“BE NOT AFRAID.  I GO BEFORE YOU ALWAYS

COME, FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL LEAD YOU HOME”

One of the boys from the Our Lady of Fatima Rehab Center

Now A crippled man was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his full attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but whatever I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. He walked into the temple courts, leaping joyously and praising God.

-       Acts 3:2-9

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Yesterday was a hard day.  For a minute i felt as thought my life here, or who i want to be at least, was in vain…

 

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In the Catholic Church, yesterday was the Annunciation of the Lord.  It heralds the beginning of our salvation… It is the celebration of when Mary, said YES.

 

Alter cloth of the Queen of Peace and baby Jesus over Africa - from the Virginia Retreat

“In Jesus, God has placed, in the midst of barren, despairing mankind, a gift from above.”

-       Pope Benedict XVI

 

THE ANGEL GABRIEL was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will give him the throne of David his father, and he will full over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

                                    - Luke 1:26-38

 

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“Do not be afraid. Nothing will be impossible for God. May it be done to me according to your word.”  When I talked at prayer last night those words were the only words I could focus on from when Benjamin had read the gospel.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.  He is so good…  And over and over again He shows me that although He gives and takes away, He always provides, and NOTHING is impossible with Him.

 

So when i first got here one of my biggest fears, was the stigma of the American. And i see it played out every time i go to Redlight or Monrovia but i thought, or at least hoped, i would never see it here at the mission…Well today i did.  And it was pretty heavy on my heart…

 

Today, John (a new volunteer that came from Cape Cod – i also met John last summer when i was in Honduras) and i went to Monrovia.  When David Dionisi (founder of the mission – teachpeace.com) was here he asked me to do a favor.  He told me that 4 of the boys who had never asked him for anything asked if they could have a few things (3 wanted soccer cleats – which none of them have, and the other wanted art supplies – which also none of them have).  Dave felt that the boys had been so good, and the past 5 years they hadn’t asked him for anything, so he wanted to get these things for them - - can you blame him?  The dilemma was that he was about to leave and wouldn’t have time to take the boys on the errand himself – so he asked if i would do it for him. i didn’t think anything of it and quickly agreed.  But the more i thought about it, the more i was hesitant…i knew that if i got stuff for 4 boys…there would be 92 others who would be without…and its not like they aren’t going to notice that they have new cleats – most of them play soccer barefoot. So i put off the trip…until yesterday…

 

This is when the day starts spiraling..

 

John and i left for Monrovia with the Mission driver, Mr. Alfred.  When we got to Waterside Street, which is the big open market in Monrovia, we parked the car and got out to look for a place to exchange the money i had ($US) into Liberian Dollars…

Out of the corner of my eye, i saw a money counting machine in a store on the side of the market and decided that would be a good place to give it a shot.  i walked in and asked if they could change $US into $Liberians and they said “Yea, of course”. They asked me how much, and i said $200.  i gave them the money, and as the girl was changing it…she started snorting…like a pig…i heard it and at first and thought she had an itch in her throat…but as it continued there was no mistake that it was an insult…

We left the store and i looked at Alfred and asked if it meant what i thought it did…He looked at me, turned away, and just nodded…He knew it would hurt me, and he was right… They woman snorted - implicating that i was a white pig with money…

 

It was all i could think about, but we had to run the errands so i tried block it out as much as possible. We found a group of men selling cleats on the side of the street and we stopped and bought the cleats…Alfred later informed me that the men told him that if the cleats were for him he would have sold them for $17 US but since i was buying it he would charge me $20… as i’ve been around Honduras and now here, i’m definitely used to having to pay more because i’m american, but because of what had happened earlier, it kinda got to me…i tried to let it go, and we walked towards the car to head out…

 

boy soldiers fighting in Monrovia during the war

Let me preface this next part by saying that throughout the entirety of Monrovia, the streets are crawling with crippled men - past child soldiers or rebels, begging for change walking around in cructches or scooting around on boxes atop wheels because they either have had one or both legs blown off. Well when you park in a bad part of town they usually watch your car for money.. not a lot, 10-20 $Liberians (20-30 cents $US)..not a lot to us... but that buys a meal and a drink in Liberia…and that’s a good amount of money to someone asking for money on the street because they can’t get a job …

 

So we get to the car and this man from a store walks up to me as i’m getting in the van…He tells me that he was watching our car and he was demanding that i give him something for compensation…

The issue was he was not a cripple, he was a store owner…I also did not ask him to watch the van…and he was not asking…he was demanding… “ I watch yo’r car, Wha’ you gonna give me!?!”… i didn’t know what to do, at first i just smiled and said i hadn’t asked him to watch the car… “Bu’ I did…Wha’ yo gonna give me?!?” he insisted… i didn’t know what to do, and i knew i had some $Liberians in my back pocket – i didn’t really think, and me being the people-pleaser that i am – not wanting to leave the man “vex” - reached back for a bill and handed it to him…

Well it just so happens i only had 50s in my back pocket…when i exchanged money i received large bills because $200 US is $12,800 Liberians…i felt like an idiot…  And it didn’t help that the man walked back to his street-side-store holding up the money to his friends while simultaneously pointing at me and laughing… It was definitely not helping my feeling like just another “throw-money-at-everything-american”, which in all honesty, is how we portray ourselves to other countries around the world – or at least in the experiences i’ve had, that’s how the people have perceived me…

 

So i sat quietly the whole hour and a half ride back to BlackTom Town.  i just thought. i felt like instead of attempting to erase the “money = everything” stigma, i had added to it, and i was just became another stupid white man in Monrovia with money…

 

i got back to the mission and i gave the 3 boys their cleats and jerseys…they were so thankful…which was nice…but the thought of the other boys was still in my head…

And when i went to work in the field, multiple boys asked… “Uncle Matthew, you got them boots, I want some too!”…they saw me as just money, a means to get material stuff… My heart was heavy…i came here in hopes of getting away from the materialism…the power of money…the means to “things”…

 And then boys started asking me for clothes, bags, and other things - it was a hard day on my soul. i didn’t want to be that. Sure, i would love to buy them ALL cleats, and i told them that – but if i did, i would be sending the message opposite to that of which i want to send… i didn’t want to give them just money…i wanted to give them something i believe is more valuable… i wanted to give them myself, my time, my love…i wanted to be like Peter to the cripple… “Silver or gold I do not have, but whatever I have I give to you” it wasn’t money that made the cripple walk and then leap joyously… it was Peter, it was the power of Love - of giving himself and devotion.  Something more valuable then a means to material…more valuable than money…

 

So last night at prayer…As Benjamin was reading the gospel (the reading from Luke at the top), God put heavy on my heart what i had to talk about…

 

“Do not be afraid. Nothing will be impossible for God. May it be done to me according to your word.”

