Meditations written by Heidi Gainan, a member of the Idaho Falls Catholic Community. Contact info below.

July 28, 2010

"I went down to the potter's house and there he was, working at the wheel. Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased."

Jeremiah 18:3-4

You've heard the old joke, "How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?" And the answer: "Just one, but the light bulb has to WANT to change." Here in the case of the clay and the potter, I wonder if the clay has to WANT to change in order to turn out better in the potter's hands. God is the potter, we are the clay. God can mold us and fashion us, just as the song says, but we need to have pliability in the potter's hands. We need to be able to be molded and shaped. If we are completely inflexible, the potter's job is a bit more difficult. Today, let's think of our pliability. Are we willing to let go of ourselves and let God mold and shape us? Are we willing to step out of our comfort zone and maybe go a bit farther for God? God may be asking us to do something difficult, can we get ourselves out of the way and do it? Love, heidi

July 27, 2010

"And let all who thirst, let them come to the water..."

Isaiah 55:1

At our retreat last weekend, we celebrated mass on the banks of Rock Creek on the day we also celebrated the earth element of water. It was about as close to heaven as one could get and still be on earth! There we were, the Body of Christ, coming to the water as here in Isaiah. There we were refreshed by the Living Body of Christ...the Eucharist. Incredible. Experiences like this can carry us through the desert times when refreshing water seems far away. At times when we thirst due to life's difficulties we can go to the Living Water and be refreshed. We don't need to necessarily go to a body of water, but it sure can help us to get to the ocean, creek, stream, or river. If possible today, let's go to the water...whatever is accessible to you, even if it is the sprinkler in the backyard. Let's go and think of the Living Water of Christ, ready to refresh and renew us! Love, heidi

July 26, 2010

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you."

Luke 11:9

A few weeks ago we sang a song at mass that touched me deeply..."In the Secret" by Mercy Me. Part of the lyrics say, "I want to know you, I want to hear your voice, I want to know you more. I want to touch you, I want to see your face, I want to know you more..." (Mercy Me) I've sung the song for years, but this night at mass we sang it slowly and prayerfully and it touched my heart like never before. Because I realized I really wanted to know God more and see God's face and hear God's voice. In the prayerful singing of that song, that night, I was knocking at the door. And the door was opened wide for me this past weekend on my retreat in Montana. I don't think you need to go far away to an isolated place to open the door to God, but you may need to pull away from the world a bit. You need to journey, be it into your heart or into another state. You need to seek in order to find. And you need to ask the question to receive the answer. God doesn't force Himself on us, but if we seek, God showers us with gifts! Love, heidi

July 20, 2010

"Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; who does not persist in anger forever..."

Micah 7:18

The other day I was talking to an old friend who is in such a sad place. Her son committed suicide a year ago and she still suffers such guilt! It is so difficult trying to talk someone out of guilt, too. It is totally beyond our ability because guilt is so pervasive...it creeps into every cell of us like a cancer spreading. But, like Micah indicates here, God can remove all guilt and pardon sin....God does not hold a grudge! Why is it so hard for us to accept and internalize that? Because it seems too good to be true? Or because we just can't comprehend how completely different God is than we are. God's ways are not our ways...thank God! Today, let's think about the mercy and kindness of God...and perhaps, share that mercy and kindness with someone. Friends, I leave tomorrow for a three-day spiritual retreat at the Medicine Flower Lodge in Red Lodge, Montana. (I know, right? Nobody wake me up!) Blessings to you and I will be back with Dailys next week. Love, heidi

July 15, 2010

"My soul yearns for you in the night, yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you..."

Isaiah 26:9

Even though I don't like sleepless nights, I do like that I feel so close to God as I toss and turn. Maybe because it's quiet. Maybe because I feel desperate and vulnerable, trying to hard to make sleep happen, and yet it's beyond my control. Whatever it is, this scripture resonated with me today. I also like the idea that my soul is in tune with God separate from my own consciousness, my own will. I like the idea that my soul has its own relationship with God and sometimes I'm in on it, sometimes less so. I like to think that some part of me is tuned into God's wave-length constantly while I'm going about my day. Hopefully, none of us spent a sleepless night, unable to rest. But today, let's think about this scripture and our souls keeping vigil for God...our souls are at Home in God. Beautiful! Love, heidi

July 14, 2010

"I give praise to you, Father...for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike."

