It was a unique opportunity for me to coach four individuals who all had the same job but who managed four different geographical areas. Typically, I coach members of a team who have varying responsibilities. Because we were all still living in "quarantine" mode we began the process in an online retreat where I introduced the concept s of the Our Journey WITH God book to the team. We then scheduled coaching sessions that allowed me to guide each individual through the four sections of the book. In the early phase of the coaching process we talk through the concept of false identity. This is helpful because it allows us to recognize those times when we are living as someone other than who we truly are. This happens because long held beliefs and habits permeate our perceptions of who we are and we unknowingly behave in ways contrary to our authentic self. In fact, it is one of the most common things I observe in the people I coach. The pressure we face to be something we are not is relentless. This can cause us to be prone to doubting and even demeaning some of their most uniquely authentic qualities. I reminded each person that even though they were all doing the same job, they should be doing so in their own unique way. This is because they all have different authentic identities. In the last section of the book I make a clear distinction between being and doing with God. To be precise I say: "The primary starting point and emphasis of our journey must always focus on knowing and being with God, not just doing for God." This concept goes beyond prayer time with God, which is, of course, incredibly important. What we learn in spending that time with Him is a greater understanding of who He created us to be, uniquely––authentically. This was the message that God had made so clear to me while coaching other teams last year. What I was hearing God say was, "I want them to be who I created them to be." For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139 13-14 What beliefs do you harbor about yourself that may not be true and authentic? Do you have habitual behaviors that continually frustrate you because they leave you feeling empty and less than whole? Where might you be living falsely? Ask God to help you uncover this false identity so that you can live authentically, true to who you are. Know full well that God desires that you live as He created you to be, in your authentic identity! Click here to learn more about Joe's coaching ministry.

"Joe, are you familiar with the word sojourn?" My spiritual director recently asked me this question. While I had a sense of the word's meaning, I had to look it up to be sure. The definition was not what I expected. Sojourn simply means a temporary stay. Having recently published a book called Our Journey WITH God I was obviously intrigued.  While it is not a word we commonly hear today, it is very relevant. We have all been forced to sojourn as the pandemic quarantine ordered us to "temporarily stay" at home. This sojourn has had a wide-ranging impact on us individually and collectively. The Bible is full of examples of God's people being on a sojourn: There was famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, since the famine in the land was severe. Genesis 12:10  Joseph and Mary sojourned in Egypt with the infant Jesus. “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him. " Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. Matthew 2:13-14  Threatened by the ruling class of the Hebrew people, Paul experienced multiple sojourns as God prepared him for his ministry. Then he(God) said to me, ‘Go, I shall send you far away to the Gentiles.’ Acts 22:21  In each of these incidents we see that the sojourn was precipitated by a threat. We have always had the benefit of looking back on these and other stories to see God's hand at work in the midst of difficult times. We know that His people were most able to endure every threat when they kept their eyes and hearts turned toward Him, trusting that He would provide.  We are threatened by an unseen enemy to our health and well-being. This threat is not something you and I can control or defeat. We are left to wait for the all-clear that it is safe to "return" to normal. Turn your eyes and heart toward God. Regardless of where you are and what you are experiencing, Jesus makes this promise that will see you through your time of sojourning:  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. John 15:7  We are in the midst of unsettling and sometimes scary times. Where do you see God's hand at work? What are you asking from Him currently? Is that prayer one of trusting in Him to do as He wills? Our prayers may not be answered in the way we want or in our desired timeframe but if we remain in God, can you imagine a better place for our hearts to stay!

