Archive for July, 2009

Joking and Yoking

Sunday, July 26th, 2009

About 10 years or so ago, I volunteered as a math tutor on Saturday mornings for students in my high school alma mater in Boston. The tutors would sit in classrooms, and then the students would come in for 40-minute periods as if they were in class. In fact, it was called Saturday Success School.

One student who came in regularly was Corey. Back then, he was a little seventh-grader with big eyeglasses and a huge backpack. Each Saturday, he showed up for his tutoring session with me with a big smile. Why a big smile for tutoring on Saturday morning?

Well, because you see, both Corey and I were big fans of the Simpsons.

So, once he sat down, out came all the Simpsons episodes from the past week’s re-runs. And all my Simpsons impersonation talents were put to good use. There’s the Montgomery Burns’ “Eeexcellent Smithers!”, Homer’s “Doah!”, Martin’s “My cat’s breath smells like cat food!”, Barney’s belch, Principal Skinner, Apu, Groundskeeper Willie, Krusty the Klown, Mayor Quimby, Moe, Otto, Chief Wiggum, the list goes on.

For the first ten minutes we laughed about the Simpsons. Everyone else was at work tutoring and tuteeing away, and we were laughing and joking.

And then, I would say, “OK, you ready?” At that point, I tell you, I never had a student so focused, so quick to learn as Corey. We plowed through all the problems, all the work, like it was nothing. I tutored for over ten years, and I never had anyone catch on so quickly and improve so much. His math grade went from D to A. He went from one of the worst to one of the best.

Well, at the end of the term, all the tutors got little “awards” of appreciation. When I went up to get mine, the director said to me, “Jerome, you have a special note on the back of yours.” When I got back to my seat I turned it over. She had written a note: “Thank you for your commitment to the Saturday Success School. Corey said you were the best tutor he ever had.”

Why?

Because we were joined through the Simpsons, of all things. It was the thing Corey loved the most.

We were joking and yoking.

The Lord is the great Tutor of life, and he calls us to be joined to Him by a yoke: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)

What does He mean by lowly in heart? How is His yoke easy?

Because He yokes Himself to us through our favorite things.

Nobody really likes having to get a tutor, because it usually means you’re familiar with failure. You have to focus attention on your weakness. It’s not restful and it’s not easy. But the Lord knows exactly what we like. And He is lowly in heart. When we go to Him for help, He’s going to meet us in our favorite things. He gives us the lift we need, the comfort that gives us confidence and puts us at ease to trust Him and follow Him.

If the Lord calls you to Himself, don’t be afraid of the Tutor or what He’s going to ask of you.

Go. He will put you at ease and make you a great disciple, because He is lowly in heart.

He will take you from your worst to your best. He’ll be the best tutor you’ll ever have.

Posted in Luminous, Serving Others | No Comments »

All He Needs Is Your Witness

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

A few months ago I was sitting in a room in my house and I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye. I looked again, and there was a black ant crawling across the rug. I got him and put him out of the house. Well, a little after I sat back down, I noticed another movement. Another ant. Hmm, I thought, don’t tell me. I stopped and just stared still at the rug, waiting to see how many “movements” my eye would catch. There was another one, and another one. You know what, the whole family was on a little field trip through the dining room and into the kitchen. Well, after I did the 6-step ant stomp, I thought, now I’m with St. Francis in loving the ant the least of all animals. He loved them least because they stored up in the summer in preparation for winter. And now they were doing it in my home!

They had found a nice little food source in the kitchen and their day out led them from a corner of the house to the kitchen and back. Well, a visit to doyourownpestcontrol.com and a few days later and the buggers haven’t been seen again.

Then a week or so ago, I’m at the kitchen sink, and a little tiny ant comes out from the sponge. Then another on the edge of the sink, then another … yes, now the little guys were having a field trip. They found a nice spot of sticky stuff and the whole clan was out for a taste. Well, I put an end to their picnic. And after another visit to doyourownpestcontrol.com and those guys now are AWOL too.

How do so many ants find the good stuff?

Well, it only takes one. Once an ant finds some good stuff, he feeds on it and goes back to the nest. On his way back, he leaves a trail. When he gets to the nest, he’s full of the good stuff, he shares some with the other ants back at the nest, they get excited, and they want some too. So, they follow the trail back to the motherload. And viola, field trip is in progress.

All it takes is one ant to find the good stuff and bring a taste to others, and all the ants come and get it!

Just one ant!

Now, why am I talking about ants, the animal that Francis loved the least?

