Follow Me, even at 78

Pope 'prayed not to be elected'

"Speaking in his native German, Benedict told the audience that during the conclave, or papal election, when it became clear he was getting many votes, a cardinal passed him a note reminding him what he had preached about Christ calling Peter to follow him even if he was reluctant to go.
Benedict, 78, said he hoped to spend his last years living quietly and peacefully.
"At a certain point, I prayed to God 'please don't do this to me,"' he recalled. "Evidently, this time He didn't listen to me."
Benedict was elected pope on April 19 after four rounds of balloting in 24 hours, one of the fastest elections in a century. He had gone in as a leading candidate, but at 78 he was considered old to be named pope. . . .

One question Vatican watchers are asking is if the 78-year-old pope will keep up John Paul's world-spanning travel. U.S. Cardinal Justin Rigali, the archbishop of Philadelphia, said he was confident the pontiff would rise to the challenge.
"We are very impressed by his extraordinary energy," Rigali told CNN."

CNN World, Monday, April 25, 2005
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/
04/25/pope.monday/index.html

Do not be afraid of Christ!

"Those who believe are never alone -- neither in life nor in death. . . .
All of you, my dear friends, have just invoked the entire host of Saints, represented by some of the great names in the history of God's dealings with mankind. In this way, I too can say with renewed conviction: I am not alone. I do not have to carry alone what in truth I could never carry alone. All the Saints of God are there to protect me, to sustain me and to carry me. And your prayers, my dear friends, your indulgence, your love, your faith and your hope accompany me. . . .
The Church is alive -- with these words, I greet with great joy and gratitude all of you gathered here. . .
My real programme of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen, together with the whole Church, to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He himself will lead the Church at this hour of our history.

God, who became a lamb, tells us that the world is saved by the Crucified One, not by those who crucified him. The world is redeemed by the patience of God. It is destroyed by the impatience of man.One of the basic characteristics of a shepherd must be to love the people entrusted to him, even as he loves Christ whom he serves. "Feed my sheep", says Christ to Peter, and now, at this moment, he says it to me as well. Feeding means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer.Loving means giving the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God's truth, of God's word, the nourishment of his presence, which he gives us in the Blessed Sacrament. . . .
Pray for me, that I may learn to love his flock more and more -- in other words, you, the holy Church, each one of you and all of you together. Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves. Let us pray for one another, that the Lord will carry us and that we will learn to carry one another.

At this point, my mind goes back to 22 October 1978, when Pope John Paul II began his ministry here in Saint Peter's Square. His words on that occasion constantly echo in my ears: "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!" The pope was addressing the mighty, the powerful of this world, who feared that Christ might take away something of their power if they were to let him in, if they were to allow the faith to be free. Yes, he would certainly have taken something away from them: the dominion of corruption, the manipulation of law and the freedom to do as they pleased. But he would not have taken away anything that pertains to human freedom or dignity, or to the building of a just society.
The pope was also speaking to everyone, especially the young. Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom?
And once again the Pope said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation.
And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ -- and you will find true life. Amen."

~ from the text of Pope Benedict XVI's homily as he was installed at an open-air Mass outside St. Peter's Basilica, April 24, 2005

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/
04/24/pope.homily/index.html

Deaf, Mute and Preferably Blind

"It's very difficult to be the president of the entire nation unless you're willing to be deaf, mute and preferably blind."

~ Former Israeli President Ezer Weizman

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/
04/24/obit.weizman.ap/index.html 4/24/05

The Truth Will Make You Free
"Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him,
'If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.'"

~ Jesus Christ, John 8:31-32

Live Inside That Hope of Elementary Kindness

"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for.
And the most you can do is live inside that hope ...
live right inside it, under its roof.

What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness.
Enough to eat, enough to go around.
The possibility that kids might one day grow up to be
neither the destroyers nor the destroyed.
Right now I'm living in that hope, running down its hallway
and touching the walls on both sides."

~ Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

Ability to Communicate the Faith with Clarity

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/21/international/
worldspecial2/21pope.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th
By Laurie Goodstein and Ian Fisher, Published: April 21, 2005

VATICAN CITY, April 20 - Pope Benedict XVI used his first papal Mass on Wednesday to send a message of openness and reconciliation to his Roman Catholic followers, other churches and other faiths, as he and the cardinals who elected him sought to transform his image from authoritarian doctrinal watchdog to humble servant and pastor.
Speaking in the customary Latin, the new pope said that as with his predecessor John Paul II, his "primary commitment" would be to work toward "the full and visible unity of all Christ's followers." He added, "Theological dialogue is necessary." . . .
The cardinals explained at their news conference that the new pope had been chosen in a speedy four rounds of balloting because of his brilliance as a theologian, his deep spirituality and his ability to communicate the faith with clarity.
"The vision that some have of the Holy Father is someone who is not interested in dialogue. That's a skewed vision," said Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, D.C. "I believe you will find in the papacy of Benedict XVI a good deal of consultation, a good deal of collegiality." . . .

