Well we have seen (somewhat over dramatized) one side of the coin. This is a example of a Catholic who did everything wrong except go to church. While we are not this bad we perhaps find some parts of this in each of us. Last night's posting was a man who was Catholic in name only. Well lets see what he could have done different and what it may have meant for his day.
On Sunday our friend goes to Mass arriving early to pray for understanding of today's message. He pays close attention in Mass and stays until the last note of the closing hymn. He walks out slowly offering God's blessing upon those who are elderly or handicapped along the way. He knows he has plenty of time as the parking lot is a night,are to get out of until 15 minutes after Mass has ended. He chats with some he knows and stops to read up on what is going on in the church. He and his family get to their cars and have a easy time getting out of the parking lot as he says to himself a prayer of thanksgiving for the Mass. He decides to put off mowing the lawn for another week and chides himself for being slothful yesterday and not doing it then. He reaffirms to himself that this is a family day and goes home and spends time with the kids and wife explaining and meditating on the Mass they heard today. Later it is a great Sunday dinner and off to bed ready to work.
The alarm goes off at 4:30am he blinks his eyes looking at the clock thinking to himself how much he would enjoy more sleep. He then realizes he has no time for laziness it is time to prepare for the day. He exits the bed and goes straight to his knees thanking a loving God for another day to serve him. He then spends about 20 minutes in meditation on the Passion or some other subject in the Bible and then gets ready to go to work. He leaves early feeling great about the day and as he has plenty of time to get to work. He decides that a coffee stop is in order to get his Double Mocha frappachino with chocolate sprinkles and two cherries. He pulls up after his order and moves along until the car ahead of him seems to have a problem with it's order. He thinks to himself how surprised he is that they don't have more issues with orders as busy as they are. He waits taking sometime to pray as his turn comes up. He greets them warmly and wishes them God's blessings upon his driving away. He takes a drink from his drink and realizes one cherry is missing. He laughs quietly to himself and thinks who would get mad because they forgot a cherry.
He continues to work arriving about 10 minutes early and spots Charlie walking down the walk. He walks up to him to see if he can answer any of the questions he might have about the Roman Catholic Church. Charlie points to a certain subject and says he does not understand. He asks him to join him in a cup of coffee after work so he can explain it in detail and where it is a little more quiet. Charley agrees and upon departing says thanks. Our friend enters into work and begins his work day. He has a meeting with his boss to discuss why his numbers are down, but there is no yelling as that the boss knows this employee to be faithful in his faith and knows he always gives 100% at work. Our friend returns to his desk asking God to help him at work and again gives thanks for all his blessings. He works all the way to lunch keeping his nose to the grind stone as he knows a idle mind is a open door to the sin of gossip,
During lunch he Waves Charlie over and asks him to join him for lunch so they can talk. The lunchroom is loud so the discussion is light. He crosses himself in preparation to give thanks for the food God provided and then settles in to eat. Charlie tells him it is weird how many stare at him when he does pray. Our friend just smiles and says "never could deny my savior can't start now" there is a light chuckle. The talk goes from sports to other areas and relaxes them both to face the second half of work. The second half of the day goes as the first except that the company busybody comes around to spread the latest gossip. Our Friend knows he has spent time on this persons list of subjects (as many have). Just as they start up our friend says, "excuse me but this doesn't really apply to me" and excuses himself and turns back to his work. The day finishes with our friend praying a prayer of thanks for his efforts at work. He never brags about what he does and has been offered many awards but insists he does not want these and his reward is helping the company. He knows he is not political enough to get a promotion but remains happy with a raise on occasion.
He meets Charlie at a small restaurant and listens carefully to Charlie as he is having trouble with the idea of Papal Infallibility. Charlie explains how the Pope is the leader of the Church and has authority in certain areas in which he is considered in fallible. He stresses that this is only done after long prayer and by the direction of the Holy Spirit. He then spends time and pulls out his pocket Bible and shows that in the early church Peter was in charge and all the other disciples went to him for a decision. He shows where there was a actual conflict of teaching where Peter had to say who was right and who was wrong and that the decision was instantly accepted. He remembers he has a Bible Study tonight and invites Charley to come. He offers also to be a sponsor for him during the upcoming RCIA sessions that will start soon. He is hopeful that Charley's whole family will attend so his family can sponsor and support Charley's family and they can both learn something new about their faith. He then says he has to go and will pick Charley up for Bible Study a little early to introduce him around. He goes to pay the bill for the coffee and his card is declined. He is confused by this as he knows there was 400 dollars there this morning. He knows something is up he will check it out when he gets home. Carley offers to pay the tab chided our friend on arranging this all just to get out of a bill. They both laugh and each go to their homes.