We just attended our nephew's commencement ceremony as he graduated from high school. Of course, the message of being prepared for the future was a common theme amongst the various speakers. Seeing the potential of each graduate as they walked across the stage was inspiring but I found myself wondering what the future held for these 18 year-olds? Preparation is also part of the message in this week's Gospel. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 Preparing for the Passover meal was a regular occurrence for these Jewish men. What they could not have been ready for were Jesus' words during the meal. "This is my body." And if that wasn't unexpected enough, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many." More importantly, there could be no preparing for the actuality of what the disciples would experience as Jesus' words came to pass. Jesus was describing a unique experience and no matter what He told the disciples they simply could not be prepared for their coming future. They were about to "commence" a new journey. In time, the disciples thought back on Jesus' words at the Passover supper they eventually came to realize that He had not only prepared them for their future but was providing for them as well. Commencement speakers try to give the perfect advice to the graduating class. Young, idealistic graduates are told they have been prepared for the journey ahead. In reality, there is no way they can know what awaits them. It is important for them to remember that the foundation has been laid in their school and family experience. But life can be full of surprises, many unpleasant. That is why we need to trust in Jesus' "commencement" words. Only He prepares us and provides us what we need for our journey with God, His body and blood!

The oncologist had gone to examine the blood samples I had given upon arriving at his office. The 20 minutes that Maria and I sat waiting seemed like an eternity. He finally returned and sat down on his wheeled stool without making eye contact which caused no small amount of alarm. The doctor had a message for us that he did not seem in a hurry to share. We braced for the bad news. Eventually, he looked up at our concerned faces and immediately apologized. His hesitation came, not from what he could tell us, but what he could not. I didn't have cancer but he could not tell me what was causing my seriously debilitating symptoms. In this week's Gospel Jesus holds back some of His news. Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you." John 15:26-27, 16:12-15 Jesus is sharing these words with His disciples on the night He was arrested. They have no idea what awaits Him and themselves in the coming days. The essence of Jesus' message is that the things that are about to happen are necessary. They are not yet ready to hear the bad news. He does tell them the good news. In time His Spirit will come in truth. Jesus clearly states that the Holy Spirit will "declare" what is to come. In that time they will come to understand why everything happened the way it did. With hindsight, we know that Jesus' promise of the Spirit brings the ability and courage to "declare" His Good News to the world. But the disciples were hearing these words without knowing the rest of the story. They had to wait, just as Maria and I awaited the news from the doctor. The uncertainty was deeply disconcerting. While uncertainty is a part of our journey with God we are blessed to know the rest of the story. Receive the Good News and declare it with the confidence that His Spirit brings. As for me, I am healthy! But you'll have to stay tuned to the Weekly Journey to hear the rest of the story!

DISCLAIMER: I want to be completely transparent here. This is not just "a crummy commercial!" In fact, I had to have my editor approve this particular message before, during and after writing it. Timing is everything right? For the last four years I have been writing a book entitled, Our Journey With God. No, I am not announcing its completion but I do want to share with you what is about to happen. The time has arrived for me to take the Our Journey With God message public. Read through this week's Gospel and you'll catch the drift of what I'm saying. The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:12-15 These few short verses mark a pivotal point in Jesus' life as well as John the Baptist's. St. Mark treats Jesus' time in the desert rather briefly. This is especially interesting compared to the story of Jesus' three temptations by Satan in Luke and Matthew. The point is that after His baptism by John the Baptist, Jesus is immediately led into the desert by the Spirit for a time of preparation before beginning His public ministry. After that comes Jesus' proclamation: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." For me, Our Journey With God is kind of like my proclamation of the Gospel. It has been an amazing journey up to this point but when I was asked to lead a Lenten parish mission it felt like God was saying to me "It is time, Joe." For four consecutive evenings, I will share the Our Journey With God message as Maria leads worship with songs we've chosen to enhance the message. The message, in a nutshell, is that "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." This message is as true today as it was 2000 years ago. And if people think it's a crummy commercial, so be it. I'm delivering the Gospel message He has given to me! Will you?!?

