Early in my return to church, I was recently divorced, under-employed and struggling with money. I complained about this to a woman I knew through a fellowship, and she told me the story of her life a few years earlier when she was in the same spot. She too complained to a person about the same sort of thing, and the other person told her: 'When I was in your shoes, I struggled with money, until one day I started to find dimes on the ground. I came to recognize that the dimes were a sign from God that He would provide.'" My friend then told me that after she heard the story, she too started finding dimes until she too was certain God was taking care of her. After the story had been passed to me, I began to notice dimes here and there, but I guess I was more stubborn, because I explained them away pretty efficiently, you know, I just happened to be looking for them now ... until one day.
I was at church helping with a youth car wash, I was on the drying station when this huge 70s van came through. It had already gone through a wet down, a scrubbing, and a rinse already. I hopped up on a chair or something to dry the top of the van, and there, on the roof of the van, was a dime. I must have stared for twenty seconds or so and said something clever like "no *insert colorful word* way". Then, of course, I became so overwhelmed I could hardly even breathe or restrain myself from crying. I believed it then, and despite troubles time to time, I know that God will provide for me.
Fast forward to last Tuesday. Before I headed home on Tuesday, I opened up my work coin jar and thoroughly emptied it out on the desk to pull the quarters out to go to the grocery store. All that was left was a about seven dimes and a similar number of nickels. Wednesday I came in, and before lunch I again emptied out my coin jar to get 35 cents for a soda. Out popped about a dollar in nickels and dimes, and a gold Statue of Liberty $1 coin. I laughed. No coworkers would fess up to putting the coin in there ... a miracle? Of course, they happen all the time, but God had so much more in store for me than just letting me know he would provide for me times ten.
Lunch came around, and I sauntered over and told a coworker the above story. My coworker is quite ill, and has been struggling with his illness for a while. He nearly cried when I told him my story, then he told me a similar one involving coins and how God provided with money for him earlier in his life, and then again as he has needed to help pay for medications. Then he told me something about his struggles with money that made me think, he said: "I asked God why He didn't let me win the lottery, and God said to me 'if you you had all that money, you wouldn't need Me'." Whew! He went on to explain that God showed him that when he had money, that he didn't pray or talk to God until he was in need again. Talk about a take-my-breath-away moment, I know there are areas in my life I don't involve God like I should, and I've had this at the center of my thoughts and prayers all this week.
But wait, THERE'S MORE. After my visit with one coworker, as I was walking out building to lunch, I passed another coworker in her office, I walked into her office and told her the story above. I had my big God-loves-me alligator tears running down my face, of course. She then shared with me a poem that was inspired by another lone tear I had cried at another time that her and I had talked about God. The miraculous coin is sitting on my desk, the stories from my coworkers are in my heart, and I rest in the arms of the God.
Patrick (his home parish), Me, Teri, Brianne, Joe, and Frank. I know what Brianne is getting me for my birthday.
Location and Architecture
Saint Robert Bellarmine, 11802 Pacific Street, Omaha. Something was really really comfortable at Saint Robert Bellarmine. It's really hard to put my finger on exactly what, but think it is must be related to a church I attended in my youth, but I think I've said that before. Patrick told us that it had been renovated several years ago, so memory might not be as good as it just was well designed. Again this week, I was struck by the sheer variety in the churches, the designs, the statuary, and the decorations, all of it beautiful, I literally feel as though I could spend an entire day at each church with my camera and not capture all there is there at any parish. Brianne noticed how the shadow was cast on the wall from the crucified Christ, and I must admit, it's very nicely done.
Gospel:
...who do you say that I am? Luke 9:20
I'm pretty sure Jesus didn't ask the disciples who people said He was because He wanted to know. Jesus already knew what they thought, He already knew what Peter thought. So why did Jesus go through the process of asking a question that He already knew the answer to. For that matter, why would God ever ask a question?
The answer to that question is simple, the question isn't for God's benefit, it's for the benefit of the people, or the disciples, or in this case Peter. Peter reacts to this question with a simple answer "You are the Messiah of God."
I know people who would find the question Jesus asks offensive, or at least would treat it with some trepidation. "Who is Jesus?" It's the question at the center of our Christian journey. Many times in our lives we find one question or another causing us some distress, but it's just a question, it has an answer.
I learned my lesson about questions when I worked for the railroad in Chicago, I did something on the computer one day that gave me an unexpected result, and I called the supervisor over and explained it to him, he said "Are you stupid?" I went off yelling and making a big fuss and the supervisor just stood there and took it, and as I wound down he half smiled at me and said "I just asked if you were stupid, are you?" By that point, I was forced to say that indeed I was.
Jesus asks the question, who do you say I am? My answer: Jesus, you are Lord and Savior.
Prayers:
Please pray for:
Tom who is being deployed to Afghanistan, and his wife and two daughters.
Kevin as he prepares for the priesthood.
My friend B., who is struggling with herself lately.
My friend R., who does not know how to change her life.
Heidi as she prepares for a mission trip to Haiti in July.
Next Week: Blessed Sacrament
Peace, Eric
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