Gave Proof Through The Night...

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday – bar none, but it hasn’t achieved that place in my life without earning it.

 My dad’s birthday is the fifth, and my best friend’s birthday is the third. We usually had a family cookout somewhere near the day, and did the whole fireworks thing. My best friend would have his Birthday Party every year, and the Fourth of July burned itself into my memory as a time of celebration.

In the summer after my first year of Seminary, Father Bert Richman - my Pastor, inspiration, and very dear friend - was called home to the God who made him. He closed his eyes to this world, on July 3, the same day as that friend’s birthday (who was also good friends with Fr. Bert). For me, in that moment, the Fourth of July stopped being a cause to celebrate.

The next year, life began to take it’s course. My Seminary journey became more intense, and along the way I made friends with someone new, who introduced me to the world of the Fourth of July…Bristol style. He allowed me a glimpse each year on July 3rd and 4th into a world of nonstop cookouts, the Parade, Fireworks, and the town of Bristol (which during the Fourth is a whole different world) in a whole new light. The Fourth of July had again become a testimony to celebration!

After leaving Seminary I found myself once again growing further and further away from the world I knew. That individual who had “re-invented the Fourth” for me, and I, found ourselves living in two very different worlds…worlds that were so different they were unable to meld. That parting of ways was difficult for me, and the Fourth of July became empty again. It returned to being a reminder of things like; loss, resentment, and regret.

Today I look at life in general through a different lens, and as a result I can’t help but feel once again a deep love for the Fourth, but now it means something entirely different.  Every year I go and watch the fireworks, and it makes me feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I think about all the things about the Fourth that I have loved through the years, and all the people that made it so special. Although those things and people have come and gone they have contributed to who I am today. Maybe that’s why we as Americans relate so well to the Fourth of July. It’s the epitome of American optimism.

The Star Spangled Banner tells the story of the American Flag flying proud the day after a long battle. We can certainly relate to that…many times life feels like a battle. We do the best we can with what we have. We try to pay the bills, keep our friends and loved ones satisfied, meet the expectations that are upon us, and all the while try to improve ourselves in life’s ongoing “self improvement project.” We try to keep our head above water, and when Summer comes we grasp at the opportunity to embrace a well deserved rest. We deserve it because in so many ways we too can proudly say; “the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night, but the flag was still there.” That’s one of the many reasons the Flag is so meaningful a symbol; because we too somehow make it through all the nights, the battles, the bombs and the rockets with “red glare”.

Living this “American Dream” is stressful, and challenging. Our founding fathers established for us a Nation to thrive and grow bathed in freedom and liberty. This Fourth of July, let’s not only celebrate the freedom, but also the thriving and the growing! Let’s give thanks to the Lord for all the challenges we’ve survived, because they have contributed to who we are today…and prepared us for whatever else may come! After all, America isn’t just the land of the free, it’s also the home of the brave!!

God Bless America!

I Have Neither Silver Nor Gold

"I have neither silver nor gold,

but what I do have I give you:

in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean,

rise and walk”

The above words are taken from the First Reading of today’s Mass, as Peter and John are approaching the temple gate, and they come upon a crippled man who is there begging for alms. His pleas are the norm for the gate, as he is there daily looking for some financial help. Peter and John are taken by the man, and Peter heal him with the above words.

Such powerful words for this Easter Season; just this past Sunday we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus, with a full Chapel. The Liturgy was spirited (to say the least), and quite uplifting. I have spent the last few days processing the events we experienced as a Parish Community, and I have to say…I feel like the richest man alive.

At the Parish House, the third floor Sitting Room is finally almost complete, and I sank into the easy chair yesterday, with “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” blaring on the surround sound system. As I allowed myself to drown in the words to the music, I lost myself in the meaning of what we have commemorated. The full Chapel, the lively spirit, the music, the flowers; it is all a testimony to the wonder and majesty of the Resurrection. I have neither silver nor gold, but I do have the news of the Resurrection!

As an Easter people, that really is all that we have. That’s the whole point! The Resurrection is the victory of heaven over the bonds of the world. It’s victory of eternal life over eternal death. It’s the victory of true glory that results from true sacrifice. Silver and gold are meaningless, in the face of such riches.

