Monday Morning Meditation #116: About Mercy

Once again, it is closer to Monday evening than Monday morning. Today, beginning early this morning (or late last night), I have been absorbed with the shooting death of one of my clients -- quite a shock and meant as a political statement. There is not much one can say, but I have spent part of the day in consolation activities with those who worked with this client. We do have some pictures of our joint work, really nice ones, with him, and my employees have begun assembling them in hopes that the family will find some comfort in them, along with the words of consolation that we are putting together. Such sad news; it has, indeed, been a sorrowful day. We have had a litany of problems, related to individual employees' positions at work, but nothing to equal this level of sorrow. I sent some of the people most affected by the current issues home early because they could not concentrate.

So, once again it was quite late before I was able to settle in and read further in  Micah. I did not get past chapter 7 (where I was last week) this week. I came across a passage about God's great mercy and compassion, and I think that is just what I needed to hear today.

Reading: Micah 7:1

Meditation:When humans create such misery, it is always a comfort to know that God's mercy is endless. In fact, at prayer group tonight, we re-read the liturgy for Ash Wednesday. I had felt that Lent started without me because I missed the Ash Wednesday Mass as a result of being out of town and being given the wrong time for Mass in the city I was visiting. Everyone wanted me to experience Ash Wednesday, so we read the readings from the Mass. The Ash Wednesday readings talked about God's mercy and compassion, a repetition of sorts of what is written in Micah. In talking about the "bad guy" who killed our client, one of the young members of our prayer group commented that the "bad guy" would get his comeuppance later from God. Hm. I wonder. If the "bad guy" repents, he will be forgiven. Somehow, I find that more than okay. I find that comforting. We all need forgiveness. Perhaps our "bad acts" do not include murder and the like, but whatever offends God is bad. We are all in need of forgiveness, and we all hope that God in His compassion will accept our repentance. So, we prayed that that the "bad guy" would indeed repent so that another spectacular example of God's mercy can be had.

Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I now retire to private prayer to praise God for His compassion. I will thank God for all the times He has forgiven me. I will, of course, also ask for His mercy in general and repent for all my "bad acts" (intentional and, mostly, unintentional) that have needed forgiveness. Then I will move on to contemplation, my favorite part of the day, letting God take over the direction in which my relationship with Him moves.

I will leave you now to your prayer and contemplation. First, though, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:

Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I think you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too, as do readers of this blog who have taken the stroll over to his blog.)

For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs on my sidebar and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.

Would you run from church if this happened?

Another goodie from the Internet that landed in my email inbox today:

One Sunday morning during service, a 2000-member congregation was surprised to see two men enter, both covered from head to toe in black and carrying submachine guns. One of the men proclaimed, "Anyone willing to take a bullet for Christ, remain where you are."

Immediately,

... the choir fled

... the deacons fled

... and most of the congregation fled.

Out of the 2,000, there remained only 20.

The man who had spoken took off his hood. He then looked at the preacher and said, "Okay, pastor, I got rid of all the hypocrites. Now you may begin your service. Have a nice day!"

And the two men turned and walked out.

Monday Morning Meditation #115: About Misery

Good golly, it is closer to Monday evening than Monday morning. This morning I was completely exhausted and zonked out in my hotel bed, which, just a tad earlier, I was certain that I would never see. Because we had a "security concern" on my plane from San Jose (turns out to be the guy sitting right in front of me and with whom I had exchanged some pleasant words -- pretty sure he was not really a security concern and even the police who removed him said after the fact that there had been no real problem but nonetheless he would not be allowed to fly that day), I missed my connection in Phoenix, which caused me to miss my connection in Charlotte, which, in turn, caused me to arrive in Fayetteville significantly after midnight. I had planned to take a cab, but there was no cab in sight. I called the All American cab company, whose card was at the taxi post (but no person was there). The dispatcher said he had no intention of sending a cab to the airport -- too far, too late. I found the number of Currie cab whose dispatcher promised to send someone and gave me a number to call if no one showed up in ten minutes. No one showed up in ten minutes, so I called that number, which, it turns out, was the number for Yellow Cab. By then, it was getting quite late, and everyone had left the airport except me. Yellow Cab promised to send a cab in 10-15 minutes. None arrived. I called back and was told another 5 minutes. After three more calls and being told "any minute" now, one finally arrived. The police officer who was supposed to lock up the airport an hour earlier kindly waited with me until the cab arrived. I reached the hotel at 2:00 in the morning, only to get up and find the person I was to meet missing. It turns out I was at the wrong hotel! So, I had to pack up and move out to another hotel. I think everything is back on track now. (I hope.)

Anyway, I finally (quite late) was able to settle in and read further in  Micah. Moving into Chapter 7, I had to laugh when I found the following written:

¹ What misery is mine!
I am like one who gathers summer fruit
   at the gleaning of the vineyard;
there is no cluster of grapes to eat,
   none of the early figs that I crave. 

