May 1, 2011

Today is the Feast of St. Augustine

The pictures on the right, the top is my cluttered altar

Sinners to Saints

The Call to Serve
The relationship woth God

Recently I have been reading a few books on men and women who dedicated their life to God.
The first religious perosn, I so Admire was Rev. Peter Marshall, a Presbyterian Minister at a church in Washington, DC. He was was from Scotland. He worked hard in menial jobs and he felt a strong call from God. he was walking on a very foggy day and he could see nothing all around him, as he continued to work, God spoke to him and stop, he knelt down and ran his hand over the area, it was the end of the cliff to the ocean. God called him to be his. He was a great preacher in the pulpit as well as his term as Congress's chaplian. People flocked his church on anytime he preached He was a true christian, one who with his actions and spiritual life was quite evident.

There was Saint Father Maximilian Kolbe, OFM Conv. in Poland during the Nazi occupation. He had a deep devotion to Our Lady. He was arrested by the gestapo and placed in prison. He continued to minister to them, but if anyone would escape, they would take 10 men and shoot them. One day, one did escape, and ten men were selected, but there was one who was married and had children and he pleaded. Father Kolbe, heard him and sought the commander to take this place of the man. This soldier did and placed him in prison to starve with no water or food. He eventually died...and he gave up his life for another!

St.Augustine was the despot, immoral type of man who let his life lustfully and out of control.
His mother prayer for him many years and then a miracle happened, he heard the Call from God and became well know in the CHurch.

St. Francis of Assisi lived his life with riches and luxury. Always with his friends and drinking and carousing, but when he joined to eb a soldier, he fought bravely, but he heard God's voice many times and he left the war front, came home, disgraced....but He knew that there was something for him to do, and he did. He gave up his life, all that he owned, and took on the hermits clothes and offered his life to God. many follwers gave up their lives to follow God and Francis. His community grow beyond words and becam a major order in the church and spread all of the world.

Mother Teresa is another example of being from a well to do family, and she geard God's call to serve, and she did. She worked with poor and her sisterhood spread all over the world.

D. Bonhoffer a Lutheran minsiter went back to Germany during the war. His life was also dedicated to God and did all he could continue to do his work. Eveb founding a group to meet and pray as a community. He and others wanted to get rid of Hitler. They tired and it failed and he was arrested and hanged.

Father Henri Nowen, Roman Catholic Priest, dedicated his whole life to God and others. He suffered from a long time with depression and uncertainty. He had a hard dealing with his own sexuality, to love physcially or the love for all. He struggled each day of his life. His books on many subjects helped others who suffer also. My very best book of his was "The Prodigal Son".

There is also abook that he wrote during his dark night of the soul. He founs hi place with l'Arche Community and tended toward helping on with care and love. A man who truly tried and did his best for God.

Blessed Pope John Paul II......was a man you coukd just see the depth of his life with God and spirituality. His speaking out again the atrocities in his own country and around the world. His enthusiasim for the youth to reach out and become involved..to be a good christian in the world. he showed through his long illness how he kept going on daily even as his health became worse.
What an example of a follower of Jesus Christ.

These are a few examples that demonstrated to me their determination and strength to answer the call without reserve and to serve God completely totally.

For me, I wonder how can a simple person like them follow Christ...though remaining human and enduring the same problems we have, physically, spiritually, mentally and sexually, but the goal was "Jesus".....they did it...

I was brought up as aRoman Catholic with goood loving parents. I loved the church as far back as I could remember. I knew at 10 or 11 years old that I wanted to follow CHrist. The call was evident within me. -I focused on all the services, assisting the priests and sisters as much as I could. I was an altar boy and as i conituned to grow, the call became stronger.
Life continued...The call continuned stronger and stronger....I got sick, left the RC Church and tried various other denominations, and finally joined the Episcopal CHurch. God kept pulling the strings of heart and soul to follow hi, I tried the Society of Saint Paul fopr six months in Oregon, but left. Came home...I became a man like St. Augustine (or even Mary Magdalen)..living life for my selfish enjoyment. Living a life of lust and using of others dominated my lifem BUT God pulled the strings stronger and stronger at me to follow him, and on Pentecost Sunday, June 3, 1979, I became a brother in The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory/

God's call and love is very strong and he keeps reassuring me of my life as a brother, I thnik alot as to Why does God call me? want me? what does he have for me to do? Can I be that of all those I mentioned above.? All I know is that it is important to take one day at a time, slowly and prayerfully. Is it possible for sinner like me to be his most treasured possession?
I think I do...and Br Luke Anthony cotinues his spiritual journey to the best of his ability one day at time.

I am grateful for all those saints during our times as well of those past who dedicated all their beings to follow Jesus. Their life and actions and spirituality still shines with me today. They are the best of the best. We have many men and women right now, who dedicate their lives totally..I give praise and thanks for them and hope and pray that I also can be added as one of the best of the best.