What Do You REALLY Value?
Twenty-Third Publications has come out with a new book entitled Scripture Passages that Changed My Life. The editors asked ten regular contributors to the daily devotional, Living Faith, to pick one scripture passage that changed their lives and to explain how. (Truth in advertising: I wrote one of the chapters.)
Before I continue, I would like to give you a little quiz. (Do I hear moaning and groaning out there?) The quiz consists of three simple questions:
1) What scripture passages (usually one sentence or so) do you think the writers chose to write about? (Answers are at the end of today’s reflection.)
2) If you had to pick one passage from scripture that changed your life, which passage would you choose? (I hope some of you will share your answer with us below.)
3) Which scripture passage do you think I chose? I’ll give you a hint. It’s one of these: 1) “The Lord is my shepherd” (Ps. 23); 2) “Consider the birds in the sky…and how the wildflowers grow” (Mt. 6: 26, 28); or 3) “Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word’” (Lk. 1:38).
One of the chapters in this book was written by Fr. Martin Pable, OFM CAP. He selected a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Phillipians (Phil 1:9-10). The phrase he focused on was this: “My prayer is that…you may learn to value the things that really matter.” He explained that sometimes what we say we value is not always what we really value. One way to determine what we really value is to ask ourselves these three questions:
1) What do I spend time on?
2) What do I spend money on?
3) What do I spend emotion on? (What do I get angry about? What do I rejoice over? What do I worry about? What do I grieve over when it is missing?)
I really like these questions. Reflecting on them can help us to grow in self-
awareness. I, for example, can say I spend a lot of time on writing, preparing talks and retreats, and traveling to places to give those talks and retreats. That shows how much I value these things. But how much time do I spend surfing the internet and clicking on articles about famous people (like the British royal family), or spider solitaire, or recipes that I’ll never make? Another example: I can say I value exercise, but how much time per week do I actually exercise? You get the idea.
Secondly, what do I spend money on? Friendship is very important to me, so I’ll spend my money on going out to eat or to a movie with my friends. Supporting the local economy is a value for me. But do I buy food from my local farmers’ market? If prayer is important for me, am I willing to spend money on books or publications that will nourish my prayer life? If I say I value a certain non-profit, do I make a donation to them?
And finally, what do I spend emotion on? Does it really matter who wins the Super Bowl—compared to how people are sometimes being treated unjustly in our workplace, our city, our church? What causes me more anguish: my getting stuck in traffic for an hour or a child being killed in the crossfire between two gangs? Do I worry more about my physical appearance than I do about climate change?
Today you might want to spend a few moments reflecting on what you really value? How Gospel-based are your values? To what extent have you taken on the mind and heart of Jesus?
Answer to question 1: a list of the authors and the scripture passage they chose:
Chris Koellhoffer, IHM (Micah 6:8): “to do justice, love goodness, walk humbly with your God.”
Mary Marrocco (John 12:3): “the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”
Mark Neilson (Ps. 51:3): “Have mercy on me, God.”
Amy Wellborn (Gen. 50:20): “Even though you meant harm for me, God meant it for good.”
Steve Givens (Mt. 25:40): “Whatever you did to the least…”
Pat Livingston (Jn. 15:4): “Remain in me, as I remain in you.”
Melanie Rigney (Is. 64:7): “…we are the clay and you our potter.”
Fr. Stephen Rosetti (Jn. 15:11): “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you…”
Question 3: I chose “the birds… and the wildflowers…”
Question 2: What scripture passage has changed your life? Please share below! I’m eager to hear from you!
Our song today reminds us of our greatest treasure: our loving relationship with Jesus. The song is “You Are My All and All” and it is sung by Nicole Nordeman.
Any responses?
Praying for Refugees, Immigrants, and Ourselves
On Friday, June 29, an interfaith prayer-walk for immigrants and refugees was held in Painesville, Ohio, a few miles north of where I live. Although I did not attend the event, I spoke with two friends who did. One shared the prayer handouts with me.
First, the prayer-walk was organized by five different local faith communities and their representatives:
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Mentor – Rev. Lisa O’Rear
St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Painesville – Sister Dolores Mikula, SND
St. James Episcopal Church, Painesville – Rev. Vanessa E. B. Clark
Am Shalom Temple, Mentor – Renee Blau, lay leader
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Cleveland – Humera Khan
To get five diverse faith communities to come together and plan such an event I think is quite remarkable. I also noticed that all the leaders were 
women.
The walk began at St. Mary’s Church and ended at St. James Church. Brief stops for prayer along the way were made at the Youth Detention Center, the Adult Detention Center, Jobs and Family Services, and City Hall. Here are a few of the prayers used. I thought you might be interested in seeing them and even praying them:
Opening prayer:
We gather together today as one family under God, to pray for the ancient quest for liberty and freedom for all people. We also pray that we shall become infused with renewed spirit, inspiration, and understanding. May the problems of all the downtrodden be our problems; may the concerns of all who strive for liberty and equality be our struggles. We pray with them and for them, that the coming days and years will bring with it the promise of a better life.