In the days that followed the death of Jesus the Disciples were scared for their lives. They were scared that the same authorities who had put Jesus to death would next pursue His followers. Crippled by this fear, they locked themselves in the Upper Room, there to commiserate and determine their next course of action. This man who they had left everything to follow was now dead, and the hope He had given them had died with Him. Mary Magdalene comes to the Upper Room with news of an empty tomb, and it is Peter and John who run to the grave to see what has happened. They had neither silver or gold…they were so bound by their fear and sorrow they had gone into seclusion, yet this news about Jesus’ empty tomb not only inspired them to rise and walk – but in fact, to rise and run.

In the coming weeks we will hear from the Gospel the many accounts of the Resurrection, and the events that immediately followed. We will hear about the Disciples who met the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus, who didn’t recognize Him until they broke bread together. We will hear about Thomas, and his doubting of the Resurrection. We will hear how Jesus appears at the Sea of Galilee as the Disciples are fishing, and not only facilitates a miraculous catch, but then entrusts the care of His infant Church to Peter and the Apostles.

Over and over again we will hear the story of the Disciples who are looking for different worldly things; assurance, success, gossip…but they only find fulfillment in the Resurrection of Christ. It’s time tested proof that we have not silver or gold, we have not worldly things, but we have the news of Easter, which is infinitely more rewarding, and fills our heart with far greater joy.

And so my dear friends, may the joy of the Resurrections truly fill all of our hearts with the fullest “Alleluias” we can muster! My the sweet scent of Lilies, and the grand swell of Pipe Organs, be only a fraction of the majestic love of our God that sustains us over these 50 days of Easter! We are truly an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song! We have not silver and joy, but we have the news of Jesus Christ the Nazorean; who has risen from the dead!

The Very Stones Would Cry Out

The Easter Morning Homily:

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The story is told, and I know that many of you have heard this before, of the three folks who died and arrived at the pearly gates of Heaven. St. Peter tells them that they can enter the gates if they can answer one simple question. So he asks the first person, "What is Easter?" The fellow replies, "Oh, that's easy! It's the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey, and are thankful..." "Wrong!," St. Peter replies with annoyance, and proceeds to ask the second man the same question, "What is Easter?" The second one replies, "Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents, and celebrate the birth of Jesus." St. Peter looks at the second man, shakes his head in deeper frustration and peers over his glasses at the third man and asks, "What is Easter?" The third man smiles confidently and looks St. Peter in the eyes, "I know what Easter is." "Oh?" says St. Peter, incredulously. "Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover. Jesus and his disciples were eating at the last supper and Jesus was later deceived and turned over to the Romans by one of his disciples. "The Romans took him to be crucified and he was stabbed in the side, made to wear a crown of thorns, and was hung on a cross with nails through his hands. He was buried in a nearby cave which was sealed off by a large boulder." St. Peter smiles broadly with delight. Then he continues, "Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out...and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter."

The man from the anecdote was certainly so close to hitting the nail on the head, as to what Easter is all about. He was right about how Jesus had dinner with His friends, and was deceived and handed over to be crucified. He was right about He suffered and died on the Cross. He was right about how His body was laid in a tomb and sealed with a heavy stone. The rest of course leaves a bit to be desired.

However, he is not alone in his confusion, as Peter and John in this morning’s Gospel seemingly got just as far in the Easter story before they too reached a bit of a mix up. You see, Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb in the morning, and finds it open, empty, and in a state of disarray. So she runs and tells the Disciples, and Peter and John race to the tomb to see for themselves. The author even takes the liberty of pointing out that the other Disciple ran faster then Peter. Two men who were scolded on Thursday evening for falling asleep while Jesus prayed in the Garden, were now far from sleep, and are totally energized. Something inside them has ignited a fire that has launched them into motion.

They aren’t motivated by the Resurrection, as Scripture says they did not yet understand that He had risen from the dead. They were running in such a panic because Jesus’ body was missing. It’s that natural, human, impulsive response. What good would this race to the grave do? It wouldn’t bring the body back. It wasn’t going to answer any questions. It was the only response they could think of – to run, and see for themselves.

My dear friends on this Easter morning we do the very same thing. We come to Church today, and run to see for ourselves the empty tomb. We may not understand what has happened completely, we may not be able to explain it to a non believer. We may not be able to wrap our minds around the mystery of how this has been accomplished…but we know it’s worth running. We know it’s a day that we come to Church. We know it’s a day that we dress up. We know it’s a day that we gather for a meal with loved ones, and wish others a good day with the greeting of “Happy Easter”. If we do not fully understand the mystery of the Resurrection then how do we know all these things? It’s Natural. . . we have been waiting for it in the depth of our souls.