Matthew 11:25

It is so hard to maintain a childlike awe of the universe when, as grown ups, we have to navigate the world. It's hard to get excited about big things when we get mired in the details of the little things. When exactly do we lose that sense of wonder we had as kids? Wonder-filled things happen to us as adults too! We see our children and grandchildren come into the world. We can get away to more far-reaching areas of nature--for example, I'd never seen the ocean as a kid, only after I grew up and got there on my own did I take in that magnificent sight. We can see and appreciate human interaction as adults; we see people caring for and helping each other. I guess sometimes we get bogged down by the negative side of the wonderful and it over shadows our childlikeness. Today, let's make a special point of looking at the positive of what we encounter. It would help if we could take a break from work and play outside for a little while! Let's do it! Love, heidi

July 12, 2010

"You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name. Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side..."

Psalm 23

I got lost in central Idaho the other day. The client's house I set out to find was several miles off the beaten path and I went as far on the dirt road as I could before I ran out of dirt road. But there was no client's house. There was no cell phone service. The road ended. I was done. I did what I tell my mobility students to do when they get lost--go to the last area that was familiar, which, for me, was a row of mailboxes on the last road the GPS could identify. I sat there for a few minutes, praying for something, anything that could get me to my destination. I turned around and here comes a white pickup truck, lumbering down the dirt road. "Are you Heidi?" the driver asked as he rolled down the window. "Oh yes!" I threw my arms out as if to hug this angel of a man who'd been sent by God. Turns out, it was the client's husband who'd seen me from afar in my faltering attempt to find their house. I thought about my adventure all the way home later. We all come upon times in our lives when the path gets murky, rutty, or just disappears for us. And what does God do? He sends someone to guide us back to the path. So, in my lost state in the middle of central Idaho, I had such a powerful God encounter! Let's not wait until we are hopelessly lost to seek God's guidance, however! We need God's help all along to stay on the path...love, heidi

July 9, 2010

"Thus says the Lord: Return O Israel, to the Lord, your God, you have collapsed through your guilt."

Hosea 14:2

Guilt really is a tricky thing. On one hand, a certain amount of guilt can keep us well-behaved. We need to be able to identify when we have done wrong and rectify it. A certain amount of guilt does that for us. On the other hand, an excessive guilt can paralyze us and render us unable to do anything...but wallow in our guilt. One example I thought of is the reaction of two men to their sin. Peter sinned against Jesus when he denied Jesus in the courtyard, just as Jesus predicted. Judas, of course, sinned against Jesus when he betrayed his friend to the authorities and instigated the events of Good Friday. Both men sinned and had guilt, but Peter did not succumb to his guilt. His heart was sorrowful and he was filled with remorse. But he stuck around until given the opportunity to say to Jesus, "I do love you." Judas' guilt swallowed him up and he could not believe he could ever be forgiven. He gave into the guilt and took his own life. We can learn so much from these two men about guilt. If our guilt gives us a wake-up call and prompts us to change and become better people, it serves a good purpose. If our guilt consumes us and we become all about how we have failed, it does not. Love, heidi

July 7, 2010

"(One of the) biblical descriptions of poverty is simplicity. People poor in this way are centered in chosen values instead of possessions."

Fr. Richard Rohr, "Radical Grace"

Ah, simplicity! I strive so for simplicity in my life and have made some strides toward simplicity, but still fall prey to the shiny thing from time to time. Or, more accurately, the cute and unusual clothing item. Simplicity is such an ideal for me and I know I talk about it here, but I wish I could put it more into practice! Fr. Rohr goes on to say, "Few things are needed or desired by the one who lives simply because life is centered on another level of value." What is it about things that we like? Well, we can see them and wear them and feel good about ourselves doing so. They are tangible and physical and hanging there in our closet. I guess we need to think about wearing our values and feeling good about them in a similar way. If we can make our values tangible and "wearable" and make them actions that make a difference we can live more simply and walk past the store window. How can we make what we believe and value more real today? Love,heidi

July 6, 2010

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."

Matthew 9:37-38

I used to think, when I was young and heard this scripture, that this was all about religious vocations. Like, the only "laborers" are those called to the religious life. Ha! Such a cop-out, that! The truth is, we are ALL laborers for God and we must be accountable for sharing in the work of the harvest. We all need to be working for God, no matter what earthly vocation we choose. As followers of Christ we must choose to share the great Gift that is Jesus in our lives. It would be oh so easy to take this scripture the way I used to and shrug and say, "Oh, I guess that's not about me..." and go on our merry way. But, the fact is, everyday we have opportunities to share our lives in Christ with others. Look around your day today and see how God is choosing YOU to labor for him. Love, heidi

July 2, 2010

"Jesus calls you and me to seek holiness--and the Reign of God--not so much in life's great and exceptional things, in miracles and wonders, as in the simple and daily objects and events of our lives."