Well, one time when the Lord traveled across the Sea of Galilee, He met a man who had a lot junk going on in his life. He had a lot of demons and was out searching. When He encountered Jesus, He healed him, and after that He told the healed man, “Go into your house to your friends, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had mercy on you.” (Mk 5:19)

The man went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men wondered. (Mk 5:20)

You know, when Jesus returned a short time later, the whole Decapolis came to meet Him: And when Jesus and His disciples were gone out of the boat, immediately the crowd knew him: And running through that whole country, they began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. (Mk 6:54-55)

It was one man, giving witness to what God had done for him, the mercy God had had on him. And the whole countryside came to Jesus.

Now, here’s the point. What draws people to God? What brings people into His house, the Church? It’s not theology. It’s not explanations or presentations of true doctrine. Not apologetics. It’s not sound moral instruction or warnings, not spiritual wisdom or insight. It’s not the book called the Bible. It’s not exciting events. It’s not feel-good social time or catchy music or advertising or good church bulletins. Many people have gone these routes to bring people into their community with little fruits from their labors. What is it, then? What is the thing that doesn’t just bring a few people into the Church, but brings in whole towns?

It’s a person. A person who’s experienced the mercy of God. It’s a person who has found the Motherload of Mercy, has feasted on it and leaves a trail to it, a person who exudes it and gives it out to everyone he meets. “You give them something to eat.” (Mk 6:37)

It’s a witness of Divine Mercy.

All the Lord needs is one person to fill His Church and change a whole town, just one person.

Will it be you?

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Definitive

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

A few months ago, a new friend of mine Clare invited me to her graduating cello recital at the New England Conservatory of Music. I got the invite at the last minute on the day of the recital. That day I had a lot of other things going on, and I was meeting someone earlier that evening. But I decided, “I’m going to accept the invitation. I’m going to go.”

So, I eventually drove my car to the T and took the train to the school. After a few questions along the way, and sifting through a few hallways, I finally found the room. But I was late.

I stopped at the door to the recital room, and I could hear beautiful music. I looked through the door, and I couldn’t believe what I saw. There was a guy playing the piano, and there was Clare, who always seemed quiet and reserved, pouring her whole heart into her cello music. I had never seen her like that before – I was amazed.

So, after the first intermission, I made it in and found a seat near another friend of mine that I saw. We sat there and listened, and I tell you, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing. There were times when she was playing the instrument with the bow, and then with just her fingers, all with such an energetic and fast pace. And the piano player! He was going a mile a minute, too, with his hands all over the place. I was just in awe. To me, what they were doing was impossible.

At the end of the recital, while everyone was giving the fourth curtain call, I turned to my friend and said, “I don’t think I’ll ever see anything like this for the rest of my life.”

So, a lot of people got in line to congratulate her, and one of her classmates and I got to chatting and I asked him, “Is she the best in the school? Or do all you guys play like that?” He looked at me funny. “You don’t know ‘The Clare’? Tonight, you’re seeing ‘The Clare’. Definitive.”

I was seeing one of the best cellists in the world in all her glory, in the event that defines who she is. What a privilege! But when I accepted the invitation, I had no idea what was in store. There was no bragging, no air about her that made me think that she was a world-class artist. That greatness was completely hidden.

Remember when Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John on top of the mountain? There was Moses and Elijah speaking with Him about His coming Passion. Now, Moses represents the Law, and Elijah represents the prophets, so that the apostles would understand that Jesus was in agreement with the law and the prophets. This defines who Jesus is, a fulfillment of the law and prophets. The Passion? That was the event that would also define for the world who Jesus is, the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And, as if that weren’t enough, after the conversation, Moses and Elijah disappeared, and Jesus was left alone as the Father Himself defined who He is in the most clear words: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Mt 17:5)

These apostles were getting to see Him in all His glory. That day, they knew Him truly as “The Lord”. Definitive.

See, Jesus kept His glory and greatness hidden. There was no air about Him that He was divine. They got to see His glory because of one reason:

They accepted His invitation.

Jesus’ glory and greatness are completely hidden from us. He wants to reveal them to each of us, because it’s only then that we can truly know Him. He offers us a free invitation, and even if it comes at the last minute, even if you have other things going on, let me offer you a piece of advice:

Accept it. Go.

Then, you’ll know Him as “The Lord.”

Definitive.

Posted in Family & Friends, Luminous, Work & Career | 2 Comments »

Get Behind Him

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

A friend of mine Jim is a runner who runs a lot of road races. He came by recently and talked about the marathons he’s run in Boston. Well, during one marathon he was running along and one of those motorcycles with a TV camera on the back of it slowly pulled up in front of him and began filming him. He waves into the camera a little bit, and after he finishes up with his “Hi Mom!”, he puts his head back down and keeps on running. He’s expecting that that’s enough, that the motorcycle will move on.