Previously in the Gospels, in Luke’s to be precise, Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the Disciples join the crowds in hailing Jesus as King. The Pharisee’s ask Jesus why He doesn’t silence them, and He responds, “if I told them to be silent, the very stones would cry out.”

All of creation, even the very stones, have waited since it’s fall in the Garden of Eden for this day to come. Every person, plant, rock, and speck of dust has waited with a collective eagerness for the day when the eternal God would complete the work of Redemption. Now it has been accomplished, and even the stones cry out.

What stone cried the loudest? I would say the one that first saw His glory. The boulder that sealed the entrance to the Tomb; in a moment where the ultimate climax of the power of God was made manifest, it rolled aside like a marble across the floor. As the man talking to Saint Peter at the pearly gates said, it has moved so that Jesus can come out…not to check for His shadow…but rather to find us looking for Him. He comes out to find Peter, the other Disciple, and you and I; who have run from our everyday lives, from our usual stress and aggravation, to see what has happened.

What has happened is victory.

That’s the message of the stones that cry out; that no stone is too big, no obstacle too great, to stop the love of our God for us…because that’s what Easter is…it’s the victory of love. It’s the victory of the power of God’s love over the power of the world. It’s the victory of God’s love over the boulder that blocked the entrance to Paradise. It’s the victory of God’s love over every single boulder that rolls across our way.

The broken body hanging on the Cross, which yielded such broken hearts, has now risen triumphantly; leaving behind a broken tomb. May Alleluia’s ring from each and every one of our hearts, and may our very souls swell with the eternal glory that is now ours to share forever!

Let's Call It What It Is

I’m not going to lie, as I write this, I am aggravated.

No, I take that back…I’m angry. I’m angry and insulted.

This evening I read Bishop Tobin’s latest argument against Gay Marriage in the local Roman Catholic Newspaper. You may be surprised to learn however why it is that I am angry. I’m not angry about his beliefs, nor am I angry about the fact that he defends those beliefs. Nationwide surveys have demonstrated that more than half of practicing Roman Catholics, support same sex marriage…if anything I would give him credit for standing up for his understanding of Church teaching in the face of such adversity within his own flock. What does anger me, is what this is really about, and the fact that we continue to dance around it.

The Bishop offers a number of arguments to support his defense of the Roman Catholic position on gay marriage. He offers five in fact, which can be found clearly demonstrated in his article, here.

I am so tired of reading and hearing the same arguments over and over again. I’m tired of responding with the same arguments over and over again. I’m tired of hearing the lame one liner from he and others, like the one in this article where he laments that he is but a martyr in the name of the truth;

“We’ve already seen that if you oppose same-sex marriage, even for personal or religious principles, you’ll quickly be labeled an intolerant bigot.”

Well, the reference to “attempted homosexual marriage” as a “social experiment, the consequences of which may not be realized for years to come” certainly can sound intolerant when taken at face value. Particularly with the argument left as is. What’s the experiment? Gays and Lesbians will get married, and start families. Organizations like N.O.M. (who tag their name to the Roman Catholic Church without debate), would certainly agree that such a thing is horrendous. Their website blatantly says that a family is meant to have; one father, and one mother. What about children that come from a single parent household? More than that, what about children that come from a two parent household…and they had to still raise themselves? What about all those families out there that find at it’s base a mother and a father, and the product is children that are still filled with anger, hate, and other unchristian values? The people that have been the biggest threat to society in history, were the children of heterosexual parents. We would never condemn heterosexual families for raising children that turned out to be wretched, so why would we simply assume that a homosexual couple would be incapable of raising children that could be Saints?

That sounds like an intolerant bigot to me.

The Bishop goes on, as you can see in the article;

“our opposition to this legislative initiative, to same-sex marriage, should not be construed as an attack on or rejection of individuals with same-sex attraction. Homosexual persons are children of God who possess the same human dignity as every other human being. That affirmation, however, doesn’t mean that their sexual activity needs to be accepted and celebrated.”

Why isn’t heterosexual marriage reduced to simply “the acceptance of, and celebration of, their sexual activity?” If it is truly held that the LGBTQ Community are all children of God who possess the same human dignity as every other human being, then this conversation would be about human beings. It would not be about “accepting and celebrating sexual acts.”

