God Opens Closed Doors (and hearts)

Dear Friends,

Misunderstandings and prejudice close our minds and our hearts to some wonderful possibilities. This is particularly true in relationships. I know of family members who have disowned each other over an off of the cuff remark that was simply misunderstood by the family member that heard the remark (usually in a second, third, or fourth interpretation of that remark). CRAZY! We think that because someone talks with a drawl that they are going to be unintelligent. Or, when we hear someone with an East coast accent we assume that the person will be unfriendly. I love it when the stereotype gets shattered and the epiphany occurs. It is a soul opening experience when reconciliation within a relationship happens. When family members or former friends can embrace after they figure out that that their grudge was over nothing; or when a person becomes alive to another after they figure out that the stereotype was a lie, and then God lets us see each other with His eyes.


Misunderstanding and prejudice is what happened to Jesus on that day that He went back to Nazareth and said, “Today this prophecy is fulfilled in your hearing.” His home crowd could not stretch their minds around the possibility that the carpenter’s Son could also be the Messiah. He was just Joe’s and Mary’s kid to them. This Miracle Man was the boy who used to make mud pies with the other kids. Because they could not see the extraordinary and divine truth it was impossible for them their long awaited Savior.

We are all sometimes guilty of not letting God be completely God for us. Whether if it is because we don’t like to go out our routines and pray in deeper and more intimate ways with our God; or whether it is because we don’t like change or we don’t feel like we have time to spend more time and study of the Scripture, spiritual writings, and teachings of our Church; or whether we feel like we learned all we needed to learn when we went to religion classes, sometimes our faith and relationship with God is stunted. Prayer, scripture reading and sacred writings all lead to a relationship with the only One who can help us live this life happier, holier and more manageable. It is also the only way we will be able to live eternally.

I urge you to sign up for “Why Catholic?,” attend the parish mission with Fr. Bill Fichteman, get involved in the different book clubs or bible studies that our parishes are hosting, go to the 2nd annual Archdiocese of Louisville Men’s Conference on March 16th, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, read the weekend readings before you attend Mass or a host of many things that you might do to deepen your relationship with the One who created you. You will be deeply blessed.

Paz,
Fr. Chuck