Days 162-164                      4.5 hrs                   229.5 to go

Inspired by my father, I have tried very hard over the past few years to obey the spirit of the 3^rd commandment.  I rarely if ever miss Mass but have not always kept Holy the Lord’s day – I would go shopping, work on chores I could do during the other 6 days and in general not focus too much on God after I finished with Mass and other Sunday duties.  My father and our family always used Sunday’s to visit family and friends and be in fellowship for most of the day – so I have spent my Sundays relaxing with loved ones and enjoying their company – if any of you are so busy you don’t have time to slow down, even on Sunday’s; try it – the theology is: if you don’t have enough time in your day, give God some more time and He will “arrange for” your time needs – it’s not mathematical but just faith – give God more time & He will make sure there is enough time for you to do what He knows you need to do!!!!

On Sunday, our pastor clarified the story from Luke where Jesus tells a man to not worry about burying his father (“let the dead bury the dead”).  I always thought of it as the man needing to bury his recently deceased father; but it doesn’t say that – the father may still be alive, yes, may need help from his son, but may be alive for quite a few years – Jesus warns the man that he, & of course us as well, need to stop procrastinating and making up excuses for not “following” completely our Lords commands to preach the Good News and to love ourselves, our neighbors and our God. – That’s all God commands, three things!  Love, love, and witness – once we do that, we are free to take care of our family while still being a follower of Jesus and being a servant as He has taught us – we need to do both and take care of the worlds issues and deriving our answers through prayer, sacrifice, and giving.

St. Augustine, in yesterday’s OOR, reminded us of a higher calling than the one Jesus gives us in Luke.  Augustine noted that we should not seek our own glory by following Christ but that we should be seeking the glory of those around us; our families and friends.  We must be cautious that our words and deeds do not cause others to follow us down a wayward path.

I want the thank the Lord for the gift of Psalm 20 – I was asked last evening to do the blessing for a friends parents’ 50^th anniversary & the words of Psalm 20 (which I read last night (Evening prayer) when I returned home after being asked) will work beautifully as the opening prayer: 2 May the LORD answer you in time of distress; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you! 3 May God send you help from the temple, from Zion be your support. 4 May God remember your every offering, and receive your sacrifice with favor  5 May God grant what is in your heart, fulfill your every plan. 6  May we shout for joy at your victory, raise the banners in the name of our God.  May the LORD grant your every prayer! 7 Now I know victory is given to the anointed of the LORD. God will answer him from the holy heavens with a strong arm that brings victory. 8 Some rely on chariots, others on horses, but we on the name of the LORD our God. 9 They collapse and fall, but we stand strong and firm. 10 LORD, grant victory to His anointed and answer when we call upon you.

My chaplets were for the victims of the Haitian & Chilean earthquakes & for that oil to stop gushing in the Gulf.