When our friend gets home he hollers at the top of his lungs "Dad's home"! Suddenly he can hear it slowly building in sound and vibration. He thinks to himself with a chuckle "oh oh here comes the kiddie avalanche. His children greet him with hugs and allot of chatter about what they did this day. He makes time to listen to each and discuss what they did. The conversation is real as he listens to all what his children have to say. Along with the kids came the dog also excited to see him and he greets his pet with love and strokes of kindness. Now Mom has entered and she reminds the kids of homework and prayers that will be a little early tonight as Dad has a Bible Study tonight. He quietly says a prayer of thanks for a wonderful family and gives God praise for his blessings. He kisses his wife hello and is told about the hot water heater going out. His wife is upset because it wiped out the checking account and she had a horrible time figuring out what to do. He kissed her and states no problem we will take a little from savings to tide us over and then tells his wife how much he loves her for handling this and for sticking it out through a rough day. She says "well I didn't do it alone" as the husband nods "all things through Christ he says" then they both take a second to pray thanks for the help they had received that day. Then the family settles down for dinner. Soon the husband excuses himself asking his wife to wait a few minutes before the kids come in to pray so he can prepare for the class he is giving tonight. He enters his dark bedroom and kneels to pray asking God to send the Holy Ghost upon him as he teaches so all he says is in accordance with the will of God. The family prays together and then the kids are off to bed as our friend goes to pick up Charley.
He arrives at the Bible Study with Charley and introduces him around. The class he gives touches all as it seemed that the Holy Spirit spoke through him in all things. He acknowledges all praises from his brothers in humility citing it was just the Holy Ghost working overtime. Charley after hearing the class wishes to join RCIA with his family. Our friend silently praises God for allowing him to be his tool in bringing Charley home and assures Charley that he and his family will be there every step of the way with them. He asks Charley if he would like him to pray with him and they both pray in thanks for the events of this day. He drops Charley at home and wishes God's blessings and peace to all who enter his home. He arrives at home and looks in on the kids as he heads for his bedroom. The dog has gotten up to greet him and he pets the pooch and gives thanks for such a fine pet. He gets into bed as his wife wakes up. He tells her he loves her and that she is his best friend. He then invites her to pray with him. Prayers being said he slowly drifts off to sleep thinking how much he would rather be in the kingdom of God than here in this world but he knows it is his race to run. He goes to a quiet restful sleep knowing how blessed he truly is.
So in two days we have seen two people one who was a Catholic in name only and another who lived his faith. Most of us are somewhere in the middle of these two people in our daily lives. However this does not answer the question does God cry? I submit to you it does. You see I have described on day one a lost soul who is Catholic in name only and will likely never change because he is too proud to apologize and too proud to change. The second one is someone who walks with Christ as a matter of habit in his daily life. He takes joy in what God takes joy in and is showered with blessings by his Father. The first man God does cry over, because here is a soul that will go to Hell and never know the true goodness of his God the way the second man does.
Does God cry? Sure he does. He cries when we fail to help the poor or hungry or downtrodden because we don't wish to share what we have. He cries when he is cursed by man and he name is used as a swear word rather than a name of praise. He cries when we verbally abuse our wives and children and cause them sadness. Or when we shut those in our family out of our lives. He cries to watch somebody claiming to be what he is not and thereby spreading his poison into the body. He cries at the unrepentant who if they just took a few step could once again call God Father and walk in his ways. Yes God does cry and sadly more often than we will ever know. He cries for a child neglected that dies or one who is shot in a crossfire of two drug gangs. He cries to see families ripped apart by divorce which in all too many cases is hardest on the children. He cries for every aborted child that should have grown to know him and serve him.
Do we make him cry? In all honesty as we are not perfect yes. We do not mean to but it happens more often than not on a daily basis. He rejoices when we go to confess our sins to the Priest but cries if we confess what we are not sorry for. Yes God Cries and with him Jesus.Mary, The holy Ghost and any number of Saints and Angels. Yet they don't cry for themselves as we do. They cry for us and all the missed opportunities to serve Christ and our fellow man. They cry perhaps hardest of all at two things. A person who in his unrepentant ways is sent away from the presence of God. He cries hardest of all for the unborn child who was never given a chance to live.
Yes we all live somewhere between these two people I have written about these last two days. But for us the real question is not does God cry we know he does. But when will we as the body of Christ stop making him cry over our sins. We cannot correct them all. For those we can't change pray harder than you ever prayed for forgiveness and help to beat this enemy. For those things we can change is it not time we do and bring love to our creator and not sadness and misery.
Good night my friends and God bless each of you. May God bless you and your house and may you rejoice in his spiritual presence soon.
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