After relating that litany of "misery" and then reading the verse about "misery," I had to admit that my life, by comparison to what befell the Israelis (even if admittedly through their own fault much of the time), is full of joy, not misery. After all, I did find a cab (was not left abandoned or on foot), and I did find a bed (albeit at the wrong hotel).

Reading: Micah 7:1

Meditation: I am going to move away from the literal text of Micah and reflect on my position as an American. Times are difficult, especially economically, in the United States, and while I have not been affected as severely as most people, my friends, family, and I have not been left untouched. Still, it is a matter of degree and of comparison, as well as of expectation. Most Americans (with some exceptions) are in better shape than people in some of the third-world countries I have visited. Yet, it seems that it is human nature to want more than we have and to blame God for not taking care of us when our lot in life changes. (Makes one think of Job and how he continued to praise God, no matter what. That is hard to do, isn't it?)

I have been worried about two friends who recently have ended up in financially difficult situations. Both strong believers, they have seen their faith tested by this unexpected, rapid, and severe reverse in fortunes. I would like to be able to help them, but they have pulled away from those with faith and have indicated a desire to "handle" their situation on their own. Not knowing whether or not they are serious about being alone, I have pushed a little in both cases, only to be repulsed. So, I do the best thing I can do: I pray for them.

Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I now retire to private prayer to praise God for being with us even when we do not know it or will not accept it, even when we blame Him for troubles that He never caused. I will thank God for giving us challenges for it is through meeting and overcoming challenges that we grow. I will, of course, also Him to be with my friends and to repent for any times I may have caused Him sorrow by blaming Him for any of my sorrow. Then I will move on to contemplation, my favorite part of the day, letting God take over the direction in which my relationship with Him moves.

I will leave you now to your prayer and contemplation. First, though, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:

Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I think you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too, as do readers of this blog who have taken the stroll over to his blog.)


For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs on my sidebar and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.

Small Touches of Divine Assistance

Yesterday, I had an early appointment at headquarters. I left home in adequate time to arrive promptly, but not extremely early. After all, it is nearly an hour's drive to headquarters from San Ignatio. (Thank God, my office is not at headquarters but considerably closer to SI.)

As I reached the town in which our headquarters is located, I suddenly realized that I would not be let into the company parking lot. I purchased a new car a couple of weeks ago, and I had not yet had time to get a company decal. Badges and decals are required. There are no exceptions.

So, I planned to park outside the gates. I went up a back road to avoid lights because I needed to gain a little time, now that I would have about a ten-minute walk to reach the security gates from wherever I could find street parking. Happy that there was a lot of space along the street, I parked, locked the car, and happily scampered around the corner that would lead to headquarters. After walking 3-4 blocks, I realized I had parked half-way down the hill, not at the top of the hill, and my walk was now 20 minutes, not 10, and all steeply up an incline that does not quite rival Lombardo Street in SF but comes close.

Huffing and puffing as I scurried uphill as quickly as I could, with gravity yanking me a few inches backwards for every foot I traveled, I stopped to catch my breath. A car pulled up beside me, down came its window, and a familiar voice called out, "Mah'am, what are you doing walking?"

It was a Sudanese employee who had transferred to headquarters, with my help, a couple of months ago. I had not seen him since, and he was clearly late for work. Nonetheless, he took me straight to the front door of the building in which I had my appointment, and I arrived exactly on time!

Love those little daily miracles that tell me that God is indeed keeping an eye out for me!

Spiritual Sunday #40: "The Stranger Within Our Gates"

For more Spiritual Sunday posts, I recommend that you wander over to the website of Charlotte and Ginger, who host the Spiritual Sunday meme.

Because I do not blog on Sundays -- keeping it as the sabbath, a practice started by Fr. Christian Mathis (Blessed Is the Kingdom) -- I usually use older posts (forgotten perhaps but hopefully still interesting) from one or another of my blogs that seem appropriate for this meme. It seems to work to bring out the older posts that many have not read before or ones from other blogs I maintain that readers of 100th Lamb may not know about.

This week, however, I decided to share with you the delightful verse I found last night on my pillow at the Omaha Doubletree, as I returned from a day of work in Nebraska (business trip) and was prepared to pack up for a very early morning departure:

In ancient times there was a prayer for 'The Stranger Within Our Gates'

Because this hotel is a human institution to serve people and not solely a money-making organization, we hope that God will grant you peace and rest while you are under our roof.

May this room and hotel be your "second" home. May those you love be near you in thoughts and dreams. Even though we may not get to know you, we hope that you will be comfortable and happy as if you were in your own house. May the business that brought you our way prosper. May every call you make and every message you receive add to your joy. When you leave, may your journey be safe.

We are all travelers. From "birth till death" we travel between eternities. May these days be pleasant for you, profitable for society, helpful for those you meet, and a joy to those who know and love you best.

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday!