October 18, 2022

Reflection

QUESTIONS

I HAVE FOR GOD

Mitch Albon has his book about the 5 people we meet after we die.

I really like that book and that format.

Through the years I've found myself saying, "That's one of the questions I have for God after I die."

For example: Mass stipends.

We Catholics - in some churches and parishes take 5 or 10 dollars - and ask that a Mass be said for someone who is sick or having an operation - or for someone who has died.

At some Masses we hear someone say, "The Mass today is for Teresa Smith - deceased."

It can be a wonderful moment for the family of Teresa Smith They got up early and showed up on the anniversary of Teresa's death at a 6:30 A.M. Mass.  Then they go to a diner or a small restaurant and have coffee and donuts together.

I'm aware that collecting money like this was a complaint at the time of the Protestant Reformation - and probably still today.

It puts some money into the books - that takes care of church buildings or the salary of a priest - or for foreign missions.

Well, I want to ask God about stuff like that. Does God hear prayer requests - and do something about them?

What else?

Here is another question. I had a funeral for a man who died at the age of 57. He had Down Syndrome. So I want to ask God, "Did he wake up in heaven - with questions? How does that work? Do we hear from him what he was seeing and experiencing for 57 years.

How does heaven work?

Will we know everything about everyone.  The good stuff -  wonderful. Will we be looking at each other's sins?

What are my other questions?  Like the one's I forgot.

What about the persons I lost track of? What about the people I had a moment with?

And God, tell me your thoughts about why you created the world 5 to 15 billion years ago - and we humans have only begun to think a million or so years ago?

 October 18, 2022

To Think About

"It was a sly trick of God to give us work to do. It kept us from asking God questions God couldn't answer."

Martha  Ostenso [1900-1963]

Norwegian American Novelist

 October 17, 2022

Reflection

YOU'LL  KNOW

You'll know when you start to wonder about a hereafter.

You'll know when you get sick or you need some tests - or you need surgery or chemo or radiation.

You'll know when a close friend or family member dies and they are younger than you.

You'll know when you attend enough funerals.

You'll know when you start to wonder - doubt - question - whether there is anything after this.

You'll know when you wonder about your religion - present or former - comparing it to other religions - when you begin thinking about death and resurrection - salvation or damnation - existence or annihilation forever.

You'll know when you wonder about God - what God is like - and you'll realize you have no say in what God is like or whether there is a hereafter - all is totally out of your hands - as it has always been.

You'll know when you start to pray - to be able to let go - and to put it all into God's hands.

You'll know when you start to write stuff like this.

You'll know when you'll wake up on the other side of life -and there you are - and then you know whether there is judgment - whether there is heaven - whether there is hell - whether hell is second guessing and regrets - and heaven is - you tried - you gave - you opened up you heart - you became one in Christ and both of you see each other and you laugh - he putting his hands into your cuts and your insides and you putting your's into his and everyone elses and you say, "My Lord and my God."

You'll know ....

 October 17,  2022

Thought To Consider

"To believe, and to be loved                                  while unworthy, is the great secret."

W. P. Newell

October 16, 2022

Reflection

 STOPPING FOR ICE CREAM

Last night I drove back home to Annapolis from New Jersey.

I went up for a funeral of a little baby girl: Elizabeth Mary.

Then I decided to see if Al and Sylvia were home.  I had seen them near Elizabeth Mary's family at the funeral.

Heading down 301 I could see all the red lights ahead of me -  before I'd get to the Bay Bridge.

I come into a traffic jam,

I haven't been in one like this in years.

I smile - because most of the time I've been on the other side - going in a different direction.

We all stop.

It's 10:15 P.M.

I turn my motor off - with tractor trailer and trucks and cars - all doing the same thing.

Standing there on the highway - we all started talking to each other.  Truckers said it was a major, major accident way up ahead of us.

It's 11: 40 and trucks and cars start their engines and start to crawl forward.

As I got closer to the bridge there were still some police cars with lights flashing.

I had seen a few ambulances and tow trucks pulling cars on the opposite side.

Finally, we saw about 10 wrecked cars - and many police cars on the shoulders - with their lights on.

I'm sure we all prayed for those who were hurt here tonight.

I got home by 1 A.M. and was in bed by 2 A.M.

For some reason - looking back - I still see all kinds of us - having stopped for ice cream - at a D.Q. - licking ice cream - holding shakes - talking - talking - talking - thanking our lucky stars - for getting stuck at that spot - so close to ice cream - so close to a D.Q. that stayed open that night for the rest of us.

I had stopped for a D. Q. and a bathroom break - about a half hour before we hit that traffic jam.

Would I have been in that accident - if I hadn't stopped for that first ice cream - and bathroom break?

I did say a prayer when I started back home that night. Was it that - that saved me - or the ice cream?

I'll go with the ice cream.

Always get ice cream - when you're heading home - in the night.

October 16, 2022

Thought to Ponder 

"You are not tempted because you are evil;              you are tempted because you are human."

 October 15, 2022

Reflection

HAPPINESS

I'm still thinking of the psychologist - Doctor Robert Holden -  who was on Oprah last week.  He has a book out on happiness.  He also got his Ph.D. studying happiness.

I was on the treadmill exercising while watching Oprah.  I was happy to do that - two birds with one stone.

That program was well orchestrated.  Different people were given a test about How Happy Are You? 

There were 5 questions - or statements. People were asked to score themselves 1 to 7 - [7 being the highest].

Here are the 5 questions or statements.

1) In most ways my life is close to ideal. [    ]

2) The conditions of my life are excellent. [    ]

3) I am satisfied with my life. [    ]

4) So far, I have gotten the most important things I want in life. [    ]

5) If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing. [    ]

From: Ed Diener, University of Illinois

He then had 5 of them standing in front of the TV audience - and Oprah and others were asked to pick who they thought  scored best in the test and who didn't.

The lady whom Oprah scored second lowest - 5 out of 35 - something like that I think.

The questions cand be found on her web site.

This lady - a mother of six - said she was a people pleaser. She said she was well loved - but did nothing for herself. All she did was for others.

The lady who scored lowest - indicated she made many - several wrong life decisions - but now she's finally coming out of that way of doing life.

There was one man in the five who were on stage. He was an undertaker.  He saw his life as someone who helps folks deal with death. He was the one who said that he saw the key to life was  to be more significant than to be successful.

What would it look like to be a significant undertaker, or priest or doctor or mom or dad or friend.

As i pondered that I remembered Martin Luther King's comment: if you're a garbageman, be the best garbageman people ever met.

Words ....

I thought that I have to think about all this.

I have to get back to a book I've been writing all these years: The Eight Secret of Happiness.

I also thought about the dialogue that took place between Oprah and the people being interviewed.

They talked about joy and happiness. They talked about giving and receiving.  They talked about self-pity and pity parties.

The program  brought up and brought into the conversation thoughts about self-esteem, self-evaluation, self-understanding, self-acceptance, self-care and self-happiness.

How happy are you?