The Bishop points out that if the fight for same sex marriage were really about Civil Rights, the LGBTQ Community should be happy with Civil Unions;

“And be very clear about this – same-sex marriage isn’t about procuring civil rights for beleaguered homosexual persons. The recently adopted civil-unions legislation, as ill-advised as it was, it provided the legal protections activists have been lobbying for, but the opportunity has been widely ignored. Same-sex marriage legislation is about distorting a venerable institution – not about civil rights.”

Civil Unions have not been taken advantage of because there is no advantage to getting one! In the State of Rhode Island, even if a couple posses a Civil Union, institutions have the right to ignore that legal status in the name of beliefs and morals. The very existence of Civil Unions gives acknowledgment to same sex relationships. By their very nature they prove that these relationships have worth and value. However, this legislation also blatantly demonstrates that value to be less then marriage. There is no dignity in introducing someone as, “the other half of my civil union.”

I’ll be blunt; to legalize same sex marriage would grant too much human dignity to homosexual persons. In a way, it would make it a matter of law to respect a homosexual person in the same way as a heterosexual person. Such a thing would force the Roman Catholic Church to think outside of the box, a box that has sat comfortably for too many years. The Hierarchy of the Church would find itself without the justification of a social stigma to back its bigotry. Make no mistake about it…they need that backing.

Think about it; what would happen if the world became a place where same sex relationships were deemed “ok” by the legalization of same sex marriage? How would Priests who are gay and living closeted gay lifestyles then feel? How would all the gays who are employed by the Church feel? How would gays in the pews feel? The Church would be forced to face its worst nightmare: acknowledging homosexuals as equals.

Let’s just be honest - that is really what’s at stake here. If this were in fact about protecting marriage, and the sanctity of marriage, the Church would issue a statement every other time Marriage is “marred” in public view. When CNN reports about another celebrity who has further mocked this sacred institution, there would be a statement from the Bishop. If there was an ounce of concern about the “Dignity of the Homosexual Person,” a statement would be made in defense of the 26 percent of young people in this State who “come out”, and as a result get thrown out of their house. If the issue here is really marriage, and the Church truly defends the dignity of the homosexual person, then why can’t a Roman Catholic Priest be openly gay, and “out” so long as he is still true to his Ordination promises? Why isn’t the Roman Catholic Church the loudest opponents to homophobic language in the hallways of high schools?

That’s what makes me mad. It makes me mad that the Hierarchy of the Roman Church justifies its bigotry in the name of “defending marriage”. Well, keep right on “defending”; and in the process drive away souls who thirst for Christ. Drive away young people who will forever have a bad taste in their mouth for the Church who seemingly rejects them. Drive away families who are trying to raise their children with values of honesty, love, and respect…even though the Church would say that family is built on immorality, because they have two parents of the same sex.

Bishop, you are right about one thing indeed; “The general public will continue to be divided over this emotional issue with accusations and angry rhetoric sure to follow. Do we need that again here and now?” The answer is, no we don’t.

However, it is in fact going to continue, because there are two battles going on here;

One battle is in the State House, and it’s over same sex marriage.

The other is between Chanceries and human hearts, and it is rooted in fear.

Our Highest Aspirations

From my "Pastor's Desk" Column on the Parish Website.

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Today in Holyoke, Massachusetts history was made as Alex Morse was sworn in as the youngest mayor the city has ever elected. I haven’t followed his campaign very closely, since its outcome doesn’t really affect me in any way, but I, like many, was fascinated by the idea of a 22 year old man running for such a position.

In his remarks at the Inauguration today he said, “We have all heard those who say that Holyoke’s best days are long past. We have heard that Holyoke’s best bet is for us to just settle, and to resign ourselves to a future that is beneath our highest aspirations.” He goes on to talk about how for the citizens of Holyoke, today is a new day. His youth filled zeal is inspiring as he speaks of his hope for so many brighter tomorrows for his fellow citizens.

What a wonderful thought as we move into this New Year. I think that many of us have at times in our lives found ourselves of the same mindset that Mayor Morse describes in his word above. We have all reached points along the way where we may feel that our best days have passed, or that it is now time to settle for where we are, and that our dreams are a bit too farfetched. What a travesty! Such a thought could not be further from the truth!

