my prayer today will be to read and reflect upon the Letter of James Chapter 2 verses 14 through 26. I will then strive, with the grace of God, to put it more faithfully into practice.
St. Joseph, pray for us!
A quick trip “home” to Missouri to visit my mom over the last few days took me away from being in front of my computer for a little while. That is probably a good thing on a number of different levels.
While I was in the St. Louis area I saw a lot of the flooding up close and personal. The Bob’s Creek Levee broke while I was there and that meant about 60 more homes in Winfield, Missouri were going to get flooded. The people of Clarksville, Missouri had built sand bag levees around their individual homes, businesses, churches, and were trying desperately to preserve the historic buildings of the town. The exhaustion, frustration, and anxiety could be visibly seen in the faces of the people battling the forces of mother nature.
On this date in 1991a cyclone in Bangladesh killed over 131,000 people and left 9 million people homeless. That piece of information makes the current midwest flooding look rather insignificant, but for those affected by the rising waters it is no less painful. Our country has certainly seen a variety of weather related catastrophes in recent years.
As we gear up for another quick blast of snow here in Wyoming, let us keep in prayer all those suffering from natural disasters. Long after the tv cameras have left devastated areas the rebuilding and the healing continues for these broken communities for months and even years after the event.
I sometimes wonder why we have tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, cyclones, or why we move from drought conditions to flooding, from warmth back to blizzards, and a multitude of other meterological phenomena. However, I will simply have to trust that the hand of Almighty God is working through it all. I will have to pray more slowly the words from the Book of Daniel chapter 3 verses 57 through 88.
“Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us praise and exalt Him forever.”
In the year 1800 on April 24, the Library of Congress was established with a $5,000.00 allocation. Who could have imagined where that would eventually lead? Check out the Library of Congress website and see how it has grown in 213 years.
Books have had a huge impact on our lives. The world of publishing has literally brought the world to our fingertips. Technology continues to be enhanced and the publishing world brings even more richness right to our fingertips via our personal computers and cell phone devices. How is all of that information changing us?
More importantly, how have we been affected by the single greatest library of all–the Bible? How have these 73 books (or 66 books) shaped our lives? Has the story of salvation history impacted us in a profound way?
The Bible is a library that shouldn’t just sit nicely on display in our living room. It is meant to be read, studied, and prayed. Let us be grateful for the precious gift of God’s Word in our lives. Have you prayed from your Bible today?
On April 23, 1992 McDonald’s opened its first fast food restaurant in China. This change opened up new markets for the corporation and subsequently increased market share. Change in this case produced positive results.
On April 23, 1985 Coca-Cola announced that it was changing its secret flavor formula and “New Coke” made its debut. For those of us old enough to remember this event, the results were less than stellar for this corporation. Change in this case did not produce positive results.
As individuals, we each experience change in our lives. Sometimes these changes bring us closer to God; other times these changes lead us astray. However, we are not simply subjected to external circumstances that determine all of these changes. We are called to be proactive and seek out holiness in our lives. When we speak of change in regard to our faith journey, we are speaking about conversion. Are we growing in union with God?
We may not be making corporate decisions that could earn us millions of dollars if we call the right shots, but our decisions regarding faith and morals have much steeper consequences than dollars and cents. There are eternal ramifications linked to these decisions. Have we accepted the redeeming love of Jesus Christ? Does our love for God and our faith in Christ Jesus guide the decisions we make on a daily basis? Do we trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to give us the courage and perseverance we need to be faithful?
As we continue our 50 day celebration of Easter and move closer and closer to the great Feast of Pentecost, are we sensing the Holy Spirit stirring in our lives?
On April 22, 1994, the largest lollipop was created in Denmark weighing 3,011 pounds. I guess a lollipop that large would discourage an individual from biting into it rather than just sucking on it. I can still remember the commercials from many years ago asking the question about how many licks does it take to get to the inside of the lollipop. We couldn’t seem to get the answer for a regular sized lollipop so I guess there won’t be an answer for one weighing over 3,000 pounds.
Think big! I have heard that statement many times in my life. I have been in numerous meetings in both secular business and church related endeavors where we have been told to think big, dream big, see the big picture, brainstorm with no limitations, and so forth. I am all for living life to the full and pursuing sanctity with vigor. Sometimes we are challenged to do big things, but most of the time we are simply called to do the mundane chores of life in a faithful manner. These daily tasks provide us with the opportunity to grow in faithfulness and love in a style that seems pretty ordinary.
The saints throughout history have pursued holiness in a variety of ways, but one characteristic present in each of them appears to be singleness of purpose. They desired sanctity. Regardless of their state in life, single or married, clergy or laity, their focus was to grow in union with God. Do we have that kind of focus in our own lives? Do we have the burning desire to be saints? We may not be called to do extraordinary things on a regular basis, but we can be assured that we are being called to do the ordinary things of life extraordinarily well.
Is anyone hungry for a lollipop?
Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday. Psalm 23 is one of my favorite psalms and it begins with, “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” As I read through the entire psalm this morning, one question kept running through my mind. Although I am quite familiar with the psalm, how well do I know the Shepherd?
In my own spiritual journey I often reflect upon the words of Revelation 3: 15-16. Am I hot, cold, or lukewarm in regard to my faith in Christ? The consequences of being lukewarm as spelled out in these verses of Scripture paint a picture that is not pleasant. Have I allowed complacency, apathy, and indifference seep into my life? Have I become satisfied with the status quo?
These are important questions for all of us who are sincerely seeking an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. However, for those of us who find ourselves in leadership positions within the Church, it is an absolute necessity that we stay rooted in prayer and humble service to our God. If we fail in our own spiritual quest to know, love, and serve God, we endanger the welfare of those who have been entrusted to our pastoral care. The words of Scripture penetrate with a resounding boom of harshness in regard to the accusations made toward those who have leadership responsibilities but fail to live up to them. Do the words, “brood of vipers, hypocrites, whitewashed tombs” sound familiar? Another one from Matthew 18:6 paraphrased, “It is better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be tossed into the sea rather than lead one of these little ones astray.” It is clear that there is a huge responsibility attached to the privilege of serving God’s people.
A friend of mine and I were recently discussing some of the challenges in Church life, and in particular, Church leadership. He said, “Politically motivated mediocrity does not inspire.” I will admit that I was stopped in my tracks with that one line.
In my preaching and teaching I have addressed the dangers of mediocrity for years. I have used resources from some of the best business writers, motivational speakers, and others in addition to our wealth of faith based resources. However, I had never put it into the context of a politically motivated concept. By the words “politically motivated” I am not insinuating running for office or being a lobbyist. I am referring to the comfort zone we find ourselves in when we don’t confront and tackle the difficult issues. Is it easier (safer) to stay away from the hot button topics rather than lead God’s people in the ways of truth? Quite frankly, do we water down the Gospel message and “tickle the ears” of those who hear? Do we foster complacency and apathy in God’s people rather than inspire?
As an individual who has a leadership position in the Church, I have plenty to ponder on this Good Shepherd Sunday. I also have significant needs for which to pray. Our hope is in the Lord who made heaven and earth. Please pray Psalm 23 today. Please pray for all those who have the responsibility of leadership in our parishes–clergy, religious, and lay leaders. Ask God to send an abundance of laborers into the harvest, and ask that those who are serving will truly be filled with zeal and fervor in living out their vocation.