Today, October 1, 2023, marks the 5th Anniversary of Treats for the Soul – Bringing Perspective to Our Troubled World.
During these past 5 years I’ve truly enjoyed sending out a Spiritual Message every day. At times it was a challenge – my open heart surgery, a broken left femur and 10 weeks in a wheelchair, a right hip replacement and my brother Tom’s death.
Even with those events, Covid-19 and some technical difficulties, not a day was missed in 5 years. I especially thank Tim Veach, my great IT person, who has always taken care of the technical issues of which I am totally ignorant.
I truly appreciate the time YOU have taken these past 5 years to read and reflect on what I send out and to listen to my Podcast. Please check out the TreatsfortheSoul.org website on occasion. Please listen to my Daily Podcast. Some of my short books in their entirety are found on my website for free as well as my ongoing work in Haiti. YOUR support of my efforts in Haiti with Hearts for Humanity is always most welcome. Our teachers go out every day with laptops to teach digital learning.
I always love hearing from YOU! Just one or two words from YOU – “THANKS!” or “I’M UPLIFTED!” mean the world to me. I realize how many emails you get every day and how busy YOU are, but one word of verbal support means so much to me.
May YOUR soul find many Treats along YOUR life’s journey…..
Fr. Med Laz
There was an elderly man who was confined to his bed at home. One day a priest came to see him. At the end of the visit the priest said, “I’ll pray for you.” The man looked up from his bed and said, “Father, I can pray for myself. If you want to help me, you can take out the garbage and do the laundry.”
Not too many of us talk to a priest this way or say such words to a well-intentioned person who says they are going to pray for us.
In today’s Gospel (Matt 21:28-32) Jesus tells us about a father who asks his son to go and work in the vineyard. The son says, “I won’t,” but later changes his mind and goes. The father asks his other son to go and work in the vineyard and the son says, “Yes, sir,” but he never goes.
Jesus tells us this parable to teach us that promises can never take the place of performance and fine words are never a substitute for fine deeds.
We are told that this was the last parable Jesus ever taught. It was probably delivered a couple of days before he died. So Jesus was telling it like it is. The first son said NO to his father, but then went out and did what his father wanted. It is a prime example for us sinners who say NO to God, but have a change of heart and then go and do what God is calling us to do.
The second son says YES to the father but does not go and work in the vineyard. Jesus used this second son to refer to the religious authorities of his day who were long on words but short on deeds. It is the deeds we do that really prove who we are.
Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes said that the first part of the newspaper he read each morning was the sports section. He said he wanted to read about people DOING something rather than about politicians promising something.
Walker Percy, the famous novelist joined the Catholic Church because he watched his college roommate get up early every morning and go to mass. His ACTIONS were louder than his words.
Thanks to Ihnatsi Yfull for the photo.
When have YOUR actions recently spoken louder than YOUR words?
JESUS IS NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST. HE IS A CARDIOLOGIST. JESUS DOES NOT LISTEN TO WORDS. JESUS LISTENS TO HEARTS.
