Father Murphy walks into a pub in Dublin and says to the first man, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
The man says, "I do, Father."
The priest says, "Then stands over there against the wall."
Then the priest asks the second man, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
"Certainly, Father," is the man's reply.
"Then stand over there against the wall," says the priest.
Then Father Murphy walks up to O'Toole and says, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
O'Toole says, "No, I don't Father."
The priest says, "I don't believe this. You mean to tell me that when you die you don't want to go to heaven?"
O'Toole says, "Oh, when I die, yes. I thought you were getting a group together to go right now."
What we need to know this Lent is what is in the right now.
I have a dear friend dying as I write this. She is 101 years young. I've grown close to her as I visited her over the past years. She taught me that she "longs for" our Lord. I brought communion to her many times and she often said, "I've been waiting!" She is ready to see Jesus and right now.
Where we are in our journey right now is what we should stop to ponder this Lent. This is the real journey: yesterday, today and tomorrow. Did we come closer to God today?
I've had a challenging week. I went a few rounds with a virus. I reeled after the first couple of punches but fought back. I called in Cold FX, dodged, feinted (well almost), took another hitand another.
My trainer sent me to the corner with some meds. And here I still sit, licking my injuries. I'm not saying much, thanks to laryngitis. But I have some time to reflect.
These wasted days when we have the flu are not wasted. Past experiences have taught me to pray and to feel gratitude. Today I offer these pains for my friends who are sick and dying. I offer them for my salvation needs as well.
The point is we should be so versed in the process that when pain and suffering come our way we recognise the opportunity. It should be as easy to enunciate as the first simple questions in the Baltimore Catechism #1.
Q.Who made you? A.God Q.Why did God make you? A.To know Him and to love Him and to serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him in the next Q.Why do we not see God? A.Because He is a Spirit Q.What is the meaning of suffering and pain. A. Awww
As we relive the days before Christ's passion and death and reflect on the scripture stories once again we need to review some truths:
Jesus endured suffering and pain to reveal their redemptive power.
Jesus drank the bitter cup of passion to find the pearl in the bottom of the cup; the Resurrection!
Pain and suffering are foolishness to the world. To the Christian they are a profound mystery.
Let us enter into the mystery of our Lenten journey.