In the last week the New Years Spirit has been strong. Thanks to Social Media like Facebook and Twitter, it seems stronger than ever. We can click online at anytime and see the posts about diets, quitting smoking, and drinking less. At the gym there is a noticeable increase in activity, at AA there has been an influx of people…it would seem that everywhere we look people are working on bettering themselves, everyone is working on reaching goals, on finding that future of our highest aspirations.

You see my friends in all of this self improvement that we find ourselves doing; at the end of the day we are working on the same goal – to improve the self. For all of us, the “self” is different. We all have different vices, we all have different ways that we want to improve, and we all have different pictures of what that “highest aspiration” looks like.

At Christmas we celebrated the birth of Our Lord, who came to us; as we are, who we are, and where we are. I spoke at the Christmas Masses about who we are is something sacred, because God Himself has been made one of us. All of those things are very true, but it would be a shame for us to think that we cannot grow. These events all took place in the humility of the Stable, among a diverse cast of characters. However, the encounter with Jesus in the Stable affected everyone present;

The Shepherds return to their homeland glorifying God, and telling everyone they meet of this wondrous news that has forever changed the world. The Kings make their way to Bethlehem asking questions, following a Star and their faith. They leave Bethlehem with solid answers, and even return home via a different route to avoid Herod, and not fall into his ploy. Joseph is strengthened in his faith, and through it all Mary “keeps all these things, and reflects on them in her heart.”(LK 2:19)

Jesus comes to each of them “as they are”…and that encounter inspires them to do even better. It inspires them to do things like ponder the Lord, trust in Him, tell others about Him, and protect Him from those who would otherwise seek to harm Him. The Shepherds are still Shepherds, and the Magi are still Magi, but they leave Bethlehem looking at life, and living life, through a new lens. They realize that the best days are not those that have passed, and that to “just settle” simply will not work. They have experienced Emmanuel, God with us, and as a result their highest aspirations are actually attainable.

May all of our New Year’s Resolutions be directed ultimately towards reaching our highest aspirations. May God in His goodness continue to bless us, encourage us, and strengthen us as we continue in our own journeys to be the best we can be; because God has given us everything we need to each our highest aspirations.

God Bless You!

See you at Church!

Fr. Dave

Seabiscuit

~ My "From The Pastor's Desk" Column on the Parish Website~

On this day in 1938 a historic race was won by a horse named Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit did not start out with a very promising future as a racing horse. He was undersized, “knobby-kneed” and lazy. Even when it was discovered that this poor creature had a hopeful future as a racing horse, he still wasn’t given much of a chance, and couldn’t be sold for a respectable amount of money. In 1938, on November 1 Seabiscuit earned the title and acclaim he had acquired in his defeat of “War Admiral” who was at the top of the “Horse Racing World”, till that point.

How appropriate that this all unfold on the Solemnity of All Saints. Today’s feast is a beacon of hope for all us underdogs out there. The Saints are made up of men and women who history never expected much from at the beginning, and history would end up gravely mistaken. The Apostles are a prime example. They were 12 uneducated, simple fishermen; who all but one gave their lives for the Church in martyrdom. Therese, our patroness, who died at 23 years old of Tuberculosis in her small convent of Carmel; no one knew, when they went to read her diaries that they would one day be published, and earn her the title of ‘Doctor of the Church”. There were Saints like Francis of Assisi and Augustine, who for the early part of their lives never thought twice about God, His Church, or even living good and respectable lives. Both men went on to found Religious Orders, and now are two of the most renowned names in Church History.

Look at the Saints we all know in our lives. The grandparents, parents, aunt, uncles, friends and neighbors who have gone home to the Lord and their eternal reward; how many of them were such underdogs as well? Perhaps immigrants from other countries who were forced to assimilate into a culture they knew nothing about in order to get work, and provide for their family. Perhaps they were single parents, who due to any number of reasons were left raising a child alone in an economy where even a 2 parent household is struggling. Perhaps they passed seemingly to the rest of the world without making a single wave…but we know that to be different, because they affected US.

What about the walking Saints among us? The underdogs who day in and day out go to work, try to pay their bills, and try to make it home to bed at the end of the day with as little incident as possible.

At AA they tell us that we are miracles. They say that every day that we look back on our past 24 hours of sobriety, it’s a miracle. Then when we look at how many of those 24 hour periods back to back we have collected for ourselves; we are a miracle. Miracles that are only possible through the grace of a loving God, to whom we have given over our will. It certainly is a miracle, but one that I certainly have had nothing to do with. Maybe the AA principle needs to apply to every aspect of our lives.