Fr. Ed Hays, "A Pilgrim's Almanac"

As we approach the weekend of celebration of our country, a great and exceptional event to be sure, let's thank God for the simple and daily things and events that we may slide over in the gratitude department. When we thank God for the blessings of our country, it is the little things that touch us daily that we need to remember. Yes, we have the big and wonderful here, but we also have the simple and small that truly make us a great place to live. We have a treasure trove of elderly people, who can tell us amazing stories of their youth. Just the other day I met a fascinating woman who served in the Navy during WWII! I could have listened to her for hours. We have children, wide-eyed and filled with excitement and awe over everything. We have young people, who are rolling up their sleeves and helping others. We have busy young mothers, who take the time to read to a visually impaired person or drive an elderly neighbor to the store. Our country is made up of individuals who love and are loved, families who pray and play together. Our country is good, not because of what we can do but because of who we are--people looking out for each other. Let's celebrate THAT this weekend! Blessings on your 4th and stay safe! Love, heidi

June 29, 2010

"I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears."

Psalm 34

This is so true and I can trace back throughout my life and see the many, many times this has happened to me. And yet. And yet, I still have fears. Wouldn't you think that, after the Lord shows me time and time again he will deliver me from what troubles me, fewer fears would pop up? One would think. Seems as though, just as one fear is going away, another takes its place in my psyche. I'm just a little bundle of fear it seems. I wonder if the Psalmist here is reminding and reassuring himself of God's deliverance from his fears. So much of what hurts us little humans is fear that fear is a driving force in many of our unhealthy actions. We need to constantly be reassured that God has before and will again carry us through our difficulties. The key is the first four words of this scripture--"I sought the Lord..." We must seek him in everything and at all times. God has before and he always will deliver us from our fears. Love, heidi

June 28, 2010

"Remember this, you who never think of God...Why do you recite my statutes and profess my covenant with your mouth, though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?"

Psalm 50

Well, that about sums it up, doesn't it? God must get so tired of hearing us singing his praises in church and then, as we walk out of the building we are saying, thinking or doing something naughty. Why can't we back up our praises with charity towards others? Why can't we celebrate our relationship with God by kindness and love and nourish it between Sundays? Our celebration of God needs to be an everyday, every minute occurrence and not just a once a week deal. "Remember this, you who never think of God..." That may be the key right there. Are we thinking of God while we are berating our neighbor? Probably not. And thinking of God may actually keep us from launching into a tirade against someone else. Thinking of God will help us "pray constantly" as St. Paul advises us to do. Thinking of God may actually help us take hold of our tongues and keep us from sinning with them. Let's try that this summer Monday! Love, heidi

June 24, 2010

"When we live realigned with our bodies and the natural world, when we have time for soul, mind and Spirit, it becomes very hard to believe in a merely random universe."

Fr. Richard Rohr, "Radical Grace"

Eiger and I sat out on the back step the other night and I watched the most amazing thing. A robin was eating a worm, right there in my yard. I marveled at the perseverance the robin had...it took quite a while to consume the worm. I thought about how the little worm had served its purpose in my yard, by burrowing through the soil, fertilizing and aerating it. As its last purpose, it provided food for the robin, giving itself as nourishment--very scriptural! All life has a purpose and we humans are no exception. It's just that sometimes we think too much about everything. It's really quite simple. Every life form is created by God for a purpose. As humans, our purpose is to glorify God. And, just as Fr. Rohr indicates, observing the natural world you can do nothing BUT praise God. Today, let's turn off the TV and sit outside. Let's observe what is going on around us and realize that our only job is to appreciate it. Love, heidi

June 23, 2010

"By their fruits you will know them."

Matthew 7:16

Both good folks and false prophets, you will recognize by their fruits. It can get so muddy nowadays, though, can't it? And we humans have an ability to rationalize anything! This passage reminds me of the scripture in Acts where the wise leader says that if the followers of Jesus are truly of God they will not be stopped, but if they are not, their church will fizzle out. The truth is enduring and the people who speak the truth will back it up with action...concrete, recognizable, people-loving action. That is what it means to follow Jesus, Friends. Let us be aware of the fruit we produce today. Does it glorify God? Love, heidi

June 22, 2010

"Your boat of life will ride higher in the water and so catch the breeze of the blessed when you live with only what you need."

