Paris encore....

Sabbatical.....  The goal is not to 'rest from your work' but to 'work from your rest'.

Lovely quiet private apartment in the 8th....

Hi again - been thinking lately of the role that God has in my life. The analogy is often used - described as light versus darkness.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105

Think about driving at night. I recall that this was quite challenging when I first learned to drive. The whole thing about the low and high beams, and switching at the right time so you don't blind the oncoming driver. (Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed teaching each of you to drive! First the bicycle and then the car! )

I see an analogy here with God's word (which we experience through prayer, the bible, or more often the moment by moment thoughts the Spirit of God drops into us). It is the low beam - "the lamp to my feet" - shining right in front of me on the immediate things - decisions, choices, the day to day stuff. Then it is also the high beam - "the light to my path" - shining down the road of my life to illuminate the direction I am going, to give me wisdom and understanding as I consider the future.

The important thing is to know when to switch the beam from low to high and back again.

When I was around 16, Father Hardy drove to Chicago with Harry J, Harry VB and myself. Father Hardy had an old Valiant, which had the push button automatic on the dash (pretty different). Anyway, the problem with the car was that it had no functioning high beam lights. So the whole time we were focused on the road right in front of us, having no idea about what was coming up just down the road. The trip would have been more enjoyable, and safer, if we had been able to use the high beams.

Walk in God's light today.

Love,
Papa

Blessings this Palm Sunday

Just reading the following on the web and thought it would be good to share.
lovePapa

"As we study this scene (see attached picture), we must remember that the story never ends. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people all about took notice. Matthew tells us that "the whole city was stirred and asked `Who is this'?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."When we read this story, we also ask, "Who is this?", and in particular, we must ask "Who is Jesus to me?"The problem with palms is that once you cut the branches from the tree, they don't live long. The problem with Palm Sunday is that the excitement of that crowd soon faded, and when Good Friday rolled around, many of the same voices who shouted "Hosanna!" were also shouting "Crucify Him!" Their love for the Lord was shallow and based entirely on their hope of what exciting things he could do for them. Too many pilgrims would get in behind Jesus on the road to the throne, but they would not follow him on the way to the cross. They would wave palms before the coming king, but they would not obey the Suffering Servant.This day in Jesus' life was significant in many ways. Jesus knew that the end of his earthly ministry was near. It was time to do what he had come to accomplish. It was now or never. This was Jesus' opportunity to be obedient to the will of God, and to accomplish the purpose set out for him.There is a life ahead of us, and a purpose for us. None of us knows just how long that life will be, just how much time we have left. Every time we learn of someone who dies young, we are reminded of that. None of us can know all that the future holds. We don't know how long we will be on this earth. But we can know that God has a purpose for us. He calls us to love him and love others with the kind of love that makes a difference. He calls us to speak out the truth, to reach out our hands, to hold out our hearts.And he calls us to do that now. Most people I know hold out the ideal of one day being truly faithful to Christ. "One day I'll be obedient," we say. "One day I'll be truly committed. One day I'll serve him."That day is now. We don't know how many more days there will be. "(for the full message, see http://www.biblicalrecorder.org/content/opinion/2003/3_4_2003/ed040303the.shtml)