Entrenched in Good Works

It's the same in most churches I suppose. People volunteer to do certain jobs and they become entrenched in these positions.

Mr Petroni and Mr Richards always stand at the back of the church and welcome people in. They hand out the hymn books and take the collection aided by Mr Harrison and Mr Gregory. They’ve been doing this for years and will probably continue to do so for ever more.

Mrs Florenti has played the organ for years too and does not see herself ever stopping Sunday after Sunday after Sunday. Weddings and funerals too.

Miss Jemeson leads the church choir, Mr Duke trains and organizes the altar servers, Mr Malek cuts the grass and does the gardening, Miss Henderson and Mrs Polanski clean the church and undertake the flower arrangements … and so on and so forth. I need not name them all.

Father Ignatius … well, he’s busy every Sunday of course, and he’s grateful for all the help he gets from his faithful parishioners.

One Sunday he faced the congregation and started his sermon thus:

"I’ve been your Parish priest for almost twelve years now. I’ve seen many people join this church, many couples married, many new babies baptized and taking first Communion and Confirmation, and sadly many people dying and departing to be with our Lord.

"I’m very grateful for all the people volunteering to do all the various tasks there are to do in a church like this one. I couldn’t cope alone without your help.

"And in my time with you here, I have seen something else too. Sunday after Sunday as I face you here to preach my humble sermons, and do my best to keep you awake. I want to show you what I see from here.

"Could you all please turn round and look at the stained glass window high up behind you."


"Do you see what I see?

"You must have observed it time and again as you leave the church after Mass.

"There’s a huge cobweb up there that’s been growing year after year. I first noticed it about eighteen months ago when it became more visible and dirty.

"At first I thought of asking one of the more athletic people amongst you to get a ladder and clean it out; because I doubt that I can raise my sixty-three years old bones all the way up there and do it myself.

"But then I thought 'No … I’ll leave it a while and see if anyone else notices it'.

"And I’ve seen it grow week after week after week.

"The reason I mention it today is two-fold:

"First, I’d be glad if someone could help with cleaning it out. But that’s not important.

"The important thing is that the cobweb up there reminds me of sin.

"We all get busy in our lives doing this and that; and in church we volunteer at doing the various tasks which are needed to keep a church like this one going strong. That’s our outer visible self, as we see ourselves, and as we wish others to see us.

"Yet, deep within our souls, in our private lives, we may well hide a sin or two. Small ones at first … hardly visible like the first spider’s threads as they are stretched from one point to another.

"Then to this are added other threads, and others too until we have a whole spider’s web. Mostly invisible at first, unless the bright sunlight shines through that stained glass window to reveal the whole outline.

"In time, dust settles on the web until we have the large cobweb you see up there.

"The small sins are hidden by bigger ones which go un-confessed and hidden from view. Until they are made visible by the bright light of Christ as He enters our lives.

"So let’s all use that cobweb as a reminder to look deeply into our souls and undertake some spring cleaning by seeking the Lord’s forgiveness for our sins."

HALLOWEEN

BEWARE

THIS VIDEO

IS TOO SCARY

FOR ME

BUT PROBABLY

NOT FOR YOU !!!!

When I'm cleaning windows

 

Song first performed by George Formby in 1936. Because of the song’s racy lyrics for the time, it was banned by the BBC from being played on the radio.

Piano Parrots

 

I bought a pair of parrots from the pub. Now, I hasten to add that the pub is not normally the place from which I purchase merchandise; apart from the odd pint or two of Guinness. But this time it was different.

I also wish to mention that I had no intention whatsoever to buy any parrots or any other bird or animals. Had I that particular wish in mind I would have been at a pet shop and not at the pub. But this time it was different.

As I entered my usual beverages hostelry, there in the corner sat a man with a parrot on each shoulder. I thought this was rather unusual and guessed that had he been a vegetarian he would have had a pair of carrots on his shoulders instead.

I sat at my usual table and said nothing. He got up from his seat and joined me at my table. I hate it when people do that. Often, complete strangers approach me and talk to me for no reason at all. It happens often on the train, in a bus or if I am sitting minding my own business on a park bench. People come and sit next to me and start talking. I often discourage them by carrying a jar of pickled onions which I open and eat one onion at a time.

Why, only last week whilst walking home one evening, a young woman in a mini-skirt and low décolletage approached me and said, "would you like a good time?"

I put the top on my jar of pickled onions so as not to spill any, looked at my watch and said, "It's ten minutes to nine!"

She looked at me angrily and walked away without saying a word. I continued home, wondering why she reacted that way when I told her the time. Then it dawned on me. I'd been walking all night. 