 

“Do not be afraid”

 

i told them about how i had a bad day…and why it hurt me…i told them that that was why i left the numbness of convenience and materialism. But in the same breath, also that i was afraid…i was afraid of coming here and my “mission” be in vain – i was afraid of just being another white guy to the people, who everyone expects to throw around more money then they’ve ever seen or needed. i talked to them about why it bothered me when they all wanted me to get them “stuff”, and that although i would have loved to, that with the money i have here (made possible by all of you - thank you all again for your support and prayers!) i wanted to put towards the greater good of all. i told them that money can be good, when used for the right things, and that with the money i had - i wanted to put it towards bringing more people into the program or sending more people to school. i explained to them the good in giving to people who really need it in this country the same opportunity that they were receiving, who needed it more then they needed new “boots”. i did want to be preaching the gospel of “Lord please enlarge my territory” instead of the Gospel of Love, sacrifice… the gospel of a Savior who was poor that we might become “rich” in the words deepest meaning…

 

 “Nothing will be impossible for God”

 

i told them that although in the states i lived in the convenience and in a world of things, i came in hopes of giving something else, myself. i wanted to be real with them, i wanted to be bold yet soft, i wanted to run, play, laugh and cry with them. i wanted to be vulnerable and uncomfortable. i wanted to live the life they live – out of my comfort zone - and learn how to Love and be generous… i don’t want to live for me or just focus on myself (did you know that English is the only language where “I” is capitalized?)which is extremely difficult and only human - especially in the society where we live…but in reality we’re only creatures for a while. (311)

 

 “May it be done to me according to your word.”

 

i told them that we had to say “Yes” like Mary did. That faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains…

“Sometimes the only way is jumping – i hope you’re not afraid of heights” (Gavin Degraw)

…That we will have doubts, we will have fears – after all we are flesh…

But the great thing about life is that it is full of uncertainty…its an adventure…

[Jesus said,] "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:34

i told them that i am very much LEARNING faith - That every single day is a struggle for faith (Even Mother Teresa said there were days when she didn’t know what she believed in or if there was a God). 

But if we can find that faith, if we can put our trust in God, He will always provide...Because nothing is impossible with Him.  And i told them that when i said yes to God calling me here, i knew He wanted me to graduate from the sublime…the things we in america don’t see…the power of money, or where we really put our love…i wanted to look at the faces i meet, i didn’t want to just live for a buck…or give just a buck(Third Eye Blind)…i wanted to give me… i asked them to help me to continually say yes… to hold me accountable… to help me to become a servant…

 

 

“I am not skilled to understand

What God has willed me, what God has planned

I only know at His right hand

Stands One who is my savior”

-       Aaron Shust

 

“What’s it gonna be? Are you real to me? Or are you Non Dairy… creamer?

The new love is burning up in me

‘cause 1 in 4 american girls has an STD.

And you can buy yourself some implants

but you can’t buy a soul that never launched

With your chest bumped up what are you so afraid of? What are you so afraid of?

So what’s it gonna be? Are you real to me? Or are you Non Dairy… creamer?

Mission Accomplished.”

                                    -“Non Dairy Creamer” Third Eye Blind

 

 

“There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done.

Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung.

Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game…its easy

Nothing you can make that can’t be made

No one you can save that can’t be saved

Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time…its easy

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Love is all you need

Nothing you can know that isn’t known

Nothing you can see that isn’t shown

There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be…it’s easy                       

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Love is all you need”

-       “All You Need is Love” The Beatles

 

 

All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!

-       Isaiah 55:1

 

“…Upon entering this path of unity we had chosen him alone. In a burst of love we had decided to suffer with him and like him. Well then, we have experienced that God, who is nothing but love, cannot be outdone in generosity, and through a divine alchemy he transforms pain into love. In a word, he was making us into Jesus, whom we experienced in ourselves through the gifts of his Spirit, gifts which are summed up in love…”

-       Chiara Lubich

 

It is Love that God desires, not empty sacrifices…

Thank you all for your prayers and support, we definitely feel them! I hope everyone is doing well, and I pray that you never let whatever fire is burning in your heart be extinguished ...

Pray for Love, understanding, generosity, compassion, wisdom, and courage for all of us...

Life, Love and Peace

uncle matthew

So this Great Adventure continues….

 

On Friday Benjamin, myself and 5 other boys from the mission (Anthony, Edwin, Moses, Paye, and Eleazir) took off for a retreat…

 

We left the mission and headed to Redlight where we met up with close to 200 of the youth that attend the St. Kizito Catholic Church.  They were not from the mission. They were not from the school, in fact many of them don’t go to school.  Most of them spend their days working in the market or farming…

(the Virginia retreat grounds)

So Sister Marita (honestly one of the most enthusiastic persons i have ever met) called roll and all 150+ of us squeezed onto a single school bus for the trek to Virginia…

Do you remember when you used to ride the school bus? Do you remember when the bus was really, really crowded? You know, like 3 persons to every seat?...We fit 6 to a seat ..and the overflow left seatless (including myself) stood and jammed the isles packed.  But this is Africa haha - and no one complained.  In fact, the whole way there all we did was sing songs of praise …every one was so excited to go on the retreat – almost all of them had never gone on an over night trip.

(some of the kids on the bus)

Now if any of you have every experienced a retreat i’m sure that you are thinking of the tranquility and quiet reflection and peace you felt. This was not that retreat. It was loud - and crazy - full of dancing, singing, and playing.  Well, i guess this is also not like a lot things but oh well the story continues…

On the ride i didn’t know what to expect – All i knew is that they told me we were going to the Virginia retreat house, where the pilgramage (almost all of the Catholics in the greater Monrovia area travel to this place to have a special service and worship in celebration of Jesus’ Mother, Mary, every December 8th …thousands upon thousands of Liberians) takes place and i had that Train song, “Meet Virginia” stuck in my head...