Fr. Ed Hays, "A Pilgrim's Almanac"

Going along with Jesus' "narrow gate" analogy in today's gospel (Matthew 7:14), Fr. Ed Hays explains that our extra stuff is weighing us down. He quotes Gandhi who said that if people hang onto things they do not use, they are actually stealing those things from the poor, who could use them. Yesterday, we moved into the new season of summer. It's a good time to go through our possessions and give away items we do not use. Someone else needs them! More from Fr. Ed Hays: "Dresses, coats, shirts, shoes, pots and pans which find their happiness only in being used will sing a special song of joy as you open their closet-prison of their captivity and let them find new homes." Let's do it! Love, heidi

June 21, 2010

"Stop judging, that you may not be judged."

Matthew 7:1

This is one of those readings that hits you right between the eyes...ouch! It is so wise, though, and so true. It is such a weakness of our humanity that we tend to compare ourselves with others and try to come out looking better. One thing I've noticed being associated with the Sisters of Charity is that we all have gifts and our gifts are unique and wonderful. It's not that one person has more gifts or another has fewer. We are all gifted. Judging another person on their deficiencies turns into recognizing that they have other gifts. It's not that she cannot cook, it's just that she has other gifts. It's not that she cannot sing, it's just that her gift is painting. Today, whenever we notice a judgmental thought creeping into our minds, let's think instead of how God has gifted that person. Maybe he can't drive that well, but maybe he has a perfect lawn! We are all children of God and God has gifted us unique talents AND we are gifted with each other. Let's show God we appreciate that gift! Love, heidi 

Oh, and thanks for the prayers! Blind camp was a fabulous week of fun and frolic!

June 11, 2010

"Thus says the Lord God: I myself will look after and tend my sheep."

Ezekiel 34:11

You know the saying, If you want something done right, do it yourself! God had used prophets and hand-picked leaders, like Moses. God had parted the Sea, provided manna and quail. God had done everything He could possibly do from heaven. It's time to just go down there and lead the people Himself. Reminds me of me hearing the kids fighting downstairs..."Do I have to come down there???" Well, God did. God came down to lead us Himself. God came down as the loving Shepherd, Jesus, to carry the wanderers on His shoulders and lead us to the path of Life. Some of us don't stray too far...we stay, munching the green grass and linger pretty close to our Shepherd. Others see something that catches their eye and they follow it, away from the flock. When our Shepherd senses that someone is missing He goes after them, searching fervently for the lost one, until it is found. Jesus, Himself, is our Shepherd, our Champion, our Rescuer. There is nothing we shall want! love, heidi

PS: Next week is our camp for blind kids so there will be no Dailys until the week after...please pray for safety and fun for all! Thanks!

June 10, 2010

"Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer."

Romans 12:11-12

Think about the moments of real spiritual highs...retreats, Cursillo, Marriage Encounter; the mountain-top experiences you have had with Jesus. Think about how your heart soared and you were overflowing with zeal for Christ. That is the zeal that St. Paul is reminding the Romans to cling to. Don't forget that moment when you felt Jesus right beside you and you basked in His presence! Some days we may need to really step away and relive those mountain-tops. On the days when the world is yipping at our heels and God seems far away, we can retreat into our hearts and go back to the mountain. That is the "persevere in prayer" part of that scripture. The world can be hard. Life can be messy and, during those times of affliction, we go to prayer. There, we can find the Presence we seek. Let's ponder this scripture today, Friends. It is the heart of what we do as Jesus-people! Love, heidi

June 9, 2010

"Forgiveness is most profoundly experienced when people can own their darkness and concretely allow another human being to offer freedom and healing to them. Heavenly transactions need to become tangible human experiences."

