Gospel, Homily and Coffee

Grants requests are a necessary in the nonprofit world, but they can be onerous. Basically, it is like a loan application.  Someone has money, usually a foundation, and to receive some, you have to prove your value, prove your need, prove the value of the project.  It takes a lot of wordsmithing, re-writing, and a strong dose of humility. And there is no guarantee that any money will be given. Of course Foundations do this because they have limited funds and want to ensure it is effective. How about this...ever do one of those chain letters or emails?  You receive it, and you have to pass it along to a certain number of people, and if you do, your wish will be granted. Of course there are the famous emails from Nigerian princes and princesses...just send them $100 to cover expenses and your bank account info and $1,000,000 will be wired to your account.  Some people can treat God the same way:  as a Foundation, as a Loan Officer; even as a scam ...

Let’s get this out there right now...Type A personalities and even reformed type A’s do not like this gospel.  Hard workers come off as the bad ones, and the seeming slackers get off easy. Humpf! We are the ones who do it all, right? Life can seem overwhelming at times. There does seem to be a lot that needs accomplished, completed. Paperwork, housework, maintenance all demand a lot of time. And then throw on this, our mission as Catholics to help God transform this world!   Our mission to work for God to make this world a place of justice, compassion, mercy; a world in which love flourishes and all people, ALL people are treated with their inherent dignity. And we look at the chaos that seems so prevalent.  The break down in our political systems, the rise of nationalism and populism with the rise of hatred and racism. We see children being abused and neglected, even in the so called most rich and powerful country in the world. There is such ...

Goodness lies within all of us. Remember Jiminy cricket in the movie Pinocchio? He was the conscience for the boy puppet, always trying to help him do what was good. Pinocchio didn’t listen, at first. It was a struggle as he was being tempted to enjoy the pleasures of life, to be more concerned with himself. Not until he makes the sacrifice of self to save Gepetto does he become “Real”. Goodness lies within all of us. A man in Arizona gave water to thirsty human persons, who also happened to be migrants. For this act of mercy, he was arrested last year and now faces 20 years in prison. A German ship captain was in the Mediterranean sea picked up refugees and took them to the Italian. She too was arrested. Fortunately the judge released her in recognition of the humanitarian effort. Goodness lies within all of us. Humans are inherently good and want to do good. Listening to that goodness and acting on it, this is called in our Catholic Faith, honoring our conscience...