Once we got there and ALL piled off the bus i finally regained the feeling in my legs since the pressure between the isle packed of Liberians and the side of the bus seat cut off the circulation from my hips down…haha you know that tingly - needle feeling? i regained my feeling just in time to notice the ants covering my legs… haha… T.I.A.

So Benjamin, the other boys, and i put our stuff down and walked around the land – It, like the rest of this country, was absolutely beautiful.  The kids were so excited about being there – especially Benjamin.  i honestly thought he was acting like a 16-yr-old who walked out to the driveway to find a car on their birthday.  He was so excited about this chance to be on a retreat with other people and learn about his faith.  i think he was also just excited to go somewhere outside the mission for a change…

 

Anyway the retreat went on…The retreat master led talks and exercises (including one where i had to act like the son of mother worried about my wanting to go out to a club- - all the kids thought the idea of me, a “bana” (white), being the seed of a black woman was hysterical) and we learned about spiritual and societal blindness, the miscommunications and misunderstandings between different people (age- the worried mother skit, race, creed), and how to be followers of a Jesus that came to show us how to love and serve others… the talks were exactly what i was wanting to learn about - and the trip itself was a perfect opportunity to try and learn how to live it…

 

We slept in a corridor that held around 90 boys on approximately 30 beds…the boys from the mission and i decided we would sleep on the floor.  This is the type of experience i was looking forward to – meeting other Liberians, meeting those who weren’t blessed to be on the mission -Meeting those who lived in the market or the huts, and getting the chance to get a look into their lives, personalities, and their lives. It was an experience.  At first i think most of them didn’t know what to think of this “bana”, a lot of them gave me strange looks…its awkward being the minority…so i just tried to be real and myself - attempting to make a funny or deformed face…haha… and that usually did the trick or it at least led to a smile or good laugh…

Many of them didn’t know if i was going to eat Liberian food or eat my own, or if i was going to take a bath with them and like they do – out in the open tossing water from a bucket on your body, or if the white American was really going to sleep on the floor.  i would say most of them were skeptical at best at the beginning… but through the weekend… through the laughs… the awkwardness…the late night dancing in the corridor… the strange looks turned to smiles, handshakes, jokes and hugs.

 

Why is God so good?  Why is He showing me His graces?  Why is He blessing me with His people – Showing me how good it is to be mutually real and vulnerable with someone… how we are all one body…not superior nor inferior, but equal.  We just have to meet each other in the middle. 

 

 

So the retreat was awesome.  Benjamin and the boys were so grateful, and so happy they got the experience – and i have to say i am too. 

 

I left for the retreat just being the crazy “bana” from the mission tagging along with some of the mission kids…I left with a bus packed full of friends, a beautiful experience, and tons of promised shout outs next time i’m in Redlight…

redlight

“…But if a (child) of God would only get to know and taste the love that is divine – that of the uncreated, incarnate, and suffering God, who is the supreme Good – he would give himself totally to him, and take leave not only of himself but of other creatures as well. He would love this loving God so totally that he would transform himself completely into this God-man, the supreme Good, and beloved one. This is why, if a soul wishes to attain this perfection of love – in which it gives itself completely and serves God without the thought of a reward in this world, or even in the next, but gives itself to God and serves him for himself alone, as the one who is totally good and the total good, and worthy to be loved for himself alone – such a soul must enter through the straight path and walk along it with a love that is pure, upright, fervent and ordered.”

-       Blessed Angela of Foligno

 

To (those) whom I love in truth – and not only I but also all who know the truth – because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ in the Father’s Son in truth and love.

-       2 John 1-3

 

“Only Love can bring the rain, the way the beach is kissed by the sea….

Love Reign O’er Me

Only love can bring the rain that makes to yearn to the sky

Only love can bring the rain that falls like peace from on high

Love Reign O’er Me”

                                    - “Love Reign O’er me” -The Who…i love the Pearl Jam version though

 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

                                    - John 3:16

 

For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake He became poor although He was rich, so that by His poverty you might become rich.

                                    - 2 Corinthians 8:9

 

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must renounce himself, take up his cross, and follow me,” says the Lord.

                                    - Matthew 16:24

 

“Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, and then Love more.”

                                    - Mother Teresa

 

“Joy is the immediate consequence of a certain fullness of life. For the individual this fullness consists above all in knowledge and Love.”

                                    - St. Thomas

 

i hope everyone Is doing well!  i pray that God can free us from the things that blind us, and liberate us from the deafness of spirit – that we can learn that it is Love that He desires and not empty sacrifices. Pray for love, patience, joy, peace, understanding, compassion and mercy – for us all.

 

Life, Love and Peace

 

Uncle matthew

 

Brother’s and sisters: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

- 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

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Every night I look around this place and all I can do is smile. God is so good. He’s given me my daily bread and He is filling me up.

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Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.

- Colossians 3:12-14

So for the past couple of days I haven’t exactly been in tip-top physical condition. I have been a little under the weather, and I will not go into details that will gross you out but let’s just say I’ve had to be within sprinting distance of a toilet. Haha. The problem is double sided. Ok you already know what I’m talking about…anyway I’ve been sick…

So I stayed in my room all day on Monday and most of yesterday. I was away from the things that had been distracting me from my friends, my comforts, my home. So I got a little homesick. I got a little tired of always sweating. An ice cold Gatorade would have been a lot nicer then the luke-warm coke. Chillin on the couch watching some tv would have been pretty sweet I have to admit. And it would have been awesome to have been babied by Elizabeth or my mommy dearest...but that wasn’t happening. So I just thought…ALL DAY.

I started thinking of all the things I didn’t have, all the things I was used to having but was lacking at this given moment. You know, things like running water… so I didn’t have to go refill my bucket from the well every time I used the toilet… or Gatorade...fast food…milk that is dairy (only powder milk here)… or a couch and that little box that turns our brains to mush…hanging out with my friends every night...seeing my girlfriend… being with my family – yea I missed them all.