What was all that about?

Anyway, this man in the pub started the conversation by asking me if I wanted to buy his parrots. Of course, I didn't; but to humour him, I put down my jar of pickled onions and said, "do they talk?"

"Better than that," he said, "this one on my left shoulder plays the piano, and the one on the right sings opera!"

"Opera?" I said unbelieving.

"Yes, mate," he replied, "the Barber of Seville. Have you heard it? It's about a man who used to shave oranges!"

To cut a long story short I bought both parrots for half a jar of pickled onions.  

What a waste of money that was. The parrot that was on the left shoulder does not play the piano. He just sits there and stares at it. And the other one has not said a word. 

I returned to the same pub the next day and the man was there again with a hamster on each shoulder. I told him that the parrots neither play the piano nor sing. He explained that the piano is probably out of tune and the parrot would not demean itself by attempting to play it.

He asked me if I wanted to buy a pair of hamsters. They do magic tricks and acrobatics. I did not have any pickled onions with me, so I declined.

Does anyone want to buy a parrot? Or two?

Thy Will Be Done

 

We often pray the words "Thy Will Be Done" when we recite the Lord's prayer. But what do these words really mean? Jesus must have included them in His teaching to us for a purpose, not to be repeated parrot fashion and then put at the back of our minds.

Let us first look at the big picture, then observing closer still, let us look how these words apply to you and me. On a personal basis.

The big picture is that God is omnipotent, all knowing and all powerful, and the Creator of this world and everything else. Let there be no doubt about it, His will is being done in this respect whether we like it or not. He allows good things to happen and bad things too. It is His will to make things happen and to allow other things to happen, or not. Nothing happens unless He allows it. The devil, with all his evil and malicious ways, cannot do any more than God allows him to do.

That is the big picture. God's will is being done on earth as it is in Heaven.

And now the personal picture, as it applies to you and me on an individual basis ... Victor ... Kevin ... Fiona ... or whatever your name might be.

It is God's wish and will that having been created by Him that we return to Him in Heaven. This is the wish of every loving parent. Everyone of you, would most probably have felt that tugging feeling in your hearts when your children left the parental nest to set up home in a nest of their own, sometimes miles away that you see them no more or not as often. God is a loving parent and it is His wish and will that we return to Him for eternity.

But this is where His will is not as omnipotent as described in the big picture. It could be omnipotent, but it isn't. It is His will that His power is not omnipotent in the personal life of each one of us.

That is because He gave us the will to act for ourselves. He said, "As far as your life is concerned, Victor ... Kevin ... Fiona ... and each one of you, you are free to do as you want. You know I love you, and wish you to come back to Me and share eternity with Me, but I leave that choice to you!"

Just like any loving parent on earth. We do not and should not force our children to stay with us all their lives, but wish that they remain close or in constant contact because we love them.

We have the choice to follow God's will in our personal lives, or not.

This does not mean that certain bad things will not happen in our lives. God sometimes allows bad things to happen to everyone. He does not cause them, but allows them to happen as part of the gift of freedom He gave us. It is man that often, perhaps with some help from the devil, who makes bad things happen.

It is God's will for us to choose our destiny wisely so that we may share Paradise with Him. It should be our will, to freely want, that His will be done on a personal basis on earth, as it is on a global basis in Heaven and everywhere else.

What happens on the other side

 

When we're in Heaven with God, is it possible that He may ask us to return to earth, as spirits, to accomplish His purpose or intent?

To God, everything is possible. But let us explore this further.

What happens to us when we die?

Two schools of thoughts. Some believe we come face-to-face with God and we are judged and we go to either Heaven or hell. The Catholics also believe we go to Purgatory; but let us not confuse matters even more for now. 

The options appear to be either Heaven or hell. 

When Christ died on the Cross He said to the thief by His side, "Today you will be in Paradise with me". This does imply instant judgement at the time of death. When our loved ones die, often at the funeral we are told in sermons that they are in Heaven, looking down on us.

When Christ went up the mountain with Peter, James and John, (The Transfiguration - Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36), the disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus. Now  we assume that they saw them as bodies not just spirits. This means that God is able to let dead people appear again on earth as human bodies to suit His purposes.

So the question is: If God wanted to, can He allow a certain dead person to go back to earth to serve God's purpose? The answer is YES - God can do anything. 

The next question then is: Does God do that? Does He send people (souls) back to earth to serve His purpose? We don't know the answer, but I see no reason why He does not do so.

God sent Angels many times on earth to announce to Mary about Christ's birth, to announce to the shepherds the same thing, and to warn Joseph to go to Egypt. So why can He not send souls from Heaven to visit earth to serve His purpose - perhaps to protect us? 