Fr. Richard Rohr, "Radical Grace"

When we experience the forgiveness of another person it is actually the touch of God. We have such a hard time forgiving and accepting forgiveness that it really can only occur when God is right in the middle of it. It is so much easier for us to writhe around in our own "poor me" status until God just reaches down and touches our hearts. But, it is important for us to recognize that we need God's help. God doesn't come to us uninvited with His help and healing. Jesus was the example of that. Jesus would ask the person before He healed..."What would you like me to do for you?" God quickly responds to our call, our desire to forgive and accept forgiveness. Then the heavenly transaction of God touching our hearts becomes a human transaction..."I forgive you." Love, heidi

June 8, 2010

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, not angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:31-39

The other day my little, elderly, friend Helen and I had a conversation. She was telling me that she has so much difficulty trusting because everything she ever had in her life has gone. She had a difficult childhood through the Depression, was raised by a single mother, joined the service during the War; it was all hard. As a result of never hanging onto anything, she has a hard time trusting that she won't lose even more. My immediate answer to her was that God is the only thing that lasts. People come and go through our lives, jobs end, our lives change. But the love of God, alone, endures and is the only thing we can really count on. How do you make that reality for someone? I can honestly say I have felt the presence of God throughout my life--even as a child. I felt I was special...Jesus was my friend. How do you impart this on someone who has experienced so much loss? This scripture helps. Absolutely nothing can come between our God and us flailing little people. The Old Testament shows it again and again and St. Paul puts it so beautifully to the Romans. Love, heidi

June 7, 2010

"The more we see ourselves as poor without Jesus, the more we will become rich with Him."

The Word Among Us, June, 2010

If you hear many conversion stories you may notice they have the common theme: I was this way--lost, broken, unhappy, directionless, in bad shape. Then, my life was different: I felt love, I found the right path, I saw the light, I found direction. The difference between the first and the second was finding God. We can often look over the course of our lives and see how God has positively impacted our lives. But, this sentence today from The Word Among Us really gave me pause. How often we do we consider ourselves lost without Jesus? Is it because we HAVE Jesus in our lives and therefore, the loss is not experienced? Because we, as faithful Jesus-people, have always been so blessed? If that is the case, then how often do we ponder how rich we are in Jesus? This really gives us something to consider today, Friends. Our lives are full and richly blessed because we have Jesus, but it sure doesn't hurt us to contemplate that tremendous gift and hit our knees in thanksgiving! Love, heidi

June 4, 2010

"But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

This never ceases to amaze me. Jesus didn't die for us because we were good or perfect, but because we needed Him to rescue us from our sin. Because Jesus loves us. Jesus died for love of the unlovable. Isn't that a head-scratcher? What is our reaction to such astounding news? Does it make us feel like anything we do is OK, no matter how unkind or unloving it is? No, of course not. The fact that Jesus embraced us in our sinfulness should make us want to rise above our unworthiness and strive to be better. It causes us to want to embrace those among us who we find unlovable because that is what Jesus did for us. It should cause us to want to emulate Jesus in His astounding action of love. For me, this Friday morning, it just makes me shake my head in awe and thanksgiving. Love, heidi

June 3, 2010

"At first we want the consciousness of being guided by God; then as we go on we live so much in the consciousness of God that we do not need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing any other will never occur to us."

Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest"

This really fascinated me when I read it this morning. I think I may still be in the first category--that is, I want the consciousness of being guided by God--I'm not quite to the point of automatically knowing what God's will is. Oh, some of figuring out God's will is fairly clear. I know God wants me to love my neighbor, thus manifesting my love for Him (today's gospel, Mark 12:28-34). I am not loving God without loving my neighbor and I can't possibly love my neighbor the way God wants me to love without His help. But, God's will in the a more global sense mystifies me sometimes. Oswald Chambers says consistently that if we really KNOW God and have a relationship with God, the rest falls into place. The relationship is the key...and here, if we really know God, His will becomes second nature to us. I don't think I'm quite there yet, but it sure is something to shot for! Love, heidi

June 2, 2010

"When Job's life is about to be taken away from him, he can say one of two things. He can curse God, as he does for a moment, and say, God, why not fifty-one years? Or he can surrender to love and grace and say, God why fifty years? Why did I deserve anything? When we take on that attitude, we've made a decision for grace."

Fr. Richard Rohr, "Radical Grace"

So true. I remember Fr. Mike asking us during a homily to think about "What is grace?" We all flashed back to the Baltimore Catechism answer and then he said, "Grace is your next breath." Every cell of our bodies is a gift. One that we didn't deserve but were given, freely and lovingly. Today let us look at our lives for the grace they are...gifts from our Creator. We do not create. We are the created. And recognizing that is grace. Love, heidi

June 1, 2010

"Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days."

Psalm 90:14

This seems such a good prayer as we begin a new season. School is getting out, Memorial Day is past, the new BBQ has been initiated, the flowers are planted, the garden is in. We begin a new phase here today and this Psalm is a beautiful way to celebrate it! We come to the Lord each morning and ask for a dose of His kindness in our hearts so that we may live our lives more graciously and lovingly. Even if things seem to spin out around us, our hearts are joy-filled because they rest in God. Love, heidi

May 28, 2010

"Be hospitable to one another without complaining. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace."

