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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

How do I Know if I am on the Road to Heaven?

As St. John once said, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” 1 John 3:14 Thus, love (not religious practices) is the only valid measure of knowing with certitude that a soul is on the pathway to heaven. Many a road to hell has been paved by souls who, when lead astray by the deceiver, believed they were on the way to heaven because of their awesome “religious practices.” These are souls that do everything right, including lots of church services, mortifications and rituals. Further, it can be ascertained that the pathway to Purgatory is also paved by souls who love, but have placed limits on their love. They may choose not to forgive certain people or not to love certain races, colors of people, gay people, weak people and the like. However, when we embrace all of humanity with no-limits-love we walk on a pathway that can bypass Purgatory and lead the soul direct to heaven. Blessed Mother Teresa is our modern model of such love. All of heaven is granted the soul in spite of its human weaknesses, failures and flaws that may still exist in it in this life. St. Peter sums it all up in this regard when he said, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
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Monday, December 28, 2009

Caution: Reading Homeless In America may uncover personal brokenness - weeping and grieving likely, God-encounters possible.

Back in August of '07, a Sony digital camera was gifted by Cecil K. with a suggestion: "Publish a BlogSpot.com blog to chronicle the life of homeless in America." As they say, the rest is history! Now on the threshold of 2010, Homeless In America turns 532 - that is 532 posts, blogs, rants, insights and raves over the past three years. All of which make for great fodder - food for thought, bits and bites when talking at the "water cooler", counseling others, phone chatter or pub or cafe talk. Now with 532 posts, you can daily make the blog and its history come alive - use the "search" box in the upper left. Check out almost any topic of personal interest - from "Augustine to Vets" and "Amos to Judgment" you will find triumphal insights into everyone's brokenness. If you and your friends have not already done so, please take a moment and Subscribe! in the upper right column.

Caution: Reading Homeless In America may uncover personal brokenness - weeping and grieving likely, God-encounters possible.
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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Bumper Sticker Seen on the Road Today . . .

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Saturday, December 26, 2009

In Majesty and Poverty We Celebrate

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14

In both His majesty and poverty we celebrate Christ born among us: God-hero, Wonder, Counselor, Immanuel, God-with-us!

For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A Prince Sleeps in the Cold, like an English Fairytale gone Awry

Today, Associated Press writer Jennifer Quinn reports that like an English fairytale gone awry, a Prince slept in a cold alley in central London. It’s a far cry from a palace — but it was the spot Prince William chose to sleep last week to highlight the plight of homeless British teenagers.

He spent a chilly night near Blackfriars Bridge last week with Seyi Obakin, the chief executive of British homeless charity Centrepoint. William has been the charity's patron since 2005.

"I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London's streets night after night," William said Tuesday. Poverty, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependency and family breakdown cause people to become and then stay homeless.

"I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue, I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets."

William, second in line to the throne, was exposed to some of the hardships found on London's streets when his mother, Princess Diana, took him to a shelter in 1996. Just 13 at the time, William spent an hour at the facility with his younger brother, Harry.

Diana was well-known for her charitable work and the homeless was a group she was particularly close to. She had also served as Centrepoint's patron, a position she held at the time of her death in 1997.
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Monday, December 21, 2009

A Christmas Prayer

Emmanuel - God With Us is God For Us
By M.Y. Lee

God of every nation and people,
From the beginning of Creation
You have made known your love
Through the gift of your Son
Who bears the name Emmanuel, "God with Us."
In the fullness of time the Christ-child came
To be the Good News to all humankind.

Emmanuel, God lives with us as one of us;
Christ, the Word made flesh
Has come to us as a vulnerable,
Weak and dependent babe;
A God who hungered and thirsted,
And longed for human touch and affection;
A God who chose to be born
In obscurity and shame,
To a virgin, an unwed maiden,
With a dirty stable as a home
And a borrowed manger as a bed,
In a tiny, insignificant town called Bethlehem.