This raises another question: Are Angels souls of those who have died and gone to Heaven? Do souls in Heaven somehow become Angels?

Whilst we have no answer to those questions, and they are not raised in the Bible, apart from the fact that Angels exist, we can assume that if God wanted to He could make souls in Heaven Angels, and He could send them to various missions on earth.

And another question. Are ghosts/spirits here on earth with God's express permission, to accomplish a mission perhaps?

When Christ walked on water, His disciples on the boat thought they had seen a ghost. Jesus did not say, "Hold on chaps. There are no such things as ghosts!"

When He appeared to the disciples after the Resurrection, He said, "Look, it is me. I am not a ghost. I have flesh and bones. Ghosts do not have flesh and bones". (Luke 24:36 onwards - and other Gospels).

So this implies that ghosts do exist and they are spirits - not humans with flesh and bones. 

In my view, and I'd appreciate yours: To God all is possible.

He could, if He wishes, send back the souls of dead people back to earth in the form of spirits or angels or ghosts. They would certainly not be able to do so without His express permission.

We will not know the answers to all these questions ... not now at least.

Parting of the way

 

You know what it's like. You're a Christian. And at some stage in your life you became a Christian. Either you were brought up a Christian by your parents, or you became a Christian later on in life.

You brought up your children to follow your beliefs. And all through life you and your family, extended family even, have walked the same path following Jesus.

Then at some point, someone decided to take a different path. Your spouse maybe, offspring, parent or other relative. They have decided no longer to follow Jesus and His teachings. Slowly but gradually they have ceased to believe. 

What do you do?

Arguments, debates, discussions and persuasions have not helped. If anything, people have become more entrenched in their way of thinking. It's probably got to the stage that families have broken up over this. People no longer talk to each other or see each other. Grand-parents have probably been denied access to grand-children. No contacts whatsoever between the generations or those we once loved so dearly and still do.

And the devil laughs.

Let's face facts. You cannot live someone else's life. It is difficult enough these days to live your own life without having to influence someone else to live their lives according to your morals and standards.

Look at the life of Saint Augustine, for instance. In spite of the good warnings of his mother, as a youth Augustine lived a hedonistic lifestyle associating with young men who boasted of their sexual exploits. His very nature, he says, was flawed. 'It was foul, and I loved it. I loved my own error—not that for which I erred, but the error itself.' Note also his famously insincere prayer, "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."

 

However, it is said that his mother prayed all her life for God to help him and eventually Augustine turned to God and became a leading figure in the Church.

 

Perhaps that's what we should do when our loved ones walk away from God and there is the parting of the way. Pray, pray and pray some more.

 

God allowed the situation to happen. He did not cause it; just allowed it to happen. Had He in any way tried to stop your loved one from choosing a different path, then He would have interfered with that person's free will to choose. God let them go; but continued to love them.

 

In John Chapter 6 we read that Jesus said He is "the Bread of life" and later He says that unless people eat His flesh or drink His blood they will not have life.

As you can imagine, this was very confusing to His listeners; even His followers and disciples.

"What is He on about?" they asked. "How can we eat His flesh and drink His blood? This is cannibalism surely. This is too much for us. We don't want to follow this guy any longer!" Or words to that effect.

So what did Jesus do?

He didn't say, "Hey ... wait a minute. You didn't understand what I meant. This is what I really meant to say ... let me explain!"

No ... Jesus let them go. He didn't try to justify Himself or what He had just said. It was as if He dissolved the unspoken contract between them. They could not accept a certain clause so He let them go; and continued to love them.

And that's what we should do also. Let them go, but continue to love them and pray for them. And to be a good example by the way we behave.

What would you say?

 

Only this morning I was speaking to someone on the phone and she said, "This evening I am going to an eightieth birthday party!"

"An atheist birthday party?" I asked, "what's that? Don't they invite believers? Why are you going?"

Hold on to that thought ... we'll come back to it later.

"As He and His disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' ... ... ... 

... ... ... And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Take heart; get up, He is calling you.' So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to Him, 'My teacher, let me see again.' Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has made you well.' Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way." 

Mark 10:46-52

Note the insistence of the blind man. They tried to shut him out but he shouted even more until he met Jesus.

Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

He asked for his sight to be restored and regained his sight.

Imagine Jesus asking you the same question. "What do you want me to do for you?"

What would you reply? Would you request just one thing? Two? More? Or is it a long list of things you would like Jesus to do for you and your loved ones?

And how sure are you that Jesus would respond as He did to Bartimaeus, the blind beggar?  