1 Peter 4:9-10

It's as if St. Peter was watching my whole week and chose today to gently scold me. I've failed miserably at this being hospitable business this week. There was the lady on the street who watched me come out of the convenience store with my change still in my hand. She wanted some. I was crabby and irritable and she was probably sorry she asked. Jesus, was that you? And several other times this week God sent me people who needed me to be more hospitable and time after time, I was crabby and irritable. All week. And today is Friday and the lesson for me is that today is another day and God will no doubt send me more people this day for me to treat lovingly and without complaining. The many, many gifts I have been given need to be shared with those around me WITHOUT COMPLAINING! Dear Lord, help me to recognize you in those I meet today. Help me to get over myself and treat them with love and hospitality. You have showered me with many gifts...help me to share lovingly with others. Amen! Love, heidi

May 26, 2010

"I believe in the Sower of all seeds, in the God of Springtime, in the Giver of all good and growing things, my Lord and my God!"

Sr. Joyce Rupp, "Fresh Bread"

In east Idaho, where winter can really be harsh, long and lingering, the miracle that is spring is truly that--a miracle. I was driving the other day and, through the rain, noticed a beautiful field of new growth. The rows of little green plants was a vision. The planting may have been the work of man, but the sprouting and growth was the work of God, the Sower of all seeds. Spring can be tough here, but when we can look out and see the result of spring, that is the work of God. Today, take special notice of the new baby leaves and spring finery around you. You may have planted the lilac bushes, but it is God who makes them bloom. Love, heidi

May 25, 2010

..."but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct..."

1 Peter 1:16

When we think of being "holy" we think of saints, religious, ministers, cloistered, monks, serious, pious people. We may not think of being "holy" as attainable (or even desirable) for ourselves. Being holy doesn't seem fun, does it? But it says here "as he who called you is holy..." and that would be Jesus. Jesus calls us to be holy as he is holy. If you consider the life of Jesus and his brand of holiness, it included every moment of his life and it was time spent with friends, loved ones, at wedding receptions, celebrations of life and death, everyday talks with others and alone time in prayer. Jesus showed us how to be holy and it wasn't by being cloistered away or separated from society. There were aspects of that, but Jesus was out there in the crowd, ministering, feeding, comforting, challenging and, most of all, loving. Being holy is so much more than being pious and separate. Being holy is being loving and present--to God and others. Today, as we go about our Tuesday, let's think about how Jesus showed us how to be holy. How does it fit into our day? Love, heidi

May 21, 2010

"Trust that even your dead ends, your mistakes, your sins were still misguided attempts to find love. Don't hate yourself, just be honest with yourself!"

Fr. Richard Rohr, "Radical Grace"

We have a tendency to be so hard on ourselves! It could be misplaced humility or simply that we feel we can never measure up in God's eyes. But the fact is that God made us--formed us in our mothers' wombs--faults and all. Fr. Rohr says that our souls have always known God and we spend our entire lives seeking that relationship with God that our soul already knows. Our efforts to seek love are efforts to seek God, similar to Goethe who said, "All human longing is longing for God." Missteps occur when we try to fill that God-sized hole with man-made stuff, like alcohol, drugs, things that put salve on a gaping wound but do nothing to really heal it. God made us. We are God's and our efforts to find love and fulfillment in this life are efforts to find what we already have--God. Heavy stuff for a Friday, Friends...but take some time to give it a think this weekend! Love, heidi

May 19, 2010

"Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying, 'Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.'"

John 17:11

How amazing it is that we are one with Jesus? If we are one with Jesus, we can behave more like Jesus. We can put others first like Jesus did. We can be compassionate and loving like Jesus was. We can comfort others, serve others and give others hope, just like Jesus. We can help others heal, and carry on with their lives after sorrow. Jesus was one with the Father and we are one with Jesus...that gives us awesome strength! But all these qualities are not meant for us to serve ourselves. The qualities that Jesus imparts to us are meant for us to share with others. And they come with responsibility. Just as when Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist and began to wash the feet of the apostles, each of us has the RESPONSE-ability to serve each other. So, let us think about what being one with Jesus means in our daily lives. It is an amazing gift that can only be shared to be fulfilled. Love, heidi

Contact heidi at:  heidi11856@yahoo.com