BE EXTRAORDINARY!

Recently at Mass, one of our Priests made a referance to a video you may have seen that’s been around for a while about Empathy. If you haven’t seen it, take a look at it because it has a very powerful message. In the video, we see ordinary people, just like the ones we pass by every day. What makes the video so powerful is that we also get something more. We get insight into a major event that is happening at that moment in these everyday lives. For example, maybe someone you passed by at the grocery store just lost their job, or maybe someone’s teenage daughter is pregnant, or maybe someone’s car broke down and can’t afford to fix it, or maybe someone’s family member struggling with depression.

The Secret To Obtaining Super Powers

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to the strongest person in the world? When I was a kid, there was a Disney movie called “The Strongest Man In The World” and I remember getting such a kick out of that. It’s about a regular guy whodiscovers a new chemical that when mixed with a cereal seems to give anyone temporary superhuman strength. This brings up an interesting topic, which is not just super strength, but super powers. I’m sure at some point most of us have sat around with friends discussing the question, “If you could have any super power, which one would it be?” A fun conversation, but not very realistic. Or is it? What if you really could have super powers? Let’s explore this possibility a little.

Looks Like There’s An Energy Crisis

For those of you who lived through the 70’s, you’ll probably remember the gas shortage. I realize that I’m dating myself, but during that time, I was right around the age to get my driver’s license. Some of my friends had their licenses already. I remember how crazy it was driving past gas stations with long lines of cars waiting to fill up their cars with gas. People were desperate to get gas in their cars. It even escalated to the point where people could only get gas on certain days depending on which number their license plate ended in, even or odd (this was before personalized plates). I think everyone was afraid that at some point, we would simply run out of gas. It was the only time in my life I have experienced anything like that. Looking back, I realize now that people were lining up for something that they depended on to live their daily lives. Although there hasn’t been anything like that again to that extent, it clearly demonstrates how dependent we are on certain things in our lives.

“Tri” a little tenderness

“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

How many times have you uttered those words in your life? If you are a prayerful person, then it would probably be a lot because it's how we start almost every prayer we say. And you may not even give much thought to it other than simply, well, the way you begin a prayer. Yes, we say those words every time we start a prayer, and usually a more formal prayer, like the Lord’s Prayer or Hail Mary for example, and it is even how each Mass begins.

In the beginning…

Whenever something begins, it also means that it is something new, and it can range from something small to something huge or even life changing. For example a jigsaw puzzle, which begins with the first piece. A painting begins with the first brush stroke. A song begins with the first note. A book begins on the first page. For me, a huge BEGINNING recently took place that most of you can probably relate to. A couple of weeks ago I began a new job, which is the reason why I haven’t posted anything new for a while. Being out of work is what gave me the time to start this blog in the first place and post all the things you’ll find here. I hope that over time, I can work out a schedule that includes time for this. Anyway, let's go back to the “beginning”.

There’s Nothing Like Homemade Bread

Anyone who is even remotely familiar with scripture is probably familiar with the many miracles that Jesus performed during his 3 short years of ministry here on Earth. Even for someone who is not a regular churchgoer or scripture reader, there is one miracle in particular mentioned in scripture that pretty much everyone is familiar with. In scripture we hear the story of how Jesus fed five thousand men with only five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6: 34 – 44). But did you know that there was someone else who performed a similar miracle many years before Jesus did? That’s right, it was a woman, except she didn’t just feed five thousand men, she fed the entire world and continues to do so even today. 

So who was this woman and how did she feed way more people than Jesus did that day? Before I answer that question, I want you take a minute and think about all of the different ways we refer to Jesus: teacher, friend, brother, savior, the light of the world, “the way, the truth and the life”, just to name a few. I mean the list goes on and on. Who could have imagined the endless list of titles he would be given, not only throughout his life but also throughout history? So how did he come to get all these different ways that we refer to him? For the most part, man has given him these names and references.

And So It Grows...

Recently I was remembering something I had heard a while back that got me thinking about something. It was something I found so intriguing that I had to find out if it was true, and low and behold, it is. Maybe you already know this fact, but there is one particular tree, the Chinese Bamboo, that when it is planted, it lies dormant for four years, and then in the fifth year, the tree starts to grow. Not only that, but it grows at a staggering rate. In fact, the Chinese Bamboo tree can reach a height of 90 feet in a mere five weeks! Can you imagine something growing nine stories tall in five weeks?