Are you certain of His response? A favourable response? In His way? In His time?

Or are you just asking in the hope that maybe ... perhaps ... one day ... who knows ... He may respond positively?

I have never met a hesitant atheist. They are always certain. They know there is no God, and that's that. 

They don't say, "I believe there is no God; but then, maybe I'm wrong and there is one after all!"

Atheists are certain in their beliefs. Maybe we need to learn a lesson from them.

How certain are we in what we believe?

Where's your wealth?

 

.

VERY OLD TAPE - RESTORED.

5 MINUTES

In Mark Chapter 14 we read about Jesus visiting Simon and whilst He was eating a woman came in with an alabaster jar full of expensive perfume made of nard.  

Now I must admit I don't know what nard is, or what it smells like. But when the people saw this expensive perfume they said what a waste. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor.

Jesus said to them the poor will always be with us. What a pity, I think, that nobody asked Him why? Why did He say the poor will always be with us? Is He actually saying that all our efforts to beat poverty are wasted and we might as well not bother?

No I don't think He's saying that. I've thought about this time and again and this is my interpretation. See what you think.

I believe Jesus was trying to teach us wealth with responsibility. No matter how wealthy we are in life, we might be living just moderately within our means, there will always be somebody less well-off than ourselves; and I think here Jesus is teaching us that we owe a responsibility to those people less financially well-off than ourselves.

But then, perhaps He is not just speaking about monetary wealth. There are different kinds of wealth. How about people who are healthy, they are wealthy in health if you see what I mean.

Is Jesus saying that these healthy people have a responsibility to those who are ill by visiting them in hospital perhaps or visiting them at home and helping them with the shopping the cleaning or the gardening or whatever?

How about those people who are wealthy in education and in knowledge? People who have the ability to learn? Do they not have a responsibility for those less bright than themselves? To help them to educate them and not to look down their nose and treat them as stupid?

There are of course people who are wealthy in influence, celebrities for instance, you see them on the news on TV or on the media and they have masses and masses of followers; and whatever they say people follow their example and do like them. Do they not have a responsibility to their followers to give them a good example to follow?

And then, of course, there are those who are wealthy in spirit and in faith. No matter what happens to them their faith is forever strong. Do they have a responsibility to those people who stumble and fall whenever difficulty comes into their lives? Do they owe them a responsibility to tell them about God's love and God's caring; and to help them in their weak faith.

Priests for instance … I believe priests have a special responsibility in that respect. They took on the job of being shepherds and their job is to lead as many of their flock as possible to the gates of Heaven. The shepherd who lets his sheep be devoured by the wolves … well he is not a good shepherd is he? And I'm sure the Master will have something to say when they meet face-to-face!

So I think that's what Jesus was trying to say when He said the poor will be always with us. There will always be people financially poor, poor in health, poor in education, poor in influence, poor in spirit, poor in faith, or whatever; and we who have been given talents and gifts owe it to them to use these gifts to help them.

Thank you for listening. God bless.

The day I met Owl

 

Many years ago. A summer evening. Keith and I were going home from the pub. It was still light as it usually is in summer over here. Walking by the edge of the park we saw an owl on a tree.

It was a large owl; I'd never seem them so big. It was about half-way up a tall tree. It was not moving at all. It did not seem bothered by our presence, as if he hadn't noticed us.

Keith started making hooting noises. I tried to dissuade him in case the people in nearby houses may hear us and call the police. He continued hooting for a while. The owl did not move an inch; or a centimetre either. I did not know whether he used the metric system of measurements or not, but it did not matter because he did not move.

We thought he was a statue. But then, who would but a statue of an owl so high up a tree. 

"Perhaps it's a stuffed owl," said Keith who had considered studying taxidermy. He had failed trigonometry at college and taxidermy was another course in the list beginning with T. He thought it was the management of taxis. He ended up studying truancy at College and went on to University to study stupidity.

I doubted it was a stuffed owl. It looked real. But then, stuffed animals look real anyway, only dead. 

Keith decided to draw its attention by throwing something at it. He picked up a brick from a nearby building site. I had to dissuade him by explaining it was not aerodynamic enough. He threw a few small pebbles. The owl did not move at all.

We decided to phone the animal and birds welfare people, even though it was getting late. We went to the telephone kiosk and Keith phoned them.

"There's a big owl on top of a big tree and it is not moving at all!"

"What kind is it?"

"I don't know. Possibly an oak, or an elm or perhaps a sycamore. I don't know about trees!"

"The owl!"

"What about the owl?"

"What type is it?"