But throughout the day, I didn’t miss them any less, but they seemed to fade a little – God was covering up the things I was lacking and showing me the blessings he had been bestowing. He was showing me care in the kids offering to go to the well for me. He was showing me compassion when I walked in the prayer room and they all decided to say a prayer so I got better. He was showing me the good in the things I was lacking. He showed me how not having those things was giving me so much more. Its nice not being able to text all the time or be able to get on facebook every other hour (plus its so much cooler when you don’t check it for a while and have twice as many notifications). Those things are comforts…

And lately…The biggest thing God has been showing me is the beauty of being uncomfortable, because that is where we find Him

Jesus dwelled in the mangers, on the streets - He was homeless. When any other king would ride into town on a valiant steed, our God came strolling in over those palm branches on a donkey.

Jesus is in the face of the poor, of the hungry, of the homeless – because that is what He was. And that is what He calls us to Love him – His people is who we are to Love.

Our God lived with nothing because He knew He would leave with nothing. He knew that all He would be and represent are the characteristics and actions He represented.

When we die we can’t take our credit/debit cards. We can’t take our tv’s. We can’t take our computers or our cars. All we have is our soul. So what do our souls represent? Who-we-are is not our occupation or what family we come from. It is not what team we play for, or political party we represent. WE are our actions. We are the characteristics and the values we represent. And more time I’m without all the things, the comforts…the more I am fulfilled. The happier I am. The more i think about the THINGS of this world... the things that I once thought were so valuable, the things of convenience and comfort, the things that will soon be gone... the more I find that I want to represent what is real and everlasting.

I’m finding that when you don’t have anything, its easier to see what’s important. Jesus, In the faces of these children, is showing me that daily.

He’s showing me the joy of eating “Buckebugs” since they’re a great source of protein when most everyone’s diet here is cassava, cassava, more cassava - and maybe some fish…plus catching them is have the fun of eating them

He’s showing me the gift of getting someone’s water…Or just the gift of having water…The fun of doing chores with your friends...How good it feels to sweat...How joyful singing can be...How praise can be in playing or dancing or singing…the beauty of being real to one another…away from the numbness of convenience and material

He’s shown me His face every time I see one of His beautiful Children smile…

Hope all of you are doing well! Please pray for patience, for love, for understanding and compassion - for all of us.

Life, Love, and Peace

Uncle Matthew

Thursday 3/12/09

 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these Flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’”

                                    -Luke 16:19-31

 

 

Today I went to Saint Kizito High School with the eldest boy in our program, Benjamin. In this past month Ben has been my best friend.  He has been someone I go to for advice, and He is definitely someone I admire, especially after you hear all of the things he has been through and the work he has done, and the attitude he has had throughout his entire life.

 

Benjamin is the spiritual leader of the boys here at the mission.  Every morning he reads the gospel at the school on the Mission and he also leads that prayer I raved about every night.  He is an awesome guy.

 

So the other day he asked me if I would come help him talk about the gospel during the devotional at his school.  He told me it would just be like how I give a quick little talk each night at prayer and it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, so I agreed and didn’t put much thought into it.

 

Well when we got to the school I realized, yet again, this is Africa and things are a little different…devotional is done in front of the entire student body (1500 people).  Now any of you who know me, know that I am not a shy person, but the thought of speaking to a mass of Liberians had me a little nervous for a couple reasons…the main being I am not Liberian (rhetorical statement, yes I know), and I didn’t want to come across in any offensive means, especially being this American that none of them knew and I was about to talk about my religion with them…I didn’t want to seem like I thought I was superior or thought I was right or any of that nonsense…you get the picture…

 

Anywho… as I’m freaking out inside my head trying to figure out what on earth to say (praying that God’s words would come and not my own, haha and mainly that I would not screw up His good name) that would be appropriate for situation…I was simultaneously getting a tour of the campus and meeting a few of the faculty.

 

*Now keep in mind that passage from Luke that I posted at the beginning of the blog (yea – way up there at the top) was the gospel for the day – what would be read in front of the student body before Ben and I talked.*

 

So as I was being introduced to these faculty members… who were very gracious and sincere and smiled when they looked at me and shook my hand (but I also kinda got that feeling they were thinking I was just some spoiled American who didn’t understand their lives or hardships – and rightfully so)…I got the opportunity to talk with the Vice Principal –Steve – for the longest period of time.  He cordially thanked me for coming to the school and seeing how everything ran.  We talked about education, and how important it was for children, who yearn to learn (yea that rhymed) be fed with the “nourishment” they needed...and how the children in Africa are in dire need of nourishment…physically and educationally.  We talked about faith, and the Mission, and he asked Ben and I more about it…then He hit me with one of the hardest questions I have ever had to face…

 

“I just have one real question...” he started, “Why is it that you Americans come over here set up missions, try to evangelize us to your faiths, preach to us about Jesus, but then forget to practice what you’re preaching?”

 

…Well…after I picked my jaw from up off the floor… I had figured out what I was going to say to the student body, and I was going to say it to Mr. Steve as well.  I was going to give a confession.  I was going to apologize and ask for forgiveness.

 

It just seemed kind of ironic to me, and just made me think that God was cracking up at the position I was in right now, especially with what the gospel was about for the day… “Yea, what’s been going on down there rich man?” I could hear God whispering, “You try to evangelize the world to my gospel of Love, service, and humility while you’re still leaving Lazarus (the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed) hangin’ out there to dry.”

 

So the confession thing is what I did.  I gave a sincere apology to Mr. Steve, and then to 1500 Liberian students…  I told them that I was sorry for mine, and my fellow brothers in Christ’s hypocrisy against what we preached. (Now I’m not saying that you who are reading, this,  aren’t good people. Haha. PLEASE, do not get that notion. I’m not saying that at all, I’m just saying that we as American’s are blind to a lot of the world’s truths – myself being at the top of the list – and its time we start making a move towards finding and learning those truths)  I told them that America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and that whatever your life revolves around becomes your love.  I told them that we had fallen into the trap, not intentionally, but we had definitely fallen. I told them we had been desensitized from the realities of the world – the pain, hunger, and oppression that was very real for a vast majority of the world.  That our perspectives had shifted inwards and we viewed the “world” as just seeing what we see in the States, “our own little world”, see…and we had forgotten that we are only 6% of the world’s population. 