So I started thinking about things I did, or said to someone five years ago. And I started wondering if those things are (or will be) having some kind of effect on someone else now. Who knows? I’m convinced that this is such a common occurrence that we often don’t even realize it’s taking place. This is why I believe the things we do and say, might not change the world, but they might just change “somebody’s” world. 

As Christians, we are called to do many things. One of those things is to evangelize, to spread the good news, to help others to see and understand who Christ is. We do that not only with our words, but also with the way we live our lives and what others are seeing in us. It’s the same thing we hear and read about so often in scripture, which so often talks about planting seeds. But the truth it that sometimes it goes the opposite way too. 

A Special Long Distance Call For You

Relationships can be challenging at any level, whether it’s with a friend, sibling, child, parent and even the ones which involve that “special someone” like a boyfriend and girlfriend, or husband and wife. When it comes to relationships, there is another aspect that sometimes comes into play, which some people will try, and that is a long-distance relationship. It can make a relationship not only challenging, but darn near impossible.

Of course, by long-distance relationship, I’m referring to one in which two people are separated by a distance that prohibits them from seeing each other on a regular basis. Personally, I’ve never been in a long-distance relationship before, but I’m sure that most of us know of someone who’s given it a try. At first, it must seem like a good idea, or, with enough effort it could actually work. But over time (and of course, distance) it seems to me that inevitably these relationships almost always seem to fail. Why? I imagine that it’s simply because of the lack of actually seeing each other. After all, when you care about or love someone it’s only natural to want to be with the other person. Even in this day and age of computer technology and things like Skype, where you can actually see someone you’re talking to, who is maybe thousands of miles away, it still can’t take the place of being together in the same place at the same time.

Look At The Time, I Got To Go

Have you ever been to a theater, watching a really good movie and right before the climactic scene you got up to leave and miss the conclusion? I doubt it, especially if it’s a thriller, where the bad guy is just about to get caught or killed, or a “chick flick” where the couple is about to be reunited with their one true love, or a hundred other formula movies where you know a great ending is coming that will wrap up a story that you just invested 2 hours of your time in.

Well it never fails, every Sunday at Mass, I will inevitably see someone head out the door right after receiving the Eucharist at Communion. I think at some point in our lives, we are probably all guilty of doing this, but hopefully if we did it was for a darn good reason, like maybe your kids had a game they had to get to buy a certain time or they wouldn’t get to play, or maybe you started feeling ill and needed to get home.

Happy Mother’s Day

Today is the day we celebrate a special person in our lives, our mothers. Mothers goes through a lot, way more than us men. Although I will never know the pain of childbirth, I do know what they go through by raising children. While it may not be the case with every mom, along with so much joy our children bring, at times our children can bring lots of heartache (especially those teenage years), mostly through worrying, staying up late waiting for them to come home, arguing about why they can’t do this or that, watching them get hurt by friends and so many other things. The list goes on and on.

When it’s all said and done, there is nothing like a Mother’s love. It is special and unique. It is one of the strongest feelings there is because our children mean everything to us and there is nobody who can care more than a mother.

Hurry Up And Wait

“I don't have time for this”

“Do you have the time?”

“Well it’s about time”

“Time’s up”

Those are all expressions we’ve heard before about time. But there’s one expression that I think is one that probably says more about time than any of those and that is; “In God’s time.” It is a pretty self-explanatory phrase. It simply means, for those who believe that God is in control of our lives (and He truly is), then the things that happen, or usually the things we want to happen, do so when God is ready to let it happen.

Have you ever seen someone standing on a street corner waiting to cross the street and they keep pushing the “cross” button repeatedly, as if pushing it over and over is going to make it change any faster? Well, even though that person may want to get across the street as quickly as possible, the light is programmed to allow sufficient time for other cars to go through the intersection first, no matter how many times someone presses that darn button.