"I didn't know there were different types. They're all the same shape with big eyes and heads that go round 360 degrees to save them turning round when walking!"

"How big is it?"

"The size of a small dog!"

"Colour?"

"Mostly brown ... I think ... it's getting a bit dark right now!"

"Does it have a brown face, or is it a lighter colour?"

"Can't remember ... hold on ... we'll go and find out ..."

We ran back to the edge of the park and we could not agree on which tree the owl was on. All trees look the same apparently and the owl could have been on any of them; but which one. We searched many trees and eventually gave up.

Perhaps we should have marked the tree before phoning for help.

What the ...

 

You know what it's like folks. One moment you are happy and smiling and the sun is shining in your life. Then suddenly there's a dark cloud all over you. Your mood changes, and you're feeling low.

How could it be? Only a few moments ago you were joyful and seemingly without a care in the world and now you're in this sombre mood.

Was it that sad song you just heard? Or the snippet of news on the radio? Or a thought perhaps triggered by something you've just seen? An old photo perhaps, or a memento of times gone by, a gift perhaps from a loved one no longer here? 

Somehow, suddenly your world seems a lot darker now. You feel a tightening of your chest, the need to cry, or just give up altogether.

Perhaps you turn to any distraction at hand. The ice cream tub in the freezer. The cookie dough. Chocolates. Or whatever else is available for such emergencies.

Or maybe you just crumble under the pressure and the worries and concerns for yourself, or someone dear to you. 

Or possibly you struggle on until the dark clouds move away and you return to some semblance of normality; whatever that is for you.

Let's now look at this scenario all over again but from a different perspective.

How do you think God feels when suddenly a bad mood or thought gets hold of you?

Do you think He delights and enjoys your moment of despair?

When you were young and you hurt yourself, or something made you sad, you probably ran to a loving parent to kiss it better and to wrap you round with love and caring.

But now you're grown up. Age does not protect you from hurt and grief. But a loving Creator Father in Heaven is still there to comfort you and see you through your darkness.

Use your moment of negativity as an opportunity to pray to God. Hand the matter over to Him. Tell Him what's on your mind. Praise Him even.

You are not praising Him because things are going bad for you. You are praising Him because, whatever the circumstances, He is still in control. 

He allowed you to be brought to this situation, and He will see you safely through it.

Whenever your world is dark; Christ will light your way.

Suffering in silence or in joy.

 

... and then someone said sotto voce, "if God cared so much He would not let her suffer ..."

Being a Christian and a God-loving person does not mean we will have a joyful life with nothing ever going wrong. There will be times of great difficulty, as happens to most people, whether they believe in God or not. Being Christian does not make us immune to pain. Physical pain, mental pain, spiritual pain, the pain of loneliness and rejection, the pain of poverty, of prejudice or hatred which so abounds in this world.

I guess a number of readers right here are suffering some pain or other. Perhaps it's an illness, or the heart-breaking pain of a relationship that's gone bad, or the agony concerning a loved one that has gone astray, either physically by the way they live, or spiritually by turning away from God.

It is natural for such people to ask God, "why did you let this happen to me?" It is natural to have dark thoughts, perhaps rebelling against the very God we have grown to love and trust. This is the work of the evil one. He knows what you are going through and he uses this opportunity to derail you and your very faith away from God.

He tried it on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. 

“Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” Mark 14:32-42

That was the devil tempting Jesus. He tried to tempt Him and derail Him from His mission many times. So you should not be much of a challenge to him.

Many people in the Bible suffered in one way or another whilst carrying on God's work. They were beaten, had stones thrown at them, arrested, imprisoned, killed, yet they kept going.  

"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

We do not know whether Paul suffered a physical illness, or whether it was a spiritual attack by the devil to keep him from preaching God's Word.

But what we do know, because he says so, is that God's grace was with him at all times of suffering.

And it's the same with us when we suffer. I do not believe we should suffer with joy and be glad when we're in pain. God does not enjoy and revel when we suffer. He knows that suffering of all sorts will come our way, and He is there to comfort us and relieve our suffering according to His will for us.

“Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out”. (1 Corinthians Chapter 10 Verse 13).

Complicated God

Early morning Mass had just finished. Everyone had gone home or to work, except for Simon the gardener. He stayed behind to collect any stray hymn books left in the pews and to clear up in the Sacristy before he put in an hour or two mowing the lawn in the garden behind the church.

“That was an odd reading we had today from 2 Peter 3:8” he said to Father Ignatius as he locked the Sacristy door.

“You remember the exact chapter and verse I see …” replied the priest, “what was so odd about it?”