Our house is about 50 years old. The sidewalk to the front door is made of flagstone that over the years has broken down. Because this is the main walkway to our front door it gets a lot of use. Each year I find myself needing to replace one or two of the two foot by three foot stones to ensure a safe path to the entrance of our home. This week's Gospel speaks of a different kind of path. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Mark 1:1-8 This narrative at the beginning of Mark's Gospel tells of the preparation of a path for Jesus' coming. Let me give you a breakdown on what I think it means to you and me. John the Baptist was responsible for laying down the path to repentance that made a way for Jesus and His Spirit to enter the hearts of the Israelites. We are called to prepare our hearts at this time of year so that when Jesus arrives at Christmas we can receive Him and His Spirit. We need to hear John the Baptist's call to repentance and we need to live our lives accordingly so that others are also led to Jesus. Oh, and as for our sidewalk... when I repair it next spring I will be reminded that this "way"into our home is a tangible example of how we are called to live. Others should recognize the welcoming path we have laid that point to life with Jesus.

When I check out the news feed on my iPhone I always skip over those articles entitled Opinion. I am glad they are labeled that way because I'm not interested in people's opinions of the news. I am just trying to discern what the real news is. Now before you go all political on me I am simply trying to make a point, one that is played out in this week's Gospel: The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Matthew 22:15-21 After telling Jesus that they know He doesn't care about other's opinions the Pharisees surprisingly ask for His. Of course Jesus sees through to their true intentions to trap Him. Jesus answers their question with a question of His own which in effect turns their trap back on the Pharisees. Jesus' response to His own question and answer by the Pharisees pretty much puts an end to the discussion. The wisdom of Christ far surpasses that of the wise of His day, the Pharisees. This is true today as it will always be. God's Truth, embodied in His Son, is above all. I believe that is how we as Christians are called to view today's news, not with our opinions but with the Wisdom of God. I am not talking about using Scripture to make our points in the debate. I'm talking about allowing our perspective to be illuminated by the Spirit of Truth so that our opinions are not included at all. We must respond to the news of the day lovingly seeking God's wisdom in every situation. But that's just my opinion.

Maria is a really good dancer. Me? Not so much. In fact, I am intimidated by her natural ability to move in perfect time with the music. I can't even clap my hands on beats two and four without serious concentration. Dancing is a good metaphor for the marriage relationship because both parties play a role and when it is done well, it is a thing of beauty. On the other hand, when one party "steps on the other's toes" things can get ugly. The same is true in the relationships found in families, teams, businesses and churches. Check out Jesus' advice to the disciples about improving their "relational dancing." Jesus said to his disciples: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:15-20 Jesus clearly lays out a process for the church community and its members as to how to handle sinful behavior. These are deliberate steps designed to win the sinner over. Jesus has emphasized the power that the members of the church have in dealing with sin. He then explains the power of prayer as it pertains to those same members. Most importantly, Jesus reminds the disciples that He will always be present with them as they gather together in His name. Now for the dance metaphor: The Dance is the relationship The Sin is the misplaced step onto another's toes The one-on-one Conversation with the "sinner" is the explanation of the misplaced step including the pain it caused and the need for a correction The one or two Others are other dancers who reinforce the need for correction The Church is the dance troupe who after further reinforcement for the need for correction decide whether or not the offending dancer is allowed to continue dancing Now let's look at the gathering together in Jesus' name. In our metaphor, Jesus is The Dance Instructor . He has provided the painted steps on the wooden floor of the dance studio. By being present with the dancers Jesus provides a way to overcome the painful missteps that sometimes occur during "the dance." He brings the wisdom and grace that allows both parties to correct their mistakes. However, this can't happen if the dancers are not willing to take "dance lessons" from Him. This is especially true in difficult times when the dance has gotten out of step. The Dance Instructor provides the correction that allows the dancers to perform at their best. It could be a newly married couple in their first dance together as husband and wife. It might be a line dance where everyone is in perfect step moving to the beat of the music. When dancers are willing to follow Jesus' instruction and leadership it can be a beautiful thing. Imagine the impact on couples, families, teams, businesses and churches if everybody took lessons from and danced in the name of The Dance Instructor .

