“We've
had enough of exhortations to be silent! Cry out with a hundred thousand
tongues. I see that the world has become rotten because of silence.”
~St. Catherine of Siena
Friday, December 21, 2012
There is a time for rejoicing . . .
Someone passed this on to me via e-mail and I had to share. It is like a ray of sunshine in a gloomy world right now. It is a wonderful way to remember all our friends and family that have gone before us, too.
Twas' 11 days before Christmas,
around 9:38
When 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is heaven," declared a small boy.
When 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"This is heaven," declared a small boy.
"We're spending Christmas at God's
house."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
But Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
Those children all flew into the arms of their King
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
One small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
But Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
Those children all flew into the arms of their King
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
One small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
Socialism lurks beneath . . .
I always wondered how intelligent people can buy into socialism and not think it a problem for some to work harder than others but everyone shares equally. I saw this mentality come into play up front and personal at a church I used to attend.
The pastor there was kind enough to allow any family to set up a table and sell baked goods to help them make some money to offset their children's college expenses. We called it the Starving Students Bake Sale and it was very popular. Each family had their own table and what they earned from their own baked goods, they kept. The idea was that you made some money based on how hard you wanted to work for it. The first event had five or six families setting up long tables piled with homemade family favorites. It was a great sight and anyone passing through the aisle of tables lining the walk were sure to be tempted by the displays and smells of sugar and cinnamon. Everyone did a brisk business. Parishioners enjoyed buying treats to take home.
As we were closing down after the last Sunday Mass, a woman came up to me and asked, "Where do I go for my share of the proceeds of the bake sale?" I must have looked very blank because she added, "I have college students and we could use some extra money, too." I kindly explained to her that each family was responsible for their own table and for their own baked goods. It was not a combined effort. Now the woman looked blank and objected, "It said in the bulletin that this was a bake sale to help college students with expenses and we have expenses, too!" I explained, again, that the premise of the event was that each family could bake and set up a table and the money they earned came from their own, personal efforts. She went on, "But, I saw your display and you baked a lot of cookies and cupcakes. I saw a lot of customers at your table so you must have made a lot of money! Shouldn't that be shares?" Back to a blank expression for me as I, again, stated that each family made an effort in their own capacity and earned money based on how hard they wanted to work for it. I told her there was going to be another sale in a week and she could participate with her own table of baked goods. She turned and walked away.
The next bake sale, the same woman showed up with a small card table which she set up at a good location. She then proceeded to divide up packages of store bought cookies, donuts, etc. She didn't do a great business when people had a choice of fresh baked and overpriced factory treats. At the end of the day (and having her glare at me and my well-stocked table), she closed shop and told me it wasn't a very good or fair idea for everyone. I never saw her, again, but always shake my head in disbelief at her entitlement mind set that allowed her to think that taking the proceeds from other people's efforts was fair and being disgruntled when making the least possible effort wasn't successful. Even worse was being peeved at everyone's hard-earned success.
We are kind of seeing that in our world today only it is on a much larger and even scary level. People don't want to be rewarded for hard work so much as showing up to share in the hard work of others.
The pastor there was kind enough to allow any family to set up a table and sell baked goods to help them make some money to offset their children's college expenses. We called it the Starving Students Bake Sale and it was very popular. Each family had their own table and what they earned from their own baked goods, they kept. The idea was that you made some money based on how hard you wanted to work for it. The first event had five or six families setting up long tables piled with homemade family favorites. It was a great sight and anyone passing through the aisle of tables lining the walk were sure to be tempted by the displays and smells of sugar and cinnamon. Everyone did a brisk business. Parishioners enjoyed buying treats to take home.
As we were closing down after the last Sunday Mass, a woman came up to me and asked, "Where do I go for my share of the proceeds of the bake sale?" I must have looked very blank because she added, "I have college students and we could use some extra money, too." I kindly explained to her that each family was responsible for their own table and for their own baked goods. It was not a combined effort. Now the woman looked blank and objected, "It said in the bulletin that this was a bake sale to help college students with expenses and we have expenses, too!" I explained, again, that the premise of the event was that each family could bake and set up a table and the money they earned came from their own, personal efforts. She went on, "But, I saw your display and you baked a lot of cookies and cupcakes. I saw a lot of customers at your table so you must have made a lot of money! Shouldn't that be shares?" Back to a blank expression for me as I, again, stated that each family made an effort in their own capacity and earned money based on how hard they wanted to work for it. I told her there was going to be another sale in a week and she could participate with her own table of baked goods. She turned and walked away.
The next bake sale, the same woman showed up with a small card table which she set up at a good location. She then proceeded to divide up packages of store bought cookies, donuts, etc. She didn't do a great business when people had a choice of fresh baked and overpriced factory treats. At the end of the day (and having her glare at me and my well-stocked table), she closed shop and told me it wasn't a very good or fair idea for everyone. I never saw her, again, but always shake my head in disbelief at her entitlement mind set that allowed her to think that taking the proceeds from other people's efforts was fair and being disgruntled when making the least possible effort wasn't successful. Even worse was being peeved at everyone's hard-earned success.
We are kind of seeing that in our world today only it is on a much larger and even scary level. People don't want to be rewarded for hard work so much as showing up to share in the hard work of others.
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