Oh, Mighty God, of humble origins,
Christ, the Messiah, whom the prophets foretold,
You were born at a time, and in a place
Where few welcomed you
Or even recognized you.

Have we, too, lost a sense of joy and anticipation
In what the Christ-child may bring?
Have we been preoccupied with endless activities,
Distracted by the tinsel, decorations, and gifts—
Busy preparing for the birthday of Christ;
So busy that there's no room in our cluttered lives
To welcome Him when he comes?

God, grant us the grace to be patient and vigilant
In watching, waiting, and listening attentively.
So that we won't miss Christ
When he comes knocking at our door.

Remove whatever hinders us from receiving
The gifts which the Savior brings—
Joy, peace, justice, mercy, love ...
These are the gifts we are to share
With the downtrodden, the oppressed,
The outcasts, the weak, and the defenseless.

Christ, you are the hope of all peoples,
The wisdom who teaches and guides us,
The wonderful Counselor who encourages and consoles,
The Prince of Peace who calms our troubled minds
And restless spirits—
Granting us true inner peace.

Christ, you who are the radiant dawn,
Shine on those who live in darkness and in shadows,
Dispel fears, anxieties, and insecurities,
Restore hearts that have grown cold and distant,
Enlighten minds which have become darkened
Through greed, anger, hatred and bitterness.

We remember those who are living in shadows of a marginal existence,
We pray for the homeless, jobless and retrenched,
Those struggling to keep their lives together,
We lift up families, especially the children
Who may not experience
The joy of Christmas celebrations this season.

We pray for those living alone,
The widowed, the orphans, the elderly,
The sick and bedridden, the migrant workers
For whom the Christ-event may hold no special significance.
As happens with most festive seasons,
May it not deepen their sense of abandonment and alienation.

Christ, You who are the Light of the World,
Help us to radiate the warmth of your presence.
Enable us to give of ourselves generously and compassionately
In bringing joy, peace, and hope to others.

As we wait for the dawn
Of the coming of the Christ-child,
We do so with anticipation
Of new and unexpected challenges.
Like Mary, we sense the birth pangs of a new era,
A new kingdom waiting to be born.

May we, like Mary, be filled with courage,
Openness, and receptivity
To be the bearers of the Christ-child
In receiving and bringing forth the Good News
As we continue to be witnesses
Of God's truth and justice,
As we walk along the path of peace,
As we are strengthened in our love for Christ
And for each other.

In the words of Isaiah:
"Arise, shine, for your light has come.
The glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
Even though darkness shall cover the earth
And over its people,
Yet the LORD will be your everlasting light."


Amen.
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Scroll down the page and vote in the polls. Subscribe! top right column. Please take a moment to donate online to Homeless In America’s day-after-Christmas StreetReach for the poor living under the bridges and in alleyways of downtown Los Angeles. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $30 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $100. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of poor we serve: http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Saturday, December 19, 2009

A Letter from Jesus about Christmas

It has come to my attention that many of you are Upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just "GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER".

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santa's and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish - I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls "the Holiday", be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary--especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.

LOVE,

Jesus
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Scroll down and vote in the polls. Also, please take a moment to donate online to Homeless In America’s day-after-Christmas StreetReach for the poor living under the bridges and in alleyways of downtown Los Angeles. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $30 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $100. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of poor we serve: http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Friday, December 18, 2009

If He obscurely came in poverty today, would the church know Him?

As we reflect on the fact that Christmas begins with “Christ.” Today, special for this Advent and Christmas journey, HIA launches a new poll for your consideration. Scroll down to near the bottom of this main page. How would you respond to the following . . .

The first time God entered our world, unrecognizable to the “church” – He came as a helpless baby, in a barn and as a migrant. He journeyed with 12 dirty, sweaty and uneducated homeless men. If He obscurely came in poverty today, would the church know Him?

* Yes, I think that most Christians would recognize Him.

* No, I think that most would be clueless.