Mark Victor Hansen shares this story in one of the Chicken Soup For the Soul books. In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake struck Armenia, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. In the midst of utter devastation and chaos, a father left his wife securely at home and rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building had been flattened as a pancake. After the traumatic initial shock, this man remembered the promise he had made to his son: “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!” And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of debris that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his commitment to his son. He began to concentrate on where he walked his son to school each morning. Remembering his son’s classroom would be in the back right corner of the building, he rushed there and started digging through the rubble. As he was digging, other forlorn parents arrived, clutching their hearts, saying, “My son!” “My daughter!” Other well-meaning parents tried pulling him off what was left of the school, saying: “It’s too late!” “They’re dead!” “You can’t help!” “Go home!” “Come on, face reality, there’s nothing you can do!” “You’re just going to make things worse!” To each parent, he responded with one line: “Are you going to help me now?” And then he proceeded to dig for his son, stone by stone. The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off the school’s debris, saying, “Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You’re in danger. We’ll take care of it. Please go home.” To which this loving, caring Armenian father asked, “Are you going to help me now?” The police came and said, “You’re angry, distraught, and it’s over. You’re endangering others. We’ll take care of it. Go home.” No one helped. Courageously, he proceeded alone because he needed to know for himself: “Is my boy alive, or is he dead?” He dug for eight hours…12 hours…24, and 36 hours. Then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his son’s voice. The man screamed his son’s name, “Armand!” He heard back, “Dad? It’s me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you’d save me, and when you saved me, they’d be saved. You promised, ‘No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!’ You did it, Dad!” “There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. We’re scared, hungry, thirsty, and thankful you’re here. When the building collapsed, it made a wedge, like a triangle, and it saved us.” “Come on out, boy!” “No, Dad! Let the other kids come out first, because I know you’ll get me. No matter what, I know you’ll be there for me.” As we celebrate Pentecost this weekend we are reminded of God's promises. Jesus stood up and exclaimed, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. As Scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me." He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39 In the Old Testament the prophet Joel wrote of God's promise for the coming of His Spirit. "Thus says the LORD: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh." Joel 3:1 Jesus made multiple references to the coming of the Spirit as John details in the above Gospel. Very specifically, during the Last Supper, Jesus promised the coming of the Advocate, "But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." John 16:7 In Acts we see the promise kept: "And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim." Acts 2:1-4 Do you believe God keeps His promises? Do you believe that He once rolled back a boulder to free His Son? Do you believe in God's promise to send His Spirit? To us all? Just as young Armand waited for his Father to fulfill his promise, you and I can trust that God will keep His promise. No matter what. Be filled with the Holy Spirit!!!

This is a photo of the Holter heart monitor that I was sent home from the hospital with yesterday. I have been experiencing some tightness in my chest and at 55 doctors don't take chances, especially with my family history. The good news is that after a battery of tests my heart has been deemed healthy. As a precaution they asked me to wear the monitor for an additional 24 hours. I'll be happy to get rid of the wires and the irritating electrodes that are stuck to my chest. The heart is one of those things that we really don't pay much attention to until something isn't right. I am blessed with a good heart that I will be paying even more attention to now. See if you can identify the connections to this week's Gospel: Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." John 14:15-21 Imagine how the disciples must have felt as Jesus spoke these words on Holy Thursday. These sentences are incredibly complex and even convoluted if you remember that Jesus had yet to be crucified and raised from the dead. However in the middle of this passage is the key. "In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you." Everything is connected. Father to Son. Father and Son to the Spirit. And most significantly Father, Son and Spirit to you and me. Connected to the machines in the lab, I began to run faster on the treadmill. Surrounded by two technicians, the cardiologist and lots of technology I couldn't understand what it all meant. Out of the corner of my eye I watched my heart rate on the screen. As it went over 150 beats per minute I thought, I can't do this much longer. Just then the technician injected the "radioactive isotope" into my catheter and the cardiologist said, "One more minute." WHEW! I finished the stress test and was congratulated for being in good shape. I am still not completely clear how the injection at that moment worked but the smile of the cardiologist after he looked at the report made all the difference. My heart is healthy! The Holy Spirit, our Advocate, is our connection to the Father and Son. Even in the midst of uncertainty, we are still connected. The more we pay attention to that the better. It's like the heart monitor. It reminds me of my heart just as the Holy Spirit reminds us of the Father and the Son. Stay connected and experience the love of a healthy heart with God.