But it didn’t, it kept on him.

So Jim gives another wave or two, another “Hi Mom!”, and well, this keeps going on. He was wondering why they were so fixed on him. Well, at some point he happened to look over his shoulder to see how far ahead he was of the next guy.

He found out he was only about 5 feet in front of the next guy. And that next guy was Bill Rodgers, the 22-time marathon champion who is probably the greatest American marathoner ever.

Jim told me, “Here I am thinking the camera is on me, and Bill Rodgers is right behind me the whole time. I’m smiling and waving and all that, taking up all the attention. He’s probably thinking, ‘Get out of the way! Get behind me!’”

When the Lord gave Peter his new name and designated him the Rock on which He would build His Church, it was when Peter recognized who He was. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Mt 16:16)

Now what happened right after that, not 3 minutes later? Peter takes the Lord aside and starts telling Him what to do. There’s going to be no going to Jerusalem, no suffering, no death, no resurrection.

What’s going on?

Peter thinks the camera is on him. He’s just got the jackpot, the limelight, the attention. He’s the Rock, the foundation of the Church, he has the keys to the Kingdom. He thinks he’s the leader now. But he missed a very important thing that the Lord said: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 16:17)

So what was the Lord thinking? “Get out of the way! Get behind me!” “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you do not savor the things of God but the things of men.” (Mt 16:23)

Peter went from Rock to devil in 3 minutes because he forgot God. He put himself in front of Jesus.

Our gift of faith is given from God when we get behind Jesus and follow Him. If you’re ever tempted to go out in front of the Lord, if you ever think the good attention you get for being a person of faith is your own doing, remember Peter. And remember the Lord’s words to him.

Get behind Him.

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Learning A Lesson

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

When I was ten years old, my Little League team was practicing one day on the field, and we were doing some basic base running drills. I was new, it was my first year with the team, and I didn’t know much about all the nuances of running bases. So, one practice we were working on a simple rule:

When you are on first base, and there are two outs, then you run on any fly ball that the batter hits to the outfield. But if there is less than two outs, you go half way down the base line. That way, if you find out the outfielder can’t catch the ball, you’re already half way to second base. And, if the outfielder does catch the ball, you can still get back to first base before the outfielder can throw the ball there.

Very simple, right?

So, here it is, my turn, and the coach hits the fly ball to the outfield. How many outs are there? I don’t know. I run halfway to second. The coach stops everything and yells, “Jerry, what are you doing? With two outs, you run all the way! Do it again!” So I get back to first base. He hits another fly ball to the outfield. This time I run all the way. The coach is now really angry, and stops everything again. “With one out, you run half way!” Apparently he changed the number of outs. I missed that part. “Come here!”

When I got to him, he took off my hat and said, “Run.” That meant I had to start running laps around the field. Now it wasn’t just a baseball diamond. It had three baseball diamonds and a good little greenspace in the middle. Maybe a half a mile all the way around. So I set out running.

One lap went by. Anything? Nope, I kept going. A second, then a third. I glance over at the coach, looking for a sign to stop. No response. A fourth, a fifth … Anything? Nope.

I ran 10 laps straight that day, about 5 miles, I don’t know how. It’s still something we talk about if I ever run into an old teammate. I’m sure everyone that was on that team remembers it to this day.

For the coach, that was a very, very important rule for me to learn. And you know, I tell you, I never made that mistake again. Even in softball leagues when I got older, when I forget everything else, I still remember that one rule. I think I will remember that base running rule for all my life.

When the Israelites were near the promised land, they were very intimidated about entering it. To possess the land, they would have to fight people who were much bigger and stronger. But God told them He would take care of everything, and told them to go all the way in. But they stayed put. They wouldn’t trust Him. Then, when He became mad and told them to stay put, they ran up to go in. Again, they wouldn’t trust Him. What was the punishment?

A loooong 38-year journey around the desert.

Then we turned, and journeyed into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, as the LORD told me; and for many days we went about Mount Seir. (Deut 2:1)

When they finished that, they held off when God wanted them to, and they entered in when God wanted them to. They lived the impossible, and God blessed them with great gifts. Everything worked out.

They had learned the one rule that to God was very, very important: always trust Me.

Do you feel in life that you are running laps, or circling a mountain in a desert? Then there is a very, very important lesson that God wants you to learn. Seek to know it, because once you get it, everything works out.

Once you get it, you will live the impossible with Him, and you’ll have His great blessings.

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