“I mean … it said ‘There is no difference in the Lord’s sight between one day and a thousand years; to Him the two are the same.’

“That must make it very difficult keeping an appointment with God … imagine Him asking Moses to come up the mountain tomorrow … Moses wouldn’t know whether it’s in twenty four hours’ time or in a thousand years …”

The priest smiled and said nothing.

“Why is God so complicated sometimes?” asked Simon.

“It’s a bit early in the morning for all these questions … I haven’t had my toast and ginger marmalade yet … have you had breakfast?” asked Father Ignatius.

“Er … no … not yet …”

“In that case I suggest we go to the kitchen and prepare something to eat …” continued the priest as he headed for the Parish house.

Minutes later he had set the table with fried eggs and bacon, coffee, toast and marmalade.

“Now then …” said Father Ignatius as he put his cup down, “what’s on your mind Simon?”

“Well … as I was saying … God and the Bible seem so complicated at times. All this business about one day is the same as a thousand years … and the story of the Creation for instance … if God is so powerful why did He need seven days to create the universe … and did He really need a rib from Adam to create Eve? Seems so improbable to me …”

Father Ignatius sympathized with what Simon was saying.

“Remember Simon,” he said, “the Bible is a book of Faith and not necessarily a book of literal facts … not all of it …

“No one was with God at the time of Creation. So no one can say for certain whether it took Him seven days or seven seconds or less even. In reality, it doesn’t matter how long God took to create the universe; or whether he really took a bone from the side of Adam or not. What matters is that we have learnt that God is the ultimate Creator of all that we see and all that we are. And all that we have yet to discover in this great universe.

“The Creation is a story told by the writer of the book of Genesis to teach the people of the time about God. A story inspired by God no doubt, but not necessarily all factual in every detail.”

“That’s what I meant by complicated…” retorted Simon, “how are we to know what is factual and what is not … which bit to believe literally and which not?”

Father Ignatius chuckled gently.

“I see what you mean,” he said.

“Over the years, and in preparation for the priesthood, I have studied and read many books,” continued Father Ignatius, “you’d be surprised how many different views and opinions there are about God, the teachings of the Bible and theology in general.

“For centuries many learned wise heads have surmised and pronounced on various issues concerning God and Christianity. To the point where we have made it into a science; a discipline worthy of study at our universities and such like.

“And after all of my studies I’ve reached one conclusion …

“God is not complicated at all … it is us who make Him complicated.

“We question and analyze every aspect of our religion and our Faith. We try to understand in human terms what is not of human origin. We dissect our very Creator as if He were an insect in a laboratory and debate His very existence.

“This is wrong surely …

“God is simply love. He created us out of love and wishes the best for us. He wishes to share eternity with us.

“But we distanced ourselves from Him through our sin. And when we did so, He did not give up on us.

“He loved us so much that He sent His Son on earth, so that we may see Him in human terms. Can you imagine that … really imagine it?

“God walked this earth as a man, just like everyone else. Humans saw Him, spoke to Him and listened to Him. They witnessed His miracles. He died for us, and was raised from the dead so that we may be forgiven.

“It’s as simple as that … God created us, and loved us so much that He came down on earth and lived amongst us.

“God does not ask us to understand His ways or to know how things work … He doesn’t expect us to analyze His motives and His strategies … He just wants us to step out in Faith and dare to trust Him … to love Him … and to obey Him.”

“I like that … to step out in Faith and dare to trust Him …” repeated Simon.

“That’s right,” said Father Ignatius as he poured another cup of coffee, “let us stop trying to find answers where He doesn’t want us to … let’s trust Him that His ways are superior and better than ours, and that His love will see us through … if we let Him.

“Let God work in your life, rather than waste time working out all about Him.”

Do you want to sell?

 

It's happened again. A few days ago I mentioned that I was parked in a car park waiting for someone to finish shopping. A man approached me and asked if I wanted to sell my car. I said "No" and he went away.

Well, it happened again. My car was parked on our drive in our front garden. It was on private property. Someone has put a well printed and produced card under the windscreen wiper.

It said, "Do you want to sell your car? We offer good prices. Phone this number ..."

I looked up and down the street and none of the neighbours' cars had a similar card on them. I did not know whether to feel proud that my car is attracting attention, or to be insulted because it is an old wreck. So old the Driving Instructions Manual is written in Latin and so are all the controls on the car. 

And another thing ... every so often, about once a month I would say, we receive a card through the letter box from various Estate Agents. The card says, "Do you want to sell your house? We have three potential buyers who would like a house in your area, and yours is an ideal house for them."

Are these people serious when they print and distribute these cards to various households? 

