It's all good so far

The reading today was from Mark’s Gospel about Jesus healing a man’s hand in the Temple. He did it on the Sabbath and in front of the Pharisees who were looking for an opportunity to trap him. He exercised compassion inspite of the consequences. Consequences that ultimately led to his death.

I wonder if I only act with compassion when it is conveinent? Why has my heart hardened towards others? Where is the risk to me?

I have started the exercise program to repair my heart. The Examen tells me that I also need to keep working on my spiritual heart.

Keep me mindfull Lord that my heart needs to be both strong and compassionate.

“Come to me all of you that carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”.

The Pray As You Go opening hymn for today, Tuesday January 19th, the second week of Ordinary Time, caught me today.

As a scout I have vivid memories of the physical relief I felt at being able to drop my pack at the end of the hike.

Later I recall the relief I received when I put a burden of stress I carried on a job situation up to God. He took that load from me and it was a great. I learned that I needed to still do my best but the Lord would protected whether I quit the job or stood up to the boss. That regardless of the outcome, God would still love me and be with me. He would not let my burden overwhelm me.

My greatest moment of puttting a burdern on the Lord was when Sandra had her aneurysm. There was a point when the enormity of the situation hit me along with the realization that I was completely powerless to help. The only thing I could do was to go into the hospital chapel and pray. Giving it up to God. We were blessed and she came through.

The Examen asked to look around at other people. They all carry their own burdens too.

If we are to love our neighbor, wouldn’t we want them to be able to find the same relief and rest we find when we give our burdens up to him? He loves us all and is willing to help us. Shouldn’t we tell others? Shouldn’t we invite them to our Church where they can see how He is working in our lives?

Some days your own personal preaching comes back to with a difficult are you walking your talk.

One of the fond challenges I have given to youth that I mentor is to view all critism as constructive in intent even if the tone (or intrepreted tone in the case of emails) seems harsh or just sets you on edge. To walk away and contemplate rather than to fire off an equally biting reply escalaing matters.

A couple of recent Vestry emails pushes a hot button that really has required me to restrain from replying which,in turn, would definitely escalte things. A squabble that we don’t need right now.

So as I am here cowboying up and relucantly having to live by my own advise (yes the authors of the emails that are bothering me are Children of God, yes they love the Church and are elected to represent the parish) and think about what might have been the root cause (should I have communicated more?). Stewing in this as I comute, I have the Pray as You Go podcast on for my daily Examen.

The opening hymn is from the choir at Westminister Abbey and they sing “This is the day the Lord made, let us rejoice in it”. I realize that God is in control. He made this day and the one before it. I need to rejoice in it. I am alive today and I can continue to serve the Lord. Perhaps it is indeed time for me to be reminded to practice what I preach.

I will rejoice in this day for the Lord made it