 

I apologized that we set up these organizations that preach of a Savior who was born in stable, who was homeless, while our lives evolve around the consumerism and materialism that has taken over America.  I apologized on account of our blindness to the fact that in the gospel today we, as Americans, are the rich man with multitudes of food and fine clothes and we had left Lazarus hangin’… we have neglected our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world …that we were wrong to claim we were the arms of Christ when we weren’t reaching…we were wrong to claim we were the hands of Christ when we weren’t healing…we were wrong to claim we were His feet when we weren’t moving…And we were wrong to claim His words of the way when we weren’t LOVING.  It made me realize more than ever that everyday I am still learning to breathe.

 

But I had to smile…Our God is MIGHTY to save.

 

He saves the wretch; He is the ‘physician for those who are ill’

 

So there is Hope.  And that’s the note I left them with, that I have hope; That all is not lost.  That there ARE plenty of people who get it, and who will work to help to bring those who are blind to light… not by word, but by deed….not by talking, but by silently walking with a smile…

 

Our addictions to this world are not our fault – but they are our problem.  It’s not our fault that it was the environment we were raised in, or the examples we were shown, but it is still an issue that needs to be overcome – it is still our problem.

 

So this is what I took from this question of evangelization today… We need to stop talking and we need to listen…its all about perspective…and many times its not about our own

 

“Now that I see that I am responsible, Faith without deeds is dead.”

 

 

“What matters most: how well you walk through the fire – burning in water or drowning in flames.”

                                    -Meriwether, “Paper Airplane Machine”

 

If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?

                                    -1 John 3:17

 

The poor are all those who stand in need of OUR love, our time, our interest, our concern.

 

Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.

                                    -1 Timothy 6:17-19

 

“In the evening of Life, we shall be judged on love.”

                                    -Saint John of the Cross

 

“I believe in…

The same thing that makes the night become day

The tide and the water

The sons and the daughters

Can’t fight it, Can’t buy it…Love

I’m gonna say it again

It’s the same thing that makes the Moonlight meet up with the Sunlight

Can’t fight it, Can’t buy it…Love

Things have been seemin’ real ready these days..

From the north to the south to the east to the west…

When happiness – is a bullet to your chest – when its your turn.”

                                    -Citizen Cope,  “Nite Becomes Day”

 

“Brothers and Sisters unite, It’s the time of your lives

it’s the time of your lives..

break down, break down

gotta spread love around, gotta spread it around”

                                    -Coldplay, “Brothers and Sisters”

 

“Every day we pay the price, we’re a living sacrifice, jamming till the jamming through”

                                    -Bob Marley, “Jamming”

The Power of Prayer

“Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They wider their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

                                    -Matthew 23:1-12

 

I want you to hear some of the love this country has - Some of the amazing people of this place…some of the stories that show that Love is here…

 

The mission I am at is called Mission Liberia.  It consists of a compound (the St. Martin House) that houses 96 boys and 25 girls.  It has a 20-acre farm.  There is a church (St. Michael the Archangel).  And there is also a school (St Anthony of Padua) on the property of Mission Liberia.

 

The mission was founded in 2003 by a man named Dave Dionisi.  Dave is involved in more than a few projects, including the Our Lady of Fatima Rehab Center about twenty minutes from Mission Liberia site, which is Lower Careysburg, or Blacktom Town, Liberia.

 

The Rehab center is a mission that houses, takes care of and educates special needs children.  Now that is an awesome mission by itself when you think about the special needs programs we have back home, but if this place wasn’t here most of these kids would be dead.  You see, once again, this is Africa.  And in Africa, if a children is born like this they are thought to be a curse, or a punishment for the parents wrong-doings, or a plague on the village.  These children are  (at best) thrown into a corner of the hut and thrown scraps of the already scarce food supply.  Yes it is awful.

 

 That is why the Rehab center and its mission are so beautiful.  Maybe not in view, but its purpose, its mission, its service – its Love – is a beautiful thing.

 

Until recently, a Nun named Sister Sponsa ran the rehab center.  Sister Sponsa is a frail blind, 5’2’’, 84-year-old woman from the states.  She served and loved these children when no one else did.  And when the war broke out, and all the volunteers left the country, Sister stayed with the children…

 

Well the center was not spared by the rebels, and they tore down the gate and stormed the property…

 

They decided to pull all of the children and Sister Sponsa out of the chapel at gunpoint and put them in a circle… and for kicks and giggles they decided they would douse them with kerosene….

 

They were going to burn all of them alive…

 

Sister told everyone, “Don’t stop praying…”

 

A crazy thing happened.  When the rebels attempted to set ablaze this circle of mentally and physically handicapped plus a near-blind-80 year–old –nun, Not one of the rebels could get a match to light…

 

The now frustrated Commander of the rebel infantry demanded that they all be shot to death since his pyro-driven imagination seemed to be foiled by “luck”.

 

Again, sister said the same thing… “Don’t stop praying…”

 

None of the rebels guns would work…They all tried to fire on the circle of victims (covered in kerosene), but none of their guns would fire…

 

…Now I want to remind you that a lot of the rebels were children and had been taken from their villages, brainwashed, taught to kill, and turned into ruthless, blood-thirsty child soldiers…

 

So sister looked at one of the rebels, whom she had formally taught, and said, “This is not what I taught you.”  His only response was, “Yes sister.”  The young rebel took off running.  He later returned with a truck and drove the children and sister out of the country and to safety…

 

Right after they left the compound, Sister’s phone rang.  It was a young Muslim girl she had known. “Sister, what did you just do?” the girl asked profoundly. “God just moved me in the most beautiful way.”… When I heard this story I got chills.  But that is what happens when we put our trust in the Lord…He provides.

 

Stories of these type of miracles during the war are all around this country, and all around Africa as a matter of fact.  I hear people ask “How can God let this sort of thing happen?” referring to the war, poverty, terrorists attacks, etc….Since I have been here, I have learnt my response to that question, and this is how it goes…

 

“Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind”

                                    -JFK

 

We are all at war – with ourselves, with each other, and with God himself. When will we see that our wars cover every dimension?  When will we truly find Truth and Justice – Peace and Love?