God bless you and thank you for scrolling down and participating in all the Homeless In America polls.
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Please take a moment to donate online to Homeless In America’s day-after-Christmas StreetReach for the poor living under the bridges and in alleyways of downtown Los Angeles. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $30 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $100. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of poor we serve: http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

But I will Leave a Remnant in your Midst, a People Humble and Lowly . . .

Lord Jesus, you and your holy family were poor, so poor in fact that you became as beggars and went door-to-door pleading for a room. And so we know that You hear the cry of the poor! Lord, hear each one of us in our poverty of need. We’re broken and we long for your salvation. Come and transform our emptiness into fullness of life by your redeeming love.

R Lord, hear the cry of the poor!

For all the poor who are downtrodden and oppressed by the commercialism of the holiday season: May they be filled with your warmth, justice and peace. R

For the homeless who live under the oppression of constant movement and migration: May they now be granted eternal rest. R

For all those broken and oppressed by loneliness and emptiness in what should otherwise by a joyful season: May they be comforted by your friendship and companionship throughout the New Year. R

But I will leave a remnant in your midst, a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the Lord. Zephaniah 3:12
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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Share the Magic of Christmas!

Share the magic of Christmas! This year on Christmas Day, while 1000s of homeless may suffer from cold, depression and hunger, yet others according to your compassion and generous help will receive a nourishing SUBWAY sandwich meal, a one-on-one Christmas greeting, warm clothes and warm hug. To top it all off, the youth at St. Joseph’s have hand made over 100 Christmas greetings to enclose the SUBWAY cards. But we need your help to make the sandwich meals possible!

Please support the Christmas Day Servants of the Father of Mercy Homeless In America StreetReach as they hand deliver $5 SUBWAY FOOTLONG meal gift cards directly to homeless living on the streets of So Cal. Sponsor as many $5 gift cards as you wish, but in increments of $10 at http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

God bless you and thank you in advance for the help and hope you give our homeless family!

All gifts are tax deductible. Sending a check? Mail it to . . .
Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc.
Attn: Christmas StreetReach
P.O. Box 42001
Los Angeles, CA 90042
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Also, please take a moment to donate online to Homeless In America’s day-after-Christmas StreetReach for the poor living under the bridges and in alleyways of downtown Los Angeles. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $30 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $100. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of Homeless we serve. Charity, kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The Real Suffering of the Poor is in the Hypocrisy

Take it from Saint Faustina, a poor sister at the end of her life, writing from her convent worn out and weakened by the intense pain and abandonment of a slow death from tuberculosis. The real suffering comes not from the poverty of a terminal illness, but from those whom we count on, we break bread with, but who are living religiously hypocritical lives by being unkind to the sick and broken. Apparently, it is here that the poor suffer the most.
She writes the following to the Lord in her now famous 600 page journal …

"It is when I meet with hypocrisy that I suffer the most. Now I understand You, my Savior, for rebuking the Pharisees so severely for their hypocrisy. You associated more graciously with hardened sinners [than Religious] when they approached you contritely." Notebook V, #1579
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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

God-the-Baby in His Poverty is a Dramatic Shock to the World

by
Harry Reasoner
"The basis for this tremendous annual burst of gift buying and parties and near hysteria is a quiet event that Christians believe actually happened a long time ago. You can say that in all societies there has always been a midwinter festival and that many of the trappings of our Christmas are almost violently pagan. But you come back to the central fact of the day and quietness of Christmas morning - the birth of God on earth.

"It leaves you only three ways of accepting Christmas.

"One is cynically, as a time to make money or endorse the making of it.

"One is graciously, the appropriate attitude for non-Christians, who wish their fellow citizens all the joys to which their beliefs entitle them.

"And the third, of course, is reverently. If this is the anniversary of the appearance of the Lord of the universe in the form of a helpless babe, then it is a very important day.

