What a blessing and what a privilege to live in Saskatchewan, the land of the living skies. Just today I looked up from the street to see an incredibly layered sky. It struck me that on earth we see one sky; heaven sees it from a different angle, and God is smiling at us and blessing us with the colours, textures and the beauty that speaks of God's love and gift to us.
And there is promise that, at least for this day and this hour, the veil between heaven and earth is thin, almost transparent. God is close. His love is closer. Enjoy the moment. Say, "Thank you, God" and cross yourself.
God wants to be close to us, always. We fear his nearness, especially when we fail in human weakness. But consider history, or Godstory. Jesus lived with human beings as frail as we are. We just don't think about those great apostle saints as sinners.
Picture this: Peter was there for the many miracles of Jesus. Just before that final trip to Jerusalem, Peter, James and John witness the Transfiguration of Jesus. Imagine the miraculous images, setting, event, along with all the other miracles they were party to. Like walking on the water.
Then when temptation comes, they sleep (Gethsemane); they run in fear; and Peter betrays Jesus, three times. Why should we doubt God's loving forgiveness for us who haven't seen Jesus with Moses and Elijah? How many miracles have we performed or even seen? Where do we see ourselves in the loving forgiveness of Jesus?
"When you are praying alone, and your spirit is dejected, and you are wearied and oppressed by your loneliness, remember then, as always, that God the Trinity looks upon you with eyes brighter than the sun; also all the angels, your own Guardian Angel, and all the Saints of God. Truly they do; for they are all one in God, and where God is, there are they also. Where the sun is, thither also are directed all its rays. Try to understand what this means." St. John of Kronstadt
Father Brendan McGuire speaks about one of God's special people he knew who died recently. Father Jim Mifsud, "really believed that God never gives up on us no matter how bad we become or no matter how many mistakes we make, or how many times we turn away from God, or if you would, just ignore God. "Fr. Jim truly believed that God was always, always waiting for us to turn back. He truly believed that God never gave up on us no matter how silly, or as he would say, 'how stupid we can be' or how unfortunate we can be, God was always there."
Sounds a little like us - how stupid we can be! But it takes so little effort to get back with Jesus. He is already waiting. Just one look at Peter was enough to bring him back in tears.
In the same reflection on Father Jim's life McGuire urges his people to listen to God every day: "I've done all I can do other than read it for you myself.Now I ask you. No, I plead with you, to read scripture for yourself. God will feed you directly; I promise you. He will not let you down. But you must go to it yourself and you must make it your daily habit, your daily nourishment at the table of the Lord and to eat His words that He gives us. He will not let you down, but I ask you to go to scripture and to never give up on yourself or others."