 

 

“Isreal” means “those who wrestle with God”

 

Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.

                                    -Romans 12:12

 

“Whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Humility consists in both acknowledging our real nothingness and acknowledging God’s infinite greatness. Self-abasement that fails to look to heaven is not humility. For from heaven, God promises the humble, “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow.” The scribes and Pharisees “refuse and resist” such humility. Christ begs us today to “be willing and obey.”

                                    Magnificat 3/10/09

 

 

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.

                                    -Philippians 2:3

 

By the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned.

            Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation.

                                    -Romans 12:3,10,16

 

This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

                                    -John 13:35

 

If the world hates you, realize that is hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

                                    -John 15:18-20

 

The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

                                    -Matthew 20:28

 

 

 

God is everywhere.  And those things that happen are either caused by our action or lack of action.  God put the control into our hands when we received free will.  He is always there when we need him, but the killing, the greed, the poverty, are effects of the actions or neglect we have caused.

 

Hope all is well! Laugh and Love!

 

Life, Love, and Peace

 

Uncle Matthew

                                      The new mission we are building in Grand Bassa

some houses
me and the barber - edwin
all the boys were cutting their hair...so I decided to get my haircut too...so they cut it "sabu"- pele for razorblade haircut.

Jesus said to His disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly father, for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

                                    -Matthew 5:43-48

So our kindergarten class is definitely a kindergarten class….They have trouble paying attention.  They have trouble staying focused.  They like to get up, get off task, tell lies…pretty much everything you can expect from a child that age.  They are learning…. So today, after I was lied to deliberately for like the twentieth time (usually these lies are about not having a pencil so they can get a shiny new one, or that their pencil isn’t sharp so they don’t have to write)…I decided what our vocab words for the day would be… Lie. Truth. Faith. Trust.  I told them that everything is based around trust.  And one of the main reasons that their country is in the shape it’s in is because of the lack of trust – in anything…but who can blame that – they shouldn’t trust anyone – their people were just killing each other for 15 years, definitely an understandable reason as to why they have trust and lying issues…anyway… That was what I decided we would focus on for the day.  We would talk about how the only way to gain respect, was to gain trust – to gain trust, we must be honest, and that every time we lie, we lose trust (One of their favorite phrases is “liars go to hell”…they still haven’t shown that they understand that concept however hahaha)...So we talked about how everything revolved around trust.  These were our “copy sentences” for the day…

 

 

TRUST

 

To get better, we must gain trust. When we lie, we lose trust. When we tell the truth, we gain trust. Having faith comes from having a lot of trust.

 

Lie. Truth. Faith. Trust.

 

 

I finished writing it down, and read it to the children…and then God drilled me in the face with a 2x4… “Look at what you just wrote,” He screamed at me, “It’s a simple things, but it explains a lot.”…. I sat there in awe at what I was just now figuring out… The reason We, as followers of Christ, don’t get the respect we want… WE have not yet obtained trust.  We have not proven that we have faith in the words we preach because we do not put them into action…Why should people listen to us when we preach the gospel of love, but then gossip, judge others, condemn those around us for not agreeing with our views…We need to open our own eyes...And my name is at the top of the list…It’s great if we can understand what we have to do, or listen to the words we’re being told – that’s the first step.  But in order to walk, we have to take plenty of steps.  So we need to move forward.  We need to start putting what we preach into action. I pray that God grant me the ability to move – to start living the gospel instead of reading or speaking it…

 

When we as Christians, or followers of Christ, don’t live what we preach, or what we say what we believe in, WE ARE LYING.  It is as simple as that. WE lose trust.  No one has faith in us - and because of that – neither in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords we claim to follow.

 

When we lie, we lose trust.  No one listens to, or has faith in a liar (and why should they? I wouldn’t believe someone who lied to me all the time). So why should anyone listen to us when we don’t practice what we preach, or have trust in - or see fruits in - a faith whose followers cannot even follow.  We talk about loving our enemies, yet we send hate towards people who didn’t do anything to us, but simply don’t live the lifestyles we think are right. Maybe we should focus on “I” first.  That is what I figured out today.  So to anyone to whom I have been cold to, or spoken to in anger – I apologize, from the bottom of my heart.  To those to whom I have fought with, I’m sorry for fighting instead of seeking peace.  To those whom I have neglected to aid, please forgive me for stealing from you what should have been yours.  Please forgive me. So from now on, I promise, I will try with all of my heart to be the best I can be, to follow the Gospel of Love, of understanding, of forgiveness, of acceptance, of peace.  I WILL fall. I will stumble along the way, but hopefully by making steps, I will fall forward – going towards my goal, rather than away

 

(by the way….check out what “live” spells when you spell it backwards - or when you live backwards….E-V-I-L. – coincidence?)

 “And, once again, it is inevitable and incontestable that this natural urge for fulfillment and completion is basically self-love. ‘Angels like men by nature strive for their own good and their own perfection; and this means loving themselves.’ Therefore, insofar as we are willing to accept the more or less established usage that defines eros as the quintessence of all desire for fullness of being, for quenching of the thirst for happiness, for satiation by the good things of life, which include not only closeness and community with our fellowmen but also participation in the like of God himself – insofar as we do accept this usage, eros must be regarded as an impulse inherent in our natures, arising directly out of finite man’s existence as a created being, out of his creatureliness….

            The call for an utterly disinterested, unmotivated, sovereign agape love that wishes to receive nothing, that is purged of all selfish desire, simply rests upon a misunderstanding of man as he really is. The error, it must be noted, consists not so much in mistaking man’s empirical imperfection as failing to recognize that the conditio humana is that of a created being…

            What is more, all human happiness (which we instinctively desire, but not necessarily selfishly, and therefore with rightfully clear conscience) is fundamentally the happiness of love.

                                    -Josef Pieper

 

 

God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the far of (Jesus) Christ.

            But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.