Consider the cost involved in production and distribution of such adverts. Do people suddenly think, "Oh yes ... that's what I'll do. I'll sell my house and move because there are at least three potential buyers out there!"

I know some people sometimes make impulse purchases as a result of adverts, but does that really happen with impulse sales? 

Can you imagine me approaching a woman in the street and saying I like her handbag, would she sell it to me? 

Well, that too happened to me. I was approached by a woman in town who said she liked my trousers because of their mauve colour and she wanted to buy them of me. I refused politely.

Whilst I was not looking, she stole my trousers and ran away. I had to chase her trouser-less for at least a hundred metres until she finally threw them away and ran off.

Luckily, the trousers I had just bought were not damaged as they were still in their packaging. 

On an unrelated matter ... Did you know my grand-father invented the colour mauve. Before then there was red, and there was blue, and violet, and purple, but no mauve. He went to the shops with my grandma and she tried a dress on. She asked him, "Do you like the colour? What is it called?"

He was eager to go home and replied, "Come on ... move!"

She said, "Mauve ... that's my favourite colour from now on!"

Closed Hearts

 

A thought crossed my mind a moment ago. It seemed to come from nowhere. So I thought I'd write about it.

As you know, I post here everyday. Sometimes it is difficult finding something to write about, but by and large, I manage to post every day. My posts are a mixture of humourous articles, some music every now and then, and Christian based serious articles.

I study the statistics to see which posts attract most visitors, and I noticed that about 80% of visitors are first time visitors. This are people who may visit my Blog once and possibly not return again; or return a while later and be marked as first visitors once more. I think 80% turnover is good, because it shows I am spreading the net further all the time. Most people visit to read the humourous articles, and then, hopefully, read the Christian articles too.

We never know who visits our Blogs and not leave a comment.

And that's when the thought struck me. 

How many people who read my Christian articles do so with a closed heart? 

How many think, "Oh ... not that again! He is on about religion once more! I'll come back another day ... or perhaps never!"

But then ... who am I to complain?

Better people than me have preached, and written and Blogged far better than me. 

For thousands of years God has been speaking to this world through the prophets, through Jesus and through the Holy Spirit.

And there are still plenty of closed hearts intent on not listening and on doing their own thing. 

I feel there's a hardening of hearts throughout the world. People opposing each other. Lack of compassion and forgiveness.

But these are only the symptoms. They are not the root cause of the matter.

I fear many have ceased to believe in the existence of God. It is just us now. There is no One else.

The ultimate struggle; man wants to be in control of his own destiny.

And God let's him be.

The Father Ignatius Series

 

Each book is a stand-alone novel. 

But it is best to read them in chronological order as shown above. 

BUY BEFORE THE BOOK SHORTAGE

IDEAL GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS AND OTHER OCCASIONS

MORE CHRISTIAN BOOKS HERE

The Journey

 

Let me take you on a journey back into the past which you will find both terrifying and at times somewhat unbelievable. In fact, I would not believe it myself if it had not happened to me.

It happened in Wales, out in the countryside. I was travelling by car from one place to another, as you do. It was winter. It was snowing as it happens. Now, not many people know that, but sometimes in Wales it snows. This was one of those times.

Snow laid everywhere and covered everything. It was getting thicker and thicker to the point where it was difficult to drive. I could not see the road ahead, nor the road behind for that matter. The windscreen wipers grew tired of moving to and fro and losing the battle against the snow. Eventually they gave up and I could drive no further or farther either.

I stopped and tried to get out the car. The door was frozen solid. I pushed hard and finally it opened. I got out but did not know which way to go. Should I walk on forwards, or return whence I came which I knew was a frozen wilderness anyway.

I walked a few steps forward and fell into a frozen pool of water. Must have been a pond, probably frozen at the top and totally covered with snow. The sudden shock and extreme drop in temperature nearly killed me. Somehow, don't ask me how, I managed to crawl out before I lost consciousness and saying goodbye to this world. The whole of my life flashed before me but I was too busy saving myself to see it.

I stood there totally soaked, freezing and my teeth chattering of the cold. I had goosebumps all over and they had goosebumps too. I was so afraid that my knees started shaking. I had butterflies in my stomach and their knees were shaking too.

I stumbled a few steps forwards, no more than a hundred yards or so, and to my surprise, delight and amazement, not necessarily in that order, I saw an inn not too far away.

I hurried as quickly as my legs could carry me and knocked loudly at the door. The inn-keeper opened the door but would not let me in because I was not wearing a tie. I had a scarf wrapped round my neck. I took it off and tied it like a tie and he let me in.

