Man plans and God laughs……Wile E. Coyote never catches the Road Runner…When will Road Runner learn?

Today at Holy Mass the Prophet Haggai address the Jewish people…He refers to the people he is speaking to as the “remnant”…Historically speaking, at this time the people of Israel had successful escaped from their bondage in Egypt and have forgotten God - And society had fallen into decay…Sound familiar?…But Haggai is optimistic….”Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes? But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD, and take courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak, And take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work! For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts. This is the pact that I made with you when you came out of Egypt, And my spirit continues in your midst; do not fear! For thus says the LORD of hosts: One moment yet, a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come in, And I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. Mine is the silver and mine the gold, says the LORD of hosts. Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the LORD of hosts; And in this place I will give you peace, says the LORD of hosts!”……..I have written extensively in these daily reflections about this reoccurring theme in the Old Testament of “Exodus and Return”…How the people of God easily forget where they came from and who they are…And only God himself can “fix the problem”…..This is exactly where the Unites States of America is right now….We have “forgotten” God and our nation is in disarray…But just as Haggai told the people of his day…I am telling you now….FEAR NOT…..God did not forget his people then and he will not forget us now!…..He loves us too much to leave us where we are…..God will act - And He will restore what has been lost as he has done in the past…..Look not to politics….To “strong men” or to mere words for answers spoken from prominent pulpits or podiums…The answers are hidden in the human heart, waiting to be revealed and unearthed….Like lightening from the sky - God will act - Once again!

“The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We have all heard the phrase “rock bottom”…..More times then not, human beings have to hit “rock bottom” before they “get out of their own way” and allow God to change them…..Historically speaking this happens time and time again - Both in countries and in individuals…..God is the “potter and we are the clay”…He is always at work - In his time and in his way!……..When I volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity in New York City before I was married I taught the Catholic faith to a man named Phillip…..Phillip was a drug addict who lived in Las Vegas for a long period of time…..As a result of bad choices, Phillip acquired the AIDS virus…..And because the State of Nevada did not provide free HIV medication, which he needed to survive…Phillip moved to New York City….This is where I met Phillip, in a hospice run by Mother Teresa’s sisters for people with AIDS…..Phillip’s life was a wreck….He had no job, no money, he had a terminal disease, which required medication to keep him alive….And as a result of all those factors - Phillip was receptive to becoming Catholic and getting Baptized - At his request by the way…That is where I came in - I taught Phillip the Catholic faith…And he was frankly very attentive to it….Now was Phillip perfect? - Far from it - But as a result of the circumstances of his life….Finally, his “ears were open”…..Phillip did in fact get baptized and I am his Godfather…And when I got married, Phillip read at my Wedding Mass…….But ponder for a moment what it took for Phillip to get to the point where he would even remotely listen to God……This story is not unique…..This happens to people and also to nations…..God through his permissive will allows us to make choices, even if they are bad choices and then reap the consequences of those choices….And when we have “had enough”….Many times, we come to our senses………When Jesus performed his first miracle at the Feast of the Wedding of Cana at the request of his mother….Our Lady told the people…”Do whatever he tells you”…..Now this request from Our Lady was not about “control” or power…As some people today wrongfully think the Catholic Church is trying to exercise over its people…This statement was made out of love, knowing what Jesus asks of us through his Church is what is best for us - But we are not convinced!….So back to the story of my friend Phillip….God loved him and because he loved him - He did not allow Phillip to “stay where he was” - So he allowed Phillip to fail - And fail he did - But it was through that failure that Phillip opened “his eyes”…..Ultimately, that is what life is all about….The “name of the game” is finding God amongst all the “noise” of the world - And once we find God - Then we must live our life in and through our Catholic faith…Arriving at our final destination - Heaven…..That is the ONLY GOAL of life - Everything else is NOISE….And sadly for most people - We have to fail before we “see” and “hear” amongst the noise.

“For you, O God, are my strength. Why do you keep me so far away? Why must I go about in mourning, with the enemy oppressing me?”

Today we are reminded by the Prophet Haggai at Mass about how the people of Israel forgot about God…..Yet Haggai was optimist that the Jewish people would “figure it out” - Once again!….This is the story of mankind - “Exodus and Return” - And it repeats itself time and time again…Each of us were made in God’s image and likeness…And when we willing break from God, we lose sight of who we truly are at our very core…..This is what we are seeing across Western Civilization today….Nations that once embraced a Judeo - Christian belief system, who once thrived are now a mess!…America has fallen into disarray because we have forgotten what made us successful in the first place….But fear not - God has seen this story before….And from the "remanent" as was the case in Haggai’s day - God will start something new - Once again! - From the ashes something new will rise…..Man plans and God laughs……Wile E. Coyote never catches the Road Runner…When will Road Runner learn?…………………….JMJ