Give it all to God. Give God all the heartaches, headaches, bills, stress, arguments, successes and failures, and let Him work miracles. He seems to be in that line of work! Let God make something amazing out of the simplicity that is us. Like Seabiscuit conquering all the odds, like the Saints who went from paupers to heroes faith, like our Grandparents who made it in a new world, and like the drunk who everyday finds the willpower to not pick up a drink – God Works Miracles! We are still underdogs, because if we try to win these races alone, we surely will lose.
If we let God take over – the underdog becomes a formidable opponent.

Love Your Neighbor

This weekend on Sunday afternoon I went back to the old apartment to claim the last of my things. I brought Deacon Chris with me with hopes that he would help me in the discernment process of what can stay and what can go. Despite his insistence that if I “haven’t used it in the last month at the new house, you don’t need to keep it”, I still managed to haul two car loads of things back to Pawtucket. In the midst of all the sifting through stuff I found myself walking down memory lane, and when the room was cleared out, I stood for a moment and sort of looked around.

I couldn’t help but be filled with mixed emotions while taking it all in. I thought about when I first moved into the place. I was so excited to be starting in “my first apartment”. It was the first time I was living in my own place, and not renting a room in someone else’s home. I thought about all the ups and downs through the years. I came across old letters from ex’s that made their way into the “memory box”. I found tickets from movies, concerts, and plays that I went to with special people. I found an empty wine bottle that has traveled with me for about 5 or 6 years. I found a pumpkin carving kit, old engraved dog tags, a Transformer, and many other miscellaneous trinkets and tokens that I held onto as special memories from special events along life’s journey. Why do we keep this stuff???

We keep this stuff because it’s significant to us in some way. They certainly are not reminders of days I wish I could return to. Some of them are reminders of lessons I had to learn in life the hard way. Some of them are reminders of lessons that I continue to learn to this day. Some of them are reminders of people, who for better or worse; make me the person I am today.

In the Gospel on Sunday Jesus is asked a very pointed question “which one of the commandments is the greatest?” Jesus’ answer is one that has certainly gone down in history;

"You shall love the Lord, your God,with all your heart,with all your soul,and with all your mind.This is the greatest and the first commandment.The second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

In this very clear statement, Jesus makes it very clear that our relationship with one another is intrinsically linked with our relationship with God. The statement presupposes that we already love ourselves, and that we must love our neighbor in like manner. This love is just as significant – and in fact linked to – our love for God.

That’s how we end up with all this “stuff” over the years, because the people in our lives, and the memories that come with them are linked to the Divine. These people that God puts in our path along the way who leave an impression on our hearts are there for a reason. That’s why we hold onto all that stuff…that’s why we have memory boxes. That’s why even after sifting through all the leftover stuff in my apartment, and throwing away countless bags of trash, I still managed to fill two cars with what remained! Those items are things that are point towards something much deeper, something much more significant. The love that has been shown to me along the way from the people and memories attached to those items, were reminders of the love of God Himself.

From the outsider’s perspective, I think many would ask “why would you save that”, or “why would you want to remember them?” I mentioned that Jesus’ words presupposed that we love ourselves. There were definitely periods of life where I did not love myself, and hence the love I had for others was equally as flawed. The relationships I tried to maintain while I was under the influence of alcohol were all people who will no doubt be counted one day among the Saints. The love they showed for me despite my inability to rightly love in return is undoubtedly a testimony to the divine nature of love.

So now it is a new day, and as some of these trinkets and memories find their new home on a shelf at the new house I look upon them with a smile. That’s because I do love myself now. I love my flawed, broken, simple self. I can say that because I know that my God loves me, and He knows that each and every day I give it my all…because that’s all we can do. I know for a fact that He loves me, because attached to each and every one of those trinkets and nick-knacks is one of my “neighbors” who lived that message of Jesus in their heart, and loved me…for the mess I was.

From the outsider’s perspective I’m a pack-rat. From my perspective, I’m a lucky guy, who’s been blessed throughout my life with people who have contributed to who I am today – weather they intended to or not. I think the important lesson to be learned is that’s why it’s so important to love our neighbor – because maybe they don’t love themselves, maybe they feel alone, maybe no one understands them. So love your neighbor…they may be depending on it.