Here’s a picture of Father Clay at Will’s baptism in 2008. (He baptized Anna in 2011, too!) We’re thinking of him today, on the one-year anniversary of his death.
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Father Clay’s death. We prayed for him in church yesterday, and took a moment to feel thankful for having had him. We recently marked what would have been Mike’s grandma’s 100th birthday – she died just a few years ago. This weekend, as a nation, we marked the 20-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. My family and I watched the movie United 93, and I realized how little my 12- and 10-year-olds knew about that awful day.
So, I’m contemplating Sept. 11, and I’m contemplating Great Grandma’s and Father Clay’s life and lessons. And I’m thinking about what I can control (me) and what I can’t (the rest of the world). And I’m thinking about one of the most powerful ideas I took from Father Clay: that we can have access to God’s Kingdom now, while we’re alive, if we choose it. Here are some ideas – things that we can each control for ourselves -that bring us close to God and heavenliness even now, while we still draw breath.
You’re invited: Father Clay and My Journey Toward Spiritual Wellness I’ll be giving my talk at St. Stan’s on Saturday, Sept. 18 after the 4 pm mass (about 4:45). Please join us if you can!
398 Superior St., St. Paul, MN 55102
Transforming toward the reign of God
Here are some suggestions for allowing God to transform us beyond purity and duty into the reign of God:
- Be quietly aware of the Love (God) that is within all of us.
- Want and desire that Love to slowly transform us into compassion.
- Accept that we are human with our limitations and flaws.
- Be quietly aware of the ways we harm ourselves and others.
- Have compassion for ourselves and others.
- Be quietly aware that we are good and that our goodness can blossom.
- Be quietly aware that Love is not mad at us and only wants us to grow in goodness and happiness.
- Be quietly aware that love cherishes us.
- Laugh and take delight in how mixed up we are.
From the homily “Purity and Duty” in Awesome Love, (c) 2013
Dear People Whom God Loves 