            For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

                                    -2 Corinthians 4:6-7, 17

 

…May the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory as water covers the sea…(cf. Hb 2:14)

Now since the children share in blood and flesh, He likewise shared in them, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…

-       Hebrews 2:14

 

What Christ commands seems impossible to us: “Stop judging. Stop condemning. Forgive.” But if Jesus demands this, then it must be because it is possible for us. Even more: it is our destiny to be this way. Our trouble is that we live by a deficient measure. Jesus Christ is our measure, He who is “compassion and forgiveness” incarnate. To accept him as the measure with which we measure is to be assured that otherwise unimaginable gifts will be given to us.

                                    -Magnificat March 9, 2009

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you”

-       Luke 6:36-38

 

“The anxiety and grief you feel from realizing your nothingness is not pleasant; for although the cause is good the effect is not.  No, my dear daughter, this knowledge of our nothingness should not trouble us but should have a soothing, humbling, and chastening effect; it is self-esteem which makes us impatient at seeing ourselves vile and abject. Come now, I entreat you by the love of Him whom we both love, of Jesus Christ, to live consoled and peaceful in your infirmities. I glory in my infirmities, says our great Saint Paul, so that the power of my Savior may dwell in me. Yes, indeed, for our misery is as a throne to make manifest the sovereign goodness of Our Lord.”

-       Saint Francis de Sales

 

TRUST

 

To get better, we must gain trust. When we lie, we lose trust. When we tell the truth, we gain trust. Having faith comes from having a lot of trust.

 

Lie. Truth. Faith. Trust.

 

 

PRAYER FOR CLASS(the prayer we say with our class every morning)

 

I am a child of the Risen God. He created me from His own Hands. I am special. I am unique. There is no one else like me. I shall praise God for making me so special. Since I am God’s child, I will love and not hate – I will help and not hurt – I will work for peace and not war.

I have many brothers and sisters. I have them here at the mission. I have them here in Liberia. I have them here in Africa – and – I have them all over the world. Because I know every person I ever meet or have met is a child of God, I know that they are my brothers and sisters – So I will try to treat them like brothers and sisters.

Jesus has paid a dear price for me and because He gave His own life for me I promise to follow Him and His teachings. I will not listen to Satan. Satan is a liar. Satan is a rogue – and – Satan is not welcome in my life.

Thank you Jesus for loving me.

Thank you Jesus for dying for me.

Thank you Jesus for rising for me – and – Thank you Jesus for giving us an opportunity to find eternal life with you.

I promise with your help and the intercessions of your Blessed Mother Mary and all of the angels and Saints – especially St. Martin and Saint Francis, to love my brothers and sisters more. I promise to forgive them when they hurt me and I promise to love others like you love me.

Bless the poor, bless the children and bless our mission. Forgive us of our sins and failures and help us to be better people with every passing day. We ask these things in Jesus’ most blessed name. Amen

I am not saying this to bash anyone…or to blame anyone…or to make anyone feel bad about themselves...I’m saying this to tell you that I’m right, and you’re wrong and The only way you’ll get to heaven is if you listen to what I’m saying….NNNNOOOOTTTTT..that last part was a joke of course…

I’m simply voicing what I’ve been figuring out in my own life as I’ve been making the turns on this road of the Great Adventure.

 

I hope everyone is well!  You’re always in my prayers, and I am so grateful for all of you who have the people here and myself in yours.

 

Life, Love, and Peace

 

Uncle Matthew

“Commit yourselves wholly to God, come what may.”

-       Saint Teresa of Avila

 

 

It’s hard to believe, but today marks my third week in Liberia…crazy…

 

I can remember sitting anxiously for the day to come when I would be departing the states, and now I’ve already been here for three weeks. Over the last couple weeks I’ve learned so much about faith, God’s people, and myself.  I have witnessed the beauty of a people, who make less than $400 a year- $1 a day – still putting money in the collection basket every Sunday.  I’ve seen God’s presence in the strength and joy in those who still smile through the death and destruction they have been through in because of war.  I’ve learned that a home doesn’t have to be a 6-figure building, but rather can be a mud hut-or whatever you make it. I’ve learned to not be frustrated or angry that we have to push start our car (just like little miss sunshine), or our tire blew out, but to be joyful in the fact that we are safe…and the fact that we have a car!  I have found myself more and more dissatisfied with the life I was living, the way I treated others, and my thoughts of “right and wrong”…  but as I dig more into scripture, listen to the whispers, and walk around in a country stricken by war and poverty I find comfort knowing that I am in good company…“Amazing grace that saved the wretch like me”…. There is something “scandalous” about grace…God loves and chooses the losers, the hypocrites, the fools, the prostitutes, evildoers….the last of all…God even chose a converted terrorist to write half of the new testament (Paul – formerly Saul)

 

“For as I see it, God has exhibited us apostles as the last of all, like people sentenced to death, since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and human beings alike. We are fools on Christ’s account, but we are wise in Christ; we are weak, but You are strong; You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are the poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless and we toil, working with our hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the world’s rubbish, scum of all, to this very moment.”

-       1 Corinthians 4:9-13

 

 

You see - Our God has a funny little thing for the misfits, the losers, the freaks, the enemy - the terrorists, the murderers and adulterers…  When we look through the eyes of Jesus, those beautiful eyes of Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion and Love we are able to look beyond the title of “murderers” and see our own hatred… we are able to look beyond the burnouts and drug feigns and see our own addictions… We can look into the lives of the saints and see little sparks of our own holiness. When we try to put on Christ’s eyes, those eyes of understanding - free of judgment or malice, but full of love – we can look into others and find our own brokenness, our own abilities to destroy life, our own forms of violence…and with that…our own capacity for forgiveness and Love. 

“When we are first aware of our own brokenness, our eyes are opened to see our own faces in the faces of the oppressed and to see our own hands in the hands of the oppressors. Then we shall all be truly free.”

-       Shane Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution p 253)

…When we are able to simultaneously open our eyes to our stains and our beauty, we will be cured, freed, liberated… to see others in the same way.