The New York Times Company

To Bless the People in the Name of God

"The main function of the parish minister is to bless the people in the name of God. That very simple instruction has never left me.
I was also taught very much that when you go into parish ministry it is not you who are the pastor because ultimately the pastor is Jesus Christ. All we do is share in the ministry of Jesus Christ, and that is the highest privilege. Those are in a sense very simple guiding principles, the structures by which I try to live."
~ Dr. Iain Torrance, The Princeton Theological Review, Spring 2005, Vol. XI, Number 2, p. 24.

Cancer Conqueror's 10 Key Beliefs

"In interviews with and surveys from over 16,000 'terminal' cancer patients who out-lived their prognosis, Anderson has chronicled the common characteristics of cancer survivors. According to Cancer Recovery Foundation research, the survivor behaviors include the following:"

THE CANCER CONQUEROR'S 10 KEY BELIEFS
1. I am in charge of my cancer; my cancer is not in charge of me.
2. Cancer is a reversible disease.
3. My treatment is effective and has minimal side effects.
4. My immune system is powerful, the warrior over cancer cells.
5. My body and immune system are affected by my mind and spirit.
6. My mind and spirit are affected by my emotions.
7. Cancer is a message to change.
8. Peace is the goal.
9. Genuine peace comes from a connection with God.
10. I conquer cancer when I become a new person.

~ Greg Anderson, Cancer Recovery Foundation
http://www.cancerrecovery.org.

With Joy and Confidence

April 19, 2005 VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI’s first address to the world after being elected as pontiff on Tuesday:
Dear brothers and sisters,
After the Great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble worker in the Lord’s vineyard.
I am comforted by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and act even with insufficient instruments. And above all, I entrust myself to your prayers.
With the joy of the risen Lord and confidence in his constant help, we will go forward. The Lord will help us and Mary his most holy mother will be alongside us.
Thank you.

Hearing Their Story

"There isn't anyone you couldn't love once you've heard their story."
~ Mary Lou Kownacki

"Mister Rogers has stated that the guiding philosophy of his life is one he gleaned from a seminary professor:
'You can be an accuser or an advocate.'"
~ Amy Hollingsworth, The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers

Depression and Hope

Depression is the outcome of not moving forward to the next step of development.
~ Roy W. Fairchild, Finding Hope Again: a Pastor's Guide to Counseling Depressed Persons

Happiness, not Perfection

From the New York Times, April 10, 2005:
Ann Fitzpatrick wanted to show her support for Charles and Camilla's late-in-life marriage.
"They've had so many problems," Ms. Fitzpatrick said of the royal couple. "They're not aiming at perfection; just happiness."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/international/europe/10britain.html?th&emc=th

Saturday Collection

These are some interesting comments I heard during the last week:

"God loves the whole hypocrite." ~unknown

"All addictions are caused by a longing of the heart." ~unknown

"The truth will set you free from your fear." ~unknown

From a Chinese student:
Do not fear, for God is with you. Americans don't need to tell us, "Everybody else get away from my pie."

Jesus is the door into the gated community. ~Marianne Farrin

Luke 11:9-10 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." NRSV

John 10:1-3 "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." NRSV

Prayer

Although I am a Protestant, John Paul II's prayer life impressed me. According to news reports on April 3, "John Paul would spend as many as seven hours a day in prayer, adoration and contemplation," beginning at 6:15 am in his private chapel.
After having heard ministers talk about burnout, I especially liked this quote from his writings:
"In the absence of a deep inner life, a priest will imperceptibly turn into an office clerk, and his apostolate will turn into a parish office routine, just solving daily problems."
John Paul told a delegation of American bishops that prayer is both "a conversation with God" and actual "contact with God." Without "a deep experience of prayer, growth in the moral life will be shallow."

Few ministers have the staff, finances, and logistical support to spend seven hours a day in prayer, and God understands this. However, beginning the day in the presence of God is even more vital for those with limited material resources. We have even greater need for God to fill our emotional and spiritual wells with "living water." We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit 's holy power and love as we serve in God's name.

Peace be with you.
Truthful Grace

Welcome to Truthful Grace

As I thought about how to name my new Blog, my niece Rebekah's comment suggested a good name:
“And the Word was made flesh...and we beheld his glory...full of grace and truth.”
Excerpted from John 1:14 KJV

This is an ongoing challenge--to speak the truth in love.

May I truly be,
Truthful Grace