Multiplication

Multiplication

Offered by Doug Blair, WAterloo ON, 2020

Three of them Sat in a room Reverent Expectant Feeling the weight Of known needs.

The Nation The neighbourhood The lonely, perplexed

And cooped up Relative.

The needs of purse Of person and posting And parenting.

Thursday nights becoming The delightful routine.

Petition.

Thanksgiving.

Intercession.

Remembering.

Praise. (5 approaches) But angels listened And dispatched mighty aid Consistent with the matchless Will of our Saviour.

He sits beside the Father Hears the words of just three.

Just three?

Think again.

That little boy had Only five loaves Couple of fish.

But he lifted them Up to Jesus. Glory!

at July 05, 2020

Joshua and the Shepherd I am at it again. Reading Joseph Girzone. A Catholic priest who stepped into a writing and speaking outreach. This book cost me one buck at a used book store downtown. Its message cannot be valued. Copyright 1990, Joseph F. Girzone.

The main character is David Campbell, a likeable priest who has just been ordained as a Bishop. To many he is known as upbeat, but definitely "bound by Church Law". Some in his parish have had sad encounters with his intransigence.

But the night following David's elaborate ordination, his sleep is disturbed by a life-changing dream/vision. It is all about shepherding. Being a messenger. Serving over-worked priests with sermons, visitation, counsel- whatever they need.

This will necessitate a turning over of a large bundle of administrative and educational work to others of equivalent capacity, and perhaps lay people. This will bring on the fireworks!

In the same epiphany David had a vision of a man approaching him - trim, relatively young, well-groomed, simply attired, hazel eyes. Soon he meets this man in the flesh. His name is Joshua. Their encounters over the weeks amaze David as to his new friend's sensitivity, grasp of the Gospel and inexplicable awareness of David's personal dilemmas.

I will just mention one problem which comes on early in the book. A priest, Ed Marcel has fallen in love with a woman. He cannot deny his need for the love of Maureen; neither his conviction that he has been and remains under a God-given call to ministry. (In many of his writings Girzone has addressed the issue of celibacy. Simon Peter was married.)

A slow-moving solution is posited with the knowledge of some at the Vatican. In the interim Ed must agree to keep the development under wraps and to move to some of the

outlying rural areas without priests to give homilies in their simple churches and to evangelize.

Hear the following; it strikes like a bell: "David himself was impressed with what he had seen in Ed since his return from the workshop and began to realize that this new venture could have dramatic potential in the Church's effort to bring Jesus to people, and not just the unchurched but those faithful ones who were so in love with the Church that they never got to know Jesus."

There are approaches to the question of inter-denominational unity and teamwork, of help for the homeless and disadvantaged, of opportunity for women in ministry. But that will be up to you...to read the book.

And this Joshua. Come out of nowhere. Gardening with David. Living with the homeless at an abandoned property.

Telling stories to happy children on his knees. Multiplying the contents of a lunch bag for a large gathering of hungry folk.

Proving equally attractive and compelling to Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal and Methodist leaders. Causing them even to consider union. Who might he be? Do we remember how he has prayed and for whom? at January 08, 2012 Labels: Das Choich, Girzone, Hearts and Heads Together, Incarnation, Worthy Books

Forty-Six Days: Water Only

They had intended to row in a 12 foot aluminum boat between two islands in the New Zealand territory of Tokelau. Instead they were launched on a 50 day ordeal lost in the South Pacific. Three teenagers ages 14 and 15. Presumed dead.

Eulogized in their home village. Then surprisingly discovered on the horizon by a New Zealand tuna boat taking an uncommon hurried trip home.

The aluminum hull was right on the course set by the fishing boat. No diversion for rescue. The boys appeared sound of mind but extremely emaciated. They advised the crew that they had consumed coconuts for the first two days and a

captured sea bird for the last two days. Nothing but rain water in between. Forty-six days!

A total of some 1300 kilometres traversed in the drifting.

The father of one of the boys related: "It's a miracle, it's a miracle. The whole village, the whole village. They were so excited and cried and they sang songs and hugging each other, yeah, on the road. Everybody was yelling and shouting the good news."

Already I have heard comments around town about the "good luck" of these teens in the news item. Luck, or the providential purposes of God?

at November 26, 2010 Labels: Kept by God, Sea Brine