Jesus Never Lied

I’m going to miss Fr. Ray. I found his homilies and talks interesting. While most people were sleeping during his talks on Saturday night on retreat, I was taking notes on what he was saying. I specifically remember one homily at a retreat mass on a Friday night a few years back. While I don’t remember the topic, I do remember one particular line: “Jesus said it. Jesus never lies. Therefore, I believe it.”

Inner Peace

My son was telling me about a boy in his Religous Education Class. “Dad, I think there’s something wrong with him. When he talks, he stutters. It takes him a long time to get the words out. He says something like ‘Y-y-y-y-ou d-d-d-d-on’t have t-t-t-t-to read the B-b-b-b-b-ile to go to heaven. All y-y-y-y-ou have t-t-t-t-o do is b-b-b-be good..” I said, “Ya, it does sound like he struggles a bit with his speech.” But I was more struck by what the boy said, and less about how he said it. It seems saying what he did say was a bit advanced for a 10-year-old. It sounds more like he heard that from someone older than him, maybe an adult.

God Is God

I believe in the Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior for two reasons: hope and peace. Hope because I have three children, a wife, friends, family, and a soul. I have hope when my 19-year-old daughter goes out with her friends on weekend night that she returns safely home. Hope that my 13-year-old daughter will stay on track with her rock-steady grades and bubbly attitude. Hope that the adventure- or crisis-of-the-day for my 9-year-old son at school is something I can laugh about. Hope that my wife forgives me when I am thoughtless and selfish and away from home too many nights in a given week. Hope that my dad, who suffers from a lung disease that will eventually kill him sometime soon, not sure when, not tomorrow probably, but not sure when, will make peace with God before he dies.