In college I had the opportunity to compete in an orienteering challenge. The race, through the wooded hilltop of a nearby forest, required us to use only a compass and a map as guidance tools to find markers on the course as fast as possible. Competitors are timed but start in one-minute intervals so no one can simply follow another competitor. I took off up the hill and quickly found the first marker. I consulted my map and compass and headed off towards the second marker. Half way through the race I knew I had to be doing well because I had passed a number of other competitors. Then I lost my way. I had to stop running and figure out what had gone wrong. I wandered around the woods for a while trying to get reoriented in the right direction. I got turned around once or twice and thought about following someone else but realized they might be lost as well. Eventually, using my compass and map I got back on track. I reached the next marker and eventually made it across the finish line. Unlike a typical race you don’t know who won immediately because you have to wait until everyone finishes. When the results were announced I was both disappointed and excited to have finished second. If only I hadn’t gotten lost! My competitive nature had allowed me to do very well in spite of my inexperience and lack of skill in “orienteering”. What I learned at the time was how important it was to stay focused on the true north of the compass. My guide. That is the message straight from the "Guide's" mouth in this week's Gospel: Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way." Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:1-12 Thomas, as though he was figuratively lost, asked a legitimate question. "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" This dialogue occurs in the midst of the Last Supper. Thomas and the other disciples are about to feel literally lost in the coming days. Jesus is preparing His disciples for the future, both immediate and eternal. Where is this future and how do we get there? Thomas asks. Jesus strongly emphasizes that "the way" is in "knowing" Him and His Father. However, the knowing that Jesus shares with His Father is somewhat lost on Thomas and Philip. They struggle with the deeper meaning of this kind of deep and abiding, knowing relationship. When we don't understand what it means to know Jesus it is like being lost in the woods. We find ourselves turning in circles chasing after the wrong people and things. It is only when we "know the Way" that He can guide us to the Father's dwelling place. Knowing Jesus provides us with an internal compass that guides us in the right direction. Do you know your guide?

I saw this tee shirt the other night and just had to take a picture.

Observing the boy in the grocery cart, I cringed as the question was asked. "Can I have some candy?" It began gently enough but then escalated into a battle of wills pretty quickly. This week's Gospel gives us an opportunity to see this struggle in a different light. Check it out: Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" Luke 11:1-13 The disciples have observed Jesus in prayer, likely on multiple occasions. They ask Him to teach them to pray. Jesus shares what we refer to as the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father. The prayer focuses on praising God and His Kingdom and then on the needs of the person praying. It has been the prayer of the Church since Jesus shared it with the disciples. The teaching that follows the actual prayer might not have been what the disciples expected. Jesus teaches on the need for persistence. He emphasizes the need for them to ask, seek, knock. Finally, Jesus encourages them that the prayers of His children will be answered by their Father in heaven. Now put yourself in that grocery cart. Once you stop laughing, think through the interaction. Ask, seek, knock, kick, cry, scream! We must keep asking but in doing so we must trust that what our Father in heaven has in the cart behind us is what we need, not what we want on the candy shelf near the cash register.

