28 September 2008

Greetings Friends,

In my younger years, as a child, I was raised in a rather strict household. Being the eldest of six, I learned some hard lessons early on. The more I tried to become independent, tried to establish my own way in life, the more my parents seemed to thwart those efforts. My inner and at times my outer voice declared, "It's not fair!" Over the years when I prayed for one thing or another, and those prayers were not answered (or so I thought), that same "It's not fair!" was directed toward God. And yet...when I really thought about it, I came to ponder these things in a different way.

Was the strictness of my parents really always an effort to stifle growth? Does God really not answer prayers? In all honesty, the answer to both questions, for me, became a resounding "No!"

Just as any caring adult tries to guide children toward growing to live life in a way that is good and right not only for the child but also for others, so too God always knows what we need - and that may be very different from what we think we need. Surely we need people around us to point the way. Surely we need God's loving care and wisdom to nudge us, and sometimes push us toward becoming and being who we are intended to be - God's own beloved.

We are persons who have been formed by our history - by our ancestors. We are where we are in life right now in part because of the way the events of our life have unfolded and because of the choices we have made. As I put it to myself: If my parents hadn't done this or that, I would certainly be in a very different place in my thinking and my life. As people of faith we are also where we are in life because we place our trust and belief in our God who deeply and constantly loves us and all of creation. God invites us to live in harmony, in communion, with ourselves, with others, and with God. Not always an easy task, and I think God understands this. And yet, this is the greatest work of our life: to love as best we can. And when we stumble, God picks us up and nudges us again and again with forgiveness, with mercy, with compassion, with grace, and above all with Love.

May we always know we are surrounded by the abundant and eternal love of God.

Peace on the Journey