Priestly Benediction: (This was given in both Hebrew and English.) “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May God’s presence be with you and grant you peace.”
Prayer for healing: (This was sung in Hebrew): “May the Source of strength who blessed the ones before us, help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing.”
Interfaith compline: (This prayer at the end was prayed in English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic. A few of the readings were these:)
“There are none worthy of worship besides You. Glorified are You. Surely I am from the wrongdoers.” (Quran 21:87)
“Oh Allah, forgive me all my mistakes and my sins. Oh, Allah, forgive me for what I have done in the past and what will come, for what I have done in secret and in the open, for what you know about better than I.”
Psalm 68 was prayed in Spanish.
A reading from Mt. 2:13-15:
“Now after they had left, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went into Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.”
A reading from Leviticus 19:33-34:
“When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as a citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself; for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
Petitions: response: Lord, hear our prayer.
For all those who have been deported or fear deportation, that they may be protected from harm, find strength, courage, and comfort in their ordeal…
For families torn apart by detentions and deportations; and for those whose precious time together is filled with anxiety and apprehension…
In time of too little compassion, too little courage, too little decency, transform our hearts and make us witnesses of Your love, prophets of justice, and warriors for peace…
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage, we humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will…
Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy name we entrust the authority of government…
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail… Amen.
What are your thoughts and feelings on this important issue? Do any of the words of this reflection stand out for you?
The song today is “Open My Eyes, Lord.” This version, by Jesse Manibusan, is sung in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. It seems fitting that we honor three native languages of U.S. immigrants. (Yes, English was the language of some of the earliest European immigrants to this country.)
I welcome your responses below:
Seeking God
If there’s one thing scripture tells us to do, it is this: Seek God! In Deuteronomy we read, “You shall seek the Lord, your God; and you shall indeed find him” (Deut. 4:29). Similarly, the psalms talk about seeking. “One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” (Ps. 27:4). The prophets too tell us to seek: “Seek the Lord while he may be found” (Is. 55:6).
A good question to ask ourselves on a regular basis is this: are we seekers of God? If so, where do we seek God? If we seek God in silence and solitude, do we also seek God in noise and crowds? If we seek God in Church, do we also seek God in our home, at work, in the grocery store, while driving on the highway? If we seek God in prayer, do we also seek God in service.
In their book Compassion, McNeil, Morrison, and Nouwen write that service is not just an expression of the desire to bring about change, “Service is an 
expression of the search for God.”
Do we seek God by seeking to change unjust structures and institutions? If so, that is praiseworthy—as long as we are simultaneously trying to change ourselves. We can begin this change with small steps. By being more patient with our spouse, children, grandchildren. By refusing to spread gossip at work. By driving less frantically. By reflecting honestly on our daily behavior and choices. By speaking with individuals whose political or religious views are different from our own. By regularly appraising our level of selflessness.
Jesus told us to seek. “Seek and you shall find” (Mt. 7:7). And, “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (Lk. 12:31). Jesus also told many parables about seeking. He told stories about people seeking valuable pearls, lost coins, wayward sheep, a net full of fish, and a father’s forgiveness. In most of these parables, Jesus portrays God as the Great Seeker. In other words, Jesus is saying that God seeks us more than we seek God! In that great truth lies our hope and salvation!
I’ve always liked what the psychologist Carl Jung had carved above the 
entrance to his home: “Summoned or not summoned, God will be there.”
Are you seeking God? If so, where and how?
Have you ever experienced God seeking you? What was that experience like for you?
Have you ever found God where you didn’t expect to find God?
Our song is “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God” which many of you probably know. This beautiful version is sung a cappella.
PS: Happy Independence Day to all my American readers for the 4th of July!
Would you like to respond to this reflection? If so, you are most welcome to do so below:
Creation as Divine Revelation: 3 Poems
Some theologians have said that nature is our “first scriptures.” This means that long before the Bible was ever written, God was revealing God’s own self through the natural world. This “divine revelation” through creation continues today. Here are three little poems that celebrate God’s revelation through three simple experiences with nature: sunlight on water accompanied by two dolphins, a persistently chirping robin, and an oak tree wrapped in fog. The first poem is by a good friend of mine, Pat Livingston, of Tampa, Florida. Pat is a wife, mother, and grandmother as well as a fine writer and retreat director. The last two poems are by me.
“The Message” (Isaiah 41:10)
By Patricia Livingston
My grandson calls them diamonds
The glittering sun motes
Bouncing off the rippling water’s edges.
Today I’m watching diamonds
By the thousands in the Bay.
Then, two fins in tandem
Slowly break the surface –
Curved gray backs glint gold:
Dolphins!
Dolphins and diamonds
On this later spring afternoon
As hope was slipping from my heart.
No way to miss the message:
“Do not be afraid
For I am with you.”
Isaiah heard it long ago—
Today it came to me
In diamonds and dolphins.
* * * * * *
“Don’t Sing so Loud, Robin”
By Melannie Svoboda, SND
“Don’t sing so loud, Robin,” I say.