I really want to go for a ride in Uber's new self-driving car! For those living here in Pittsburgh that reality might happen sooner than later. Here is the car driving on the North Shore with its hi-tech guidance system. Pretty funky looking isn't it? I didn't realize that they were this far along in their development. In an article about Uber's self-driving car, Paul Sawers writes about the timing of their actual implementation: We’re likely still some years away from seeing autonomous cars on roads in a non-test environment — there will be a long transition period, and it will probably happen gradually on a town-by-town or city-by-city basis. Here is what John says about guidance systems in this week's Gospel. Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you." John 16:12-15 Jesus is explaining the Trinity's guidance system to His disciples. These words were spoken after the Last Supper when Jesus is preparing the disciples for His death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus knows what's coming. At that point the disciples can't fathom what's about to unfold in the coming hours. Jesus knows that His suffering has a purpose. He knows it is what His Father wants. He has the Spirit with Him. That is all Jesus needs to move ahead in the task before Him. You and I have the same guidance system. From the beginning of creation we were designed "in the image and likeness" of the Trinity. At the same time we are always in the "development phase." In fact, gaining an understanding of the Trinity is surely a life-long process. But the best part of Our Journey With God is that They are always with us. They always have been and always will be with us! We can't know what's to come. I'm not even sure that I want to. However, our path has already been mapped out by The Guidance System. Will you trust Them enough to take your hands off the wheel of your life?  

I sat there wrestling with God's Word. We were challenged to spend 45 minutes in prayer in the middle of the workshop I was facilitating. And I was really struggling. I had returned to this place of questioning God once again. Here is the verse from 2 Corinthians we were meditating on: "My grace is sufficient, for my power is made perfect in weakness." This was happening just last night. I could not accept God's gracious promise. I was too busy and had too much going on so I decided to skip this edition of the Weekly Journey. Then at 5:47 this morning He woke me up to read this Weekend's Gospel. On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. As Scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me.” He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39 But Jesus has been glorified! And the Spirit is with us! What does that mean to you and me? Rivers of living water? Yes! You and I have within us the awesome power to bring life to a dying world. The key? If we try to do it in our own strength we will fail. We have to accept and trust that this power is within us! I have never completed this blog this quickly before. But after reading the Gospel I had to accept that I had the Spirit in me and I said, "I trust you Holy Spirit." And I began typing. I am trusting that the Spirit is speaking through me. If you hear from Him please share with me what He said. More importantly, know that if you trust in His Power, His Spirit, living water will flow from within you! That is what Pentecost is to you and me today!

Maria and I got a text from Joshua this morning that made us smile. He had just finished the first big exam of his freshman year at the University of Dayton. “So I breezed through it (Calculus) until the last question, and then I waged war for about 25 minutes on the last question, but I think I got it.” Waged war?!? What an interesting way to put it. Hyperbole. Josh emphasized his point by exaggerating his challenge. Jesus uses hyperbole in this week’s Gospel. Keep that in mind as you read this passage from Mark because it should challenge you. At that time, John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us." Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'" Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 John's report prompts an interesting reply from Jesus. As we sift through the hyperbole of Jesus’ reply, we need to understand why He chooses to use exaggerated statements to make His point. Jesus obviously wants his disciples to clearly understand what is at the core of the issue. The answer is in the end of the first paragraph. “…will surely not lose his reward.” What is the reward? Jesus mentions it in the second paragraph when He says, “enter into the kingdom of God”. Keeping this in mind we see how Jesus’ hyperbole points to the core issue. Temptation! Jesus has prescribed drastic measures intended to inspire the disciples to resist temptation. That should stop you and me in our tracks! The challenge for us is that we are not always aware of the things that tempt us. Joshua was aware last night. I knew he was nervous about this test in spite of all the hours he had studied. He wondered if he should continue to study. He asked if I thought it was okay for him to have some down time before going to bed. What Josh was really asking me was if I thought it was okay for him to play some FIFA, his favorite PlayStation soccer game. He knew he was tempting himself by doing so. In the past, Josh has stayed up half the night playing entire soccer seasons on the PS4. My advice to Josh was to take a break and enjoy himself for a little while before going to bed early. He did and I expect a good grade on his calculus exam will be his reward. Now with Joshua's help I'll try some hyperbole of my own. WAGE WAR against your temptations because victory will be heavenly!