I sat by the fire to warm me up. His wife gave me a bowl of soup. She said it was Cock-a-leekie soup and it contained chicken, bacon, carrots, celery, leeks and prunes. I was too cold and the soup was too hot for me to taste any of those ingredients.

The inn-keeper stood at the bar with his silhouette lightly lit by the flames of the candles behind him. His wife explained that the electricity had been cut-off because of the snow-storm.

That's when I noticed that the inn-keeper had a very big nose. Big, and round and bulbous. It was so heavy that his head would tip forwards when he was tired and closed his eyes. His wife had shoved a broomstick down his back and tied his forehead to the stick with a bandana to stop him leaning his head forwards.

When I finished the soup, she suggested I have a warm bath and get changed into new dry clothes. Her husband refused point-blank to loan me any of his clothes. So I had to make do with wearing one of her nightdresses instead. She gave me the choice between the pink one or the pale pastel green. Unbeknown to her husband, she gave me some of his underwear to wear under the dress because hers would not fit.

I went to the bathroom, and after a long hot bath I was as good as new albeit I looked a little feminine. And that's when my troubles started. As if being stranded in the snow, falling in a freezing pond, stumbling to the inn totally drenched and freezing, and now wearing women's clothing was not enough. More troubles were in store for me.

The bathroom door would not open. It was totally stuck. I pulled and I pushed and I knocked and I shouted for help and I screamed and I kicked the door and I screamed for help some more and it was all to no avail. I was stuck and imprisoned in that bathroom and there was no one to help me get out.

All this happened some twenty years ago. In fact, I am still stuck in that bathroom now. Fortunately, I have my laptop computer to write and tell you all about it.

A few moments of reflections ...

 

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FATHER FRANCIS MAPLE

 

HIS WEBSITE HERE

 

 VIDEOS BEST PLAYED FULL SCREEN

Doggone !!!

 

We love dogs and many have them as pets. We spend a fortune on dogs. Food, shelter, vet fees, pet insurance and so on.

Have you noticed in supermarkets how pet foods are stacked on shelves? Over here they put the food according to the height of the animal. The dog foods are placed at eye level so you notice them as you walk down the aisle. Cat foods are lower down. Food for fish and birds are on the bottom shelves. It's quite a task getting food for giraffes.

A friend's Golden Labrador has sadly died. He is quite wealthy, the friend not the dog. So in order to remember the dog, he went to a jeweller and asked him to make a statue of the dog in gold so he can keep it on the mantle-piece. 

The jeweller asked, "18 carats?"

"No," my friend replied, "eating bones of course!"

Another friend has lost his dog. They were in the park and the dog got off its lead and ran away. I suggested he puts an advert in the newspaper, also posters all over the area which he could stick on trees, notice boards and such like.

A few days later and he still did not find his dog.

I asked him what he had written on the advert and posters.

He replied, "Here boy!"

I got an e-mail from a friend in Australia. He is a shepherd. Whilst he was out with his dog in the fields shepherding his flock a crocodile came out of a swamp and bit his leg!

I sympathised and e-mailed back, "which one?"

He said, "I dunno sport! You see a crocodile and you've seen them all!"

He explained he did not lose his leg but he was in hospital for treatment. I e-mailed "Antibiotics?"

He replied, "No ... but uncle Biotics came to see me instead!"

Another friend has one of those fluffy, bouncy type of dogs. It's white and looks like a low flying cloud. He's always friendly and playful.

One day when the delivery man came round the dog barked at him. As the man ran away he dropped his hat and the dog chewed it.

The man complained to my friend. My friend smiled and said, "It's only a hat, mate! No harm done."

The delivery man replied, "I don't like your attitude!"

To which my friend said, "It's not my hat he chewed, it's your hat he chewed!" 

The old man who lives in the house behind us ... his back garden backs onto our back garden ... well, he must have got a little puppy for company. I was digging my garden and saw the little dog in his garden. He chose a silly name for his dog, I thought. He called him "Help!"

All day yesterday, I could hear the old man shouting "Help! Help!" Eventually, he must have found him because he stopped calling. 

This morning, whilst I was out buying a newspaper, I saw an ambulance outside the old man's house.

(It's a joke folks ... a joke ... no dogs have been harmed in the writing of this post!)

When I got to work this morning my secretary was crying her heart out. She did no work at all. Apparently her dog had died. She showed me his photo. 

I wanted her to get on with her work. So to stop her crying, I took the photo and went out and bought her an identical dog. When she saw it she cried some more.

Now she has two dead dogs!

(It's another joke ... I did not buy her a dead dog ... you are a tough audience you lot!"