“Your persistent chirping
is announcing your precise location
to some passing hawk in search of breakfast.”
But my warning does no good.
Robin continues to sit in the old oak tree
chirpingchirpingchirpingchirping
at the coming of the dawn.
Nothing— not danger, not fear,
not smallness, not even death itself
can squelch his wild exuberance
at being given yet another day
to sing on planet earth.
Please God, may it be so with me. Amen.
* * * * *
“I pray facing the window”
I pray facing the window,
the open book upon my lap.
As the morning light appears, I glance up
and see the oak tree wrapped in fog—
a fog so dense only a branch or two is peaking through.
“Wow!” I whisper. “Beautiful!”
Then I turn my attention back to the printed page.
But my eyes refuse to stay there.
They want only one thing: to gaze upon that tree.
And they won’t take no for an answer.
So, I say,
Sorry, Book..
Sorry, Holy Words.
Sorry, Finely Crafted Phrases.
This morning
A tree in fog
has become my prayer.
Do any of these poems speak to you today?
Have you had a “divine revelation” through nature? Reflect on it. What was the revelation?
Today’s song is by “Big Daddy Weave,” a popular Christian band that has been making beautiful music together for almost 20 years. This song is “Overwhelmed.” (The group will be appearing at “The Fest” on August 5 in Wickliffe, OH. It’s free!) I’m offering two versions: the first is the official music video with some children in Tanzania. The second is the official lyric video.
Lyric video:
What do you think or feel about the poems or music? I encourage you to share your response below.
Four Short, Short Stories
It’s time for some short, short stories again. These true stories come from a variety of sources.
#1 – “The Good-For-Nothing Glue”
I found this story in Readers’ Digest. In the 1960s, Spencer Silver, a chemist in 3M’s research laboratories, was working with pressure sensitive adhesives. He developed an adhesive that did not stick very well. He wondered, “Was there a use for such a poor adhesive?” For over five years, he and his colleagues tried to come up with a use for it, but they couldn’t.
Then in 1974, Arthur Fry, also a chemical engineer, came up with a creative idea as he was singing in his church choir. As usual, he had carefully marked the places in the hymnal with little slips of paper. But, inevitably, the little papers fell out and fluttered to the floor. Fry thought, “If only I had a little adhesive on these bookmarks…” And that’s how Post-It Notes were born! In a church choir, no less! Today these handy little sticky notes are so popular, that 3M now produces 50 billion Post-It Notes a year! Moral: Something that looks pretty useless can, to the imaginative eye, become something very useful—and valuable!
#2 – “What Price Beauty?”
This story is from Diane Ackerman’s A Natural History of the Senses. One day a friend of hers told her she was paying way too much for her apartment. Ackerman writes: “True, the apartment overlooked the park’s changing seasons, had a picture window that captured the sunset every night and was only a block away from a charming cobblestone area full of art galleries, antique stores and ethnic restaurants. But this was all an expense, as (her friend) put it, with heavy emphasis on the second syllable—not just a financial expense—but a too extravagant expense of life.”
Ackerman concludes: “That evening, as I watched the sunset’s pinwheels of apricot and mauve slowly explode into red ribbons, I thought: The sensory misers will inherit the earth, but first they will make it not worth living on.”
#3 – “Children Can Lead Us”
Linda Weltner, a Boston Globe columnist, tells this story. She was sitting in a park watching some children at play. Suddenly two children got into an argument. One yelled, “I hate you! I’m never going to play with you again!” The two separated for a while, but soon they were back together again sharing their toys. Weltner remarked to another mother, “How do children do that? How do they manage to be so angry with each other one minute, and best of friends the next?” The other woman said, “It’s easy. They choose happiness over righteousness.”
#4 – “Who Do You Think You Are?”
This story is from Fr. Mark Link, SJ. Years ago, the famous NFL football coach Don Shula was vacationing in Maine with his family. It rained one day, so the family went to the small town’s only theater. As soon as they walked in, the only six people in the theater stood up and applauded. As Shula sat down, one man ran up to him and shook his hand. Shula asked, “How did you recognize me?” The man replied, “Mister, I don’t know who you are. All I know is the manager just told us that unless five more people showed up, he wouldn’t show the movie today!”
Do any of these story speak to you today? If so, how?
PS: A BIG thank you to all the people who came to the retreat day for pastoral care ministers in Albany, NY last week. What a lively and dedicated group. I really enjoyed being with you! Special thanks to Harley for inviting me!
I ask for prayers for our SND Educational Summit which will be this week at Notre Dame College in Cleveland, OH. I’m giving one of the talks entitled “Through the Looking Glass.” Thank you!
One of my readers suggested I listen to this song, “Clean” by Natalie Grant. I did and I liked it. (Thank you Mary Agnes!) St. Paul says we are to take on the heart and mind of Christ. This song challenges us to try to see things as Jesus sees them. It also reminds us that we are washed clean by the blood of Christ.
Would you like to share a response with us today? We all would love to hear from you!