Don’t Forget About Me

Luca Giodarno - Madonna and Child
with Souls in Purgatory

It seems like I can’t go one single day without writing myself a note of some kind to remind me to do something. I’m sure a lot of you can relate. And the older I get, the worse it is. There are days when it seems like I have notes to remind me to write myself a note. It’s ridiculous. Nevertheless, if I don’t want to forget about something, it’s what I have to do. Then there are the things that I actually DO forget about because I forgot to write myself a note. It’s an endless cycle.

But what’s worse than forgetting to do something? I guess it would be forgetting about someone. Maybe there’s been a time or two when you forgot someone’s birthday or anniversary, or you forgot to call someone when you said you would. That is an awful feeling. What’s even worse is when you ARE the one who’s been forgotten. It probably happens to everyone at some point or another in our lives. I guess it’s probably one of the saddest things in the world to be forgotten. I can only imagine that’s how it must be for most homeless people, when it feels like the whole world has forgotten about them.

A Note From God

Happy Easter everyone. Today's post is a simple one. This has been making the rounds on social media for a while now. I had not seen it until recently when a friend emailed it to me. If you've already seen this before, as we begin this Easter season with a renewed zeal for God's love in our lives, let it be a good reminder of the way God always speaks to us and He reminds us to talk to him.

I've Missed You

The video you see there on the right is pretty funny if you have never seen it before. Take a minute and watch. This dog gets extremely excited when it sees its’ owner. It is hilarious to watch because this dog absolutely cannot contain its’ joy and excitement. Maybe you even have a dog yourself that acts that way when you come home at the end of the day. Even my own dog goes crazy with excitement when certain people he loves, come to visit. It is so fun to watch. But this isn’t just the case for dogs, but for us as well. 

When there is someone whom you haven’t seen for a long time, perhaps a family member in the military who has come home after being gone for an extended period, think of the joy and excitement you feel when they’ve come home because you’ve missed them while they were gone. It is just natural to miss someone, especially someone you love deeply. 

Hey buddy, got a light?

“Mommy, can you leave the light on please? I’m afraid of the dark.” 

That phrase has probably been heard in every household with small children for centuries. When you think about it, it’s a pretty descriptive sentence because in just a few words, it lets someone else know a lot. First, it says how the child feels – afraid. Second, it says what the child needs in order to feel better – light.  

Darkness is an interesting thing. For some people, sitting in the dark, watching a scary movie is enjoyable. For others, sitting outside in the dark, staring at a star filled sky can be nothing short of inspiring. But for some people, the dark can feel the same as it does for that small child. 

Feelin’ a little lost?

Do you drive a car with a built-in GPS? Although my car doesn’t have one, I sometimes think how nice it would be to have one built in to my car. I’m sure most everyone knows what a GPS is. Just in case you don’t, GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It’s a map based system that not only lets you know where you are, but how to get someplace else by guiding you with step-by-step directions. For those of us who may be a little older, remember Thomas Guides? (SARCASM ALERT) Yes kids, we actually had to look up directions on something called a map! 

Even if you don’t have a GPS built in to your car, these days, anyone with a smart phone can simply open up an app on his or her phone that will do the exact same thing. Although this technology has been around now for several years, I still find it to be amazing. Think about it for a minute, you type in an address, and some ladies voice tells you exactly how to get there, every turn, how many miles and even how long it will take to get there. Wow.

What if I told you how you could get a State-Of-The-Art GPS system and it was absolutely free?
I’m talking about a fully functional, top-of-the-line directional system that is 100% accurate and will get you where you need to go every single time, without fail. Does that sound too good to be true? This system is available to every single person at absolutely no charge whatsoever. Here’s how you get yours. The first step to receive your new GPS is to begin by making the sign of the cross. 

Looks Like Rain

Living here in Southern California, we’re all aware that we entering into our fourth year of a severe drought. Water shortage is nothing new to this region, or many others for that matter and the truth is, we should be conserving water in times like this. I do however, always find it ironic how one part of the country can be so severely dry, while just a couple of states away, there is flooding. That never fails to amaze me.

Being in the severe drought that we are in, reminds me of a story that perhaps you’re familiar with as well. Forgive me if some of the details of the story are not quite accurate, but I’m just repeating it the way it was told to me. It goes something like this.

