{"id":6071,"date":"2020-09-27T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-27T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/?p=6071"},"modified":"2020-09-26T13:35:09","modified_gmt":"2020-09-26T17:35:09","slug":"saying-yes-to-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/saying-yes-to-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Saying YES to God"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<iframe title=\"Saying YES to God 9\/27\/20\" height=\"122\" width=\"100%\" style=\"border: none;\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/media\/player\/au8az-ed3d9d?from=pb6admin&#038;download=1&#038;version=1&#038;auto=0&#038;share=1&#038;download=1&#038;rtl=0&#038;fonts=Helvetica&#038;skin=1&#038;pfauth=&#038;btn-skin=107\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>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, \u201cI\u2019ll pray for you.\u201d The man looked up from his bed and said,&nbsp;<em>\u201cFather, I can pray for myself. If you want to help me, you can take out the garbage and do the laundry.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>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.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In today\u2019s 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, \u201cI won\u2019t,\u201d but later changes his mind and goes. The father asks his other son to go and work in the vineyard and the son says, \u201cYes, sir,\u201d but he never goes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>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.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>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.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u00a0of his day who were long on words but short on deeds. It is the deeds we do that really prove who we are.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell 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.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Walker Percy, the famous novelist joined the Catholic Church because he watched his college roommate get up early every morning and go to mass.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>It is said that Jesus is not a psychologist, he is a cardiologist. Jesus does not listen to words, Jesus listens to hearts.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I have listened to and told many stories over my 51 years as a priest. I cannot think of a story that has grabbed me more than the following story that I heard some years ago. I retell it in my mind falling asleep or waking up in the morning. It has such vivid images, words and sounds that give me much pause for reflection and prayer\u2026\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>There was a cab driver who got the call to pick up a woman at 2:30 AM in a quiet part of town. The cabbie imagined that he would be picking up a hung-over party-goer or someone on their way to the airport.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cab driver arrived at 2:30 AM and the building was dark. He honked his horn and waited several minutes. Most drivers would have honked their horns once or twice, waited a couple of minutes and then driven away. But this cabbie was different.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>He got out of the car, walked to the door and knocked. \u201cJust a minute,\u201d a frail, elderly voice called out. He could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long wait, the door opened.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>A small woman in her 80\u2019s wearing a faded blue dress appeared. She looked like someone from a 1940\u2019s movie. At her side was a small, nylon suitcase. He got a glimpse of the apartment. The furniture was covered with sheets. In the corner were a couple of cardboard boxes filled with photos and glassware.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u201cWould you please carry my suitcase to the car?\u201d<\/em><\/strong> she asked softly. He took the suitcase to the car and returned to assist her toward the curb. When they got in the cab, she gave him a torn piece of paper with an address that had been written with a shaky hand. She then asked politely:\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cCould you drive through downtown?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u201cIt\u2019s not the shortest way,\u201d he answered. \u201cOh, I don\u2019t mind,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m in no hurry. I\u2019m on my way to hospice,\u201d When he looked in his rearview mirror, he could see her eyes were glistening. \u201cI haven\u2019t any family left,\u201d she continued. \u201cThe doctor says I don\u2019t have very long.\u201d He reached over and shut off the meter. \u201cWhat route would you like me to take?\u201d he asked.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For the next two hours they drove through the city. She showed him a boarded up building which was once an office where she worked. She pointed out a warehouse which was once a ballroom where she had loved to go dancing. They paused in front of an old three-story flat where she said she lived as a newly-wed.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Sometimes she asked him to slow down or to stop in front of a building or an empty lot. She just sat there and stared in silence into the darkness of the night.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the first hint of dawn, she suddenly said with reluctance,&nbsp;<strong><em>\u201cI\u2019m tired, let\u2019s go.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They drove in silence to a small, one-story convalescent home. Two orderlies came out of the door. They were expecting her. They helped her get of out of the cab. The cabbie took the small suitcase to the door. She was now seated in a wheelchair.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u201cHow much do I owe you?\u201d<\/em><\/strong> she asked as she reached for her purse.\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cNothing,\u201d<\/em><\/strong> he said firmly.\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cYou have to make a living,\u201d<\/em><\/strong> she protested.\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cThere will be other passengers,\u201d<\/em><\/strong> he replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without thinking he bent over and gave her a hug. She held him tightly.\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cYou gave an old woman some moments of joy,\u201d<\/em><\/strong> she said.\u00a0<strong><em>\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> He squeezed her hand and walked slowly by the dim light of the rising sun back to his cab.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>He could hear the door shut behind him. It was the sound of the closing of a life. He just sat there in his cab for the longest time.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>He didn\u2019t pick up any more passengers that night. He drove through the city, lost in thought.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What if she had gotten an angry driver or one who was impatient? One who had honked once and had driven away? He sat there thinking that he had not done anything more important in his entire life.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Every time I think I have exhausted every aspect of this story, I find something new to think about and to absorb. I hope it will feed you as it has fed me over the years\u2026\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I asked God, \u201cWhy Are You Taking Me Through Troubled Waters?\u201d God Replied, \u201cBecause Your Enemies Can\u2019t Swim!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-amazon-kindle wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-amazon\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"oceanwp-oembed-wrap clr\"><iframe title=\"THE GATHERING: Jesus and Abortion A Story For Our Time\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"1200\" height=\"550\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen style=\"max-width:100%\" src=\"https:\/\/read.amazon.com\/kp\/card?preview=inline&#038;linkCode=kpd&#038;ref_=k4w_oembed_6g32IyKWQ5jPEN&#038;asin=B08BDSDQ5L&#038;tag=kpembed-20\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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, \u201cI\u2019ll pray for you.\u201d The man looked up from his bed and said,&nbsp;\u201cFather, I can pray for myself. If you want to help me, you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6072,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"qubely_global_settings":"","qubely_interactions":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"qubely_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control-150x145.png",150,145,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"ocean-thumb-m":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"ocean-thumb-ml":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"ocean-thumb-l":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"qubely_landscape":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"qubely_portrait":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control.png",218,145,false],"qubely_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control-140x100.png",140,100,true],"rpwe-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chair-Remote-Control-45x45.png",45,45,true]},"qubely_author":{"display_name":"Medard Laz","author_link":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/author\/medlaz\/"},"qubely_comment":0,"qubely_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/category\/weekly-messages\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Weekly Messages<\/a>","qubely_excerpt":"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, \u201cI\u2019ll pray for you.\u201d The man looked up from his bed and said,&nbsp;\u201cFather, I can pray for myself. If you want to help me, you&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6071"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6071\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.treatsforthesoul.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}