“When we have new eyes, we can look into the eyes of those we don’t even like and see the One we love. We can see God’s image in everyone we encounter”

-       Shane Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution p 266)

 

I will be the first to admit that I am full of imperfections - Full of sin.  I’ve drank, I’ve judged, I’ve lied, I’ve cussed, I’ve made bad – no awful - decisions…I am human, and will be the rest of my life… I am full of imperfections and error (and if you really want to know more about my fallibility I’d be more than glad to share with you all my pitfalls and failures)– but that is what is SO GREAT.  That is the BEAUTY of the God we are called to worship…“It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.”  (Matthew9:12-13)… haha ok, good! There is hope for the fools, sinners, and hypocrites like me!

 

I am so grateful to know that our God is a God that preaches the Gospel of Love.  And through this Gospel of Love we learn that the Fruits of the Spirit He preaches are: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control….A Gospel of Humility, Service, and Selfless Love…

 

SO what would good ole JC say if He were to appear today?  You think He would be proud of the way we, who call ourselves Christian, have read and listened to His word? - To His Gospel of Love?

Do you think He would agree with those street preachers who hold up signs saying “ASK ME WHY YOU’RE GOING TO HELL!” or “REPENT SINNER”?  Do you think He would be the first to agree to that new addition to that mega church down the street so we can add a new building, parking lot, gymnasium, or cafeteria instead of using that donation money to feed the poor?  Do you think He’d be happy with a “Just WAR” when he calls for PEACE?  Do you think He cares more about our troops or our country over theirs? Do you think He would stand for “his follower’s” selective hatred and intolerance of others who are different? Do you think He loves straight people more than homosexuals?  Conservatives more than Liberals?

 

Can we deny others the need to move gradually to perfection when we,

ourselves, are doing the same? We are involved in a process which means that we remain imperfect.

 

 

I think that If Emmanuel was here He wouldn’t call Himself a Christian.

 I think He would listen and converse, rather than shouting single-minded, self-righteous messages that turn more people off than on and come across as “I have the answer and you don’t. Why don’t you come over here and I’ll tell you how you screwed up.”

            -(what’s “crazy” or “wrong” is all a matter of perspective… what’s crazy is that the US, less than 6 percent of the world’s population, consumes nearly half of the world’s resources, and that the average American consumes as much as 520 Ethiopians do, while obesity is declared a “national health crisis.”… we as the “middle” class in America are also in the top 5 percent, wealth wise, in the world)

I think He would storm our earthly materialistic “temples”, flipping over tables, writing “blessed are the poor” graffiti on our millions-of-dollar churches asking why we stole the money that was meant for the human temples… why we weren’t feeding the hungry – why we weren’t clothing the naked – why we weren’t housing the homeless…

I think He would ask us what we meant by  FIGHTING for PEACE?

I think He would challenge us to be bold, to be daring, to be creative… To do the more difficult… to walk the life of Love rather than just talking it…I think He would dare us to Move…

 

“Christians should be troublemakers, creators of uncertainty, agents of a dimension incompatible with society.”

-       Jacques Ellul (French Theologian)

 

“your country is declaring war in the name of God and asking God’s blessing, and that is the same thing my country is doing. What kind of God is this? What has happened to the God of Love, to the Prince of Peace?”

                                                -An Iraqi Mother.

 

“There is nothing wrong with a traffic law which says you have to stop for a red light. But when a fire is raging, the fire trucks go through that red light, and normal traffic had better get out of its way.  Or when a man is bleeding to death, the ambulance goes through those red lights at top speed.  THERE IS A FIRE RAGING… for the poor of this society. Disinherited people all over the world are bleeding to death from deep social and economic wounds. They need brigades of ambulance drivers who will have to ignore the red lights of the present system until the EMERGENCY is solved.”

-       Dr. Martin Luther King JR. (The trumpet of Conscience)

 

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil.”

-       Ephesians 6:12

 

“There are so many people who are longing to be brought to life, who know all too well that they have done evil and long to hear not only of a God who embraces evildoers but also of a church that does the same.”

-       Shane Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution p 258)

 

…An “EYE for an EYE” leaves the whole world blind.. we all are at fault…

”Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)

 

 

“What is, therefore, our task today? Shall I answer: ‘Faith, Hope, and Love’? That sounds beautiful. But I would say – courage. No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is RECKLESSNESS. For what we as Christians lack is not psychology or literature…we lack a Holy Rage – The recklessness which comes from the Knowledge of God and Humanity. The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, ad when the lie rages across the face of the earth..A Holy Anger about the things that are wrong in the world. To rage against the ravaging of God’s earth, and the destruction of God’s world. To rage when little children must die of hunger, when the tables of the rich are sagging with food. To rage at the senseless killing of so many, and against the madness of militaries. To rage at the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction peace. To rage against complacency. To restlessly seek that restlessness that will challenge and seek to change human history until it conforms to the norms of the Kingdom of God. And remember the signs of the Christian Church have been the Lion, the Lamb, the Dove and the Fish…but never the Chameleon.”

                                    -Kaj Munk

 

“Righteousness,” says Pope Benedict XVI, “is the term for fidelity…to the Word of God…Faith unites us with the righteousness of Christ himself.” Jesus demands of us “righteousness surpassing that of the Pharisees” because his presence makes it possible for us.  Too often our fidelity is to our anger, our resentments, our gripes. They become idols for us. But out hope is in the promise that even “the wicked” can do “what is right and just.”

                                    -Magnificat March 6, 2009

 

 …A word or two from a couple of my favorite “freedom fighters…

 

“When the world desires the power of Love more than the love of Power, then we will know Peace”

                                    -Jimi Hendrix

 

“I don’t know why man wants to fight so many wars when they can fight poverty”

                                    -Bob Marley

 

 

 

The Christianity we are called to is never a safe road, but we can find safety in always knowing we are in the Hands of God.  So I pray we might take courage in doing what is right rather than what is cool or what society tells us – that we might live for the poor, the hungry, the displaced… that we might love our enemies…

 

I pray WE might learn to walk with our God in aiding the homeless instead of “enlarging our territory”, feed the hungry instead of sagging our tables - learn to walk and not just talk… I pray that God may provide WE (you, me,…and yes..even Dupree) to “take the wheel and drive”, allowing God to shine through our darkness…That we might “Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory, Glory.”

 

Life, Love, and Peace

 

Uncle Matthew