Apparently, a few decades ago, there was a part of the country that was suffering from a terrible drought. One that had reached a point where people’s lives and livelihoods were being affected, including farmers, whose crops were drying up and livestock were in danger of dying of thirst. In an effort to try to help the situation, the community did what many of us do in times of need…they turned to God. 

Is It Worth It?

Have you ever accidently broken something that was your favorite thing, maybe even your most prized possession, something that you valued a great deal? If so, your immediate reaction was probably, shock, disbelief, disappointment or even anger. I sometimes think of someone who owns a classic car. The kind you see that you just know was probably either kept in that condition from the start or maybe restored at a great deal of time, cost and effort. (I recently read about one car, A 52-year-old Ferrari, that sold at an auction for $34.65 million). Then, one day they are driving down the street and get into an accident, the kind that totals the car and it is destroyed beyond repair. Personally, every time I see a car like that driving down the street, I can’t help but think of that exact scenario and imagine that if that if I owned a car like that I would probably never drive it and I would do everything I could to protect it, the same way most of us do with our most valuable possessions. 

That’s Going To Leave A Mark

NOTE: this article contains several links. Please feel free to explore them to learn more.

This Wednesday, February 18, begins the season of Lent. Up until just a few years ago, I always looked at Lent in the same way, just a 40-day period before Easter when we give something up and don’t eat meat on Friday’s. Wow, how much was I missing? A lot. As usual, because of who I was, I just didn’t really understand the importance and true meaning of Lent, or maybe that’s because I just wasn’t paying attention.

I was struck by an interesting thought as I was hearing the first reading at Mass earlier this week. It was the story of Cain and Abel. We all know what happens. Out of jealousy, anger, envy and probably a bunch of other feelings, Cain kills his own brother Abel because God looked favorably on Abel’s offering (GN 4:1-15,25). The story goes on to tell us that the Lord banishes Cain. Fearing for his life, the Lord puts a mark on Cain so that he would not be touched (GN 4:15).

Get Ready To Do Battle

I don’t know a single person who likes to fight. I have personally known some people by their very nature, just seem to be very argumentative. I often wonder why these people are that way or how they became that way in the first place. I don’t think people are born that way rather something (or someone) causes them to feel a need to disagree with others no matter what. The important thing (and sometimes the hardest) for me is to not judge them for being that way.

Everyone has had an argument with someone, or even a fight, maybe not physically, but verbally. Fighting is not enjoyable at all. If there is ANYTHING positive that can come out of fighting, it is that something gets resolved…hopefully. Otherwise there is no point to it at all. So, depending on how you look at it, and depending on the circumstances, fighting can actually serve a purpose. So should we actually look for an opportunity to pick a fight with someone? No, of course not. But under the right circumstances, fighting is justified.

Tuned in or tuned out?

Most of us own a vehicle. I think it’s funny how we relate to our cars. Our cars say a lot about who we are. I know people, who own some really nice cars that would be considered expensive, fancy, elegant and to some, even impressive. There are some people who need to drive something new, up-to-date, who perhaps even get something new every couple of years. Then, there are others (like myself) who drive a car forever, which could be considered for one sole purpose, to get us where we need to go, when we need to go there.

Personally, I have owned 2 cars in my life. The first, I kept for 19 years, and my current ride is approaching 15 years old. So you can see what a car means to me. However, driving this car on a daily basis, I know this vehicle really well. You could even say I know every nuance of the vehicle. I know how it feels every time I get in, I know the sounds that it makes, I know if something is not right and I can tell if something is not right. Someone could refer to me, as someone how is probably “in tune” with his or her car.

The Shape Of Things To Come

Have you ever thought about shapes, or even more specifically, the shapes of objects? If you look up the definition of “shape” in the dictionary, you get something like this:

shape
SHāp/ 

noun

1. the external form or appearance characteristic of someone or something; the outline of an area or figure.
2. the particular condition or state of someone or something.

Remember back in school having to learn about the math behind shapes? Square, triangle, trapezoid, parallelogram and of course all those “gons” like pentagon, hexagon and octagon, each of those serving a specific purpose.

Some shapes don't always stay the same. Sometimes the shape of things can change due to other factors. For example, a rock in a stream over time will have it’s shape changed