"It's a startling idea, of course. My guess is that the whole story that a virgin was selected by God to bear His Son as a way of showing His love and concern for man is not an idea that has been popular with theologians. It's a somewhat illogical idea, and theologians like logic almost as much as they like God. It's so revolutionary a thought that it probably could only come from a God that is beyond logic, and beyond theology.

"It has a magnificent appeal. Almost nobody has seen God, and almost nobody has any real idea of what He is like. And the truth is that among men the idea of seeing God suddenly and standing in a very bright light is not necessarily a completely comforting and appealing idea.

"But everyone has seen babies, and most people like them. If God wanted to be loved as well as feared he moved correctly here. If He wanted to know His people as well as rule them, He moved correctly here, for a baby growing up learns all about people. If God wanted to be intimately a part of man, He moved correctly, for the experiences of birth and familyhood are our most intimate and precious experiences.

"So it goes beyond logic. It is either all falsehood or it is the truest thing in the world. It's the story of the great innocence of God the baby - God in the form of man - and has such a dramatic shock toward the heart that if it is not true, for Christians, nothing is true.

"So, if a Christian is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it, and maybe on some given Christmas, some final quiet morning, the touch will take."
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Please take a moment to donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy, Homeless In America’s Christmas StreetReach for the poor living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $30 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $100. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of Homeless we serve. Alms for the poor filled with charity, kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Monday, December 7, 2009

On the Teen Beat

The Fort Collins Coloradan news writer Marcy Miranda reports today on a teenager, Ben Greuel who knows what it's like sleeping in a box. "You get so little sleep," the 14-year-old said. "It's so cold, and it's not very comfortable."

For the past three years, Greuel has been among several teens who spend a night camped out in the freezing cold sleeping in boxes and tents on the front lawn of Plymouth Congregational Church to bring awareness to the growing issue of homelessness.

This past Saturday night, Greuel was among about 40 teens who spent the night braving the cold and darkness along with other members of the church's youth group. Youths from Northern Colorado Jewish Youth, Foothills Unitarian Church, and local Mennonite and Quaker groups also camped out.

The youths collected food and outdoor gear such as hats, gloves and coats to donate to the homeless. They also collected monetary donations, which are donated to the Homelessness Prevention Initiative (HPI), a local nonprofit that provides temporary assistance to people at risk of becoming homeless because of their inability to pay rent. This year, the organization prevented about 3,700 families from becoming homeless.

As an example, Kurt Kaiser, who received assistance from HPI spoke to the teens giving a face to the statistics. The last year of his life has been one of the toughest, he said. His wife left him and his three sons. Two days later, he lost his job as the director of a community college in the state of Washington.
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Please take a moment to donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy, Homeless In America’s Christmas StreetReach for the poor living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $30 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $100. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of Homeless we serve. Alms for the poor filled with charity, kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at -
http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

Friday, December 4, 2009

Just another God-smack!

In this story - the poor, the homeless and misfits come out the winners. What’s up with that?

"When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'

"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' " Luke 14:15-24
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Poverty and Need are at the Core of the God-Experience

“The poorest of the poor will find pasture, and the needy will lie down in safety.” (Isaiah 14:30)
What is your poverty? Are you weak or vulnerable in a certain way? Willing to admit it? Those who look for God in their poverty and need find themselves encountering what many have longed to encounter, but did not and many have longed to see and hear but did not. Poverty and need are at the core of the God-experience. Suffering, trials, tribulations and even death will take us to that poverty if we do not voluntarily embrace it now.
Psalm 12
For the poor who are oppressed
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the LORD.
I will protect them from those who malign them.

And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

O LORD, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people [the wicked] forever.
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Please take a moment to donate online to Servants of the Father of Mercy, Homeless In America’s Christmas StreetReach for the poor living under the bridges and in alleyways. There is a need for water sponsors, $20 - food sponsors, $30 and monthly sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and operation/upkeep $100. God bless you for your compassion and help for the 1000s of Homeless we serve. Alms for the poor filled with charity, kindness and compassion in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless