theROCK

There's Something Happening Here

Do you ever get that "feeling"? The "feeling" that something is going to happen, something big?

I've been having that "feeling" lately. There are times when I think it just might be my nerves getting the best of me but that isn't exactly it. While I don't doubt that nerves have something to do with it, there is something more. I’ve started taking to the idea that this is the Holy Spirit. While driving to work recently, I heard that song by Buffalo Springfield – “For What It’s Worth” – and it has the lyrics: “There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear.” There truly is something happening here at St. Dominic that isn't exactly clear, but it is feeling really good. There is an energy, a life, a spirit. I can't quite put my finger on it but this "feeling" is causing me to well up with pride, with joy, with excitement.

Many Saints write about conversion and surrender, as it is a pathway to holiness. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta would say, "We have to love until it hurts. It is not enough to say I love. We must put that love into a living action. And how do we do that? By giving until it hurts." This loving until it hurts is conversion. It is surrender because it is counter-cultural. St. Faustina brought us the depiction of surrender through the image of the Divine Mercy and the simple yet powerful prayer "Jesus, I trust in you!" Releasing oneself to the will of the Father is liberating yet terrifying. 

It is not enough to say yes to God when he has called us for himself. It's very important to put that “yes” into a living action. And how do we put that into a living action? By our total surrender to Him. We understand that He has chosen us for Himself - all that follows is that we allow Him to use us without consulting us. We are human beings and we like to know exactly what He wants, how He wants, and so on. But if we really want to be only all for Jesus, it is important that we give Him a free hand to do with us what He wants, as He wants. Only then can we really say we are only all for Jesus. - Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Thirsting for God, 2000.

There is something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear, but guaranteed is it is guided by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother.

Holy Spirit Wake Up Calls

My typing skills are best described as somewhat unique. While better than a two-fingered hunt and peck approach, they are far from being a trained skill. I honed it while entering data on a laptop in a parked car with the steering wheel in the way so you can imagine the challenge of the awkward position. The red spell check highlights quickly became my friend.

Today, I type on a couple laptops, keyboards, tablets, and phone and try to begin messages with a salutation. Sometimes a hi or hello, but usually a good morning/afternoon/evening. Oftentimes “good” shows up as “God.” While it might be my lack of typing prowess or sticky keys, I tend to view this as a wake-up call from the Holy Spirit. He is saying to me that it might be a “good” morning, but it is always a GOD morning. When I catch this “error” it seems I am being asked many questions such as:

How am I serving God today?

Have I taken time to see the beauty in the day?

Will I actively live my faith today?

Who will I encounter who might not be having a good day and really needs a God day? Will I seize the opportunity and engage this person? Will I actually serve God and “become Christ” like our mission calls?

This nudge has been occurring for years on countless devices. I type the same way. Why today? What does God want me to realize today? Sometimes I get it, and candidly, many times I struggle. Each and every time it makes me think. It’s a simple queue to make me pause and remember that I am, and we are, here to serve God in all that we do, and in every interaction. God blesses us and gives each of us our unique gifts. What do we do with these blessings?

Poor typing skills makes me stop and ponder. What makes you think about God?

The Amazing Holy Spirit

I came to an appreciation of the Holy Spirit in my thirties as I taught the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit to my fourth graders. I didn’t quite understand it as a child the first time around. I will say this, the Holy Spirit is amazing! When you ask to be strengthened in the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, understanding, courage, piety, counsel, and fear of the Lord there is clarity of purpose and direction that follows. Fear, not so much that you are afraid of God but more that you are in awe of God’s love and power in our lives, is what is meant by “fear of the Lord”. This comes from paying attention to how God works in your life. It leads to giving your all for God because you appreciate the magnitude of His love. Exercising the gifts through prayer, results in the fruits of the Holy Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are all things that allow us to live in right relationship with God and one another. All things we need in our world. All things we need to continue the work of Jesus. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit to renew the face of the earth.