Reaction Time vs Response Time

This morning's Gospel is on the calling of Simon, Andrew, James and John. From the Gospel we get the picture that as soon as these men were called they responded. They were called and immediately left their fishing business and followed Jesus.

Most reading this have responded to the initial call of Jesus to follow him and even though we may limp along, we do follow him. But what about the specific ministries that he calls us to. Regretfully I believe we react immediately but do not respond obediently for some time if ever.

We react as silent paralytics questioning God's choice, our own abilities and what responding to God's call will mean to the human comfort zone that we have spent a life time creating.

The four men in this mornings Gospel JUST RESPOND OBEDIENTLY !

I want to be like that. How about you?

My Brother is mourning and it hurts me

The Lord has always been generous to me in that the friends that he has given me are almost always men I can truly call brothers as if we shared the same parents. I have two biological brothers and a handful of men that are also brothers to me.

One of these men called me yesterday with a distressed voice and told me that his mom had died suddenly. He said "I have gone through the worst thing in my life - there is no grief worse than this - I got to hug, kiss and say good bye to her - I'm so glad God gave that to me"

This brother is my hero. He sees God's grace in all things. He has gone through more adversity than anyone I know in the last two years yet no ones knows it. He was a great son to his earthly mom but also a great son to his heavenly Father. I am purposely omitting his name as he doesn't like notice in this way.

I FEEL HIS LOSS AND I WANT IT TO GO AWAY BUT I KNOW GOD IS WITH HIM.

Father, comfort your son, my brother.

So, If You Have An Extra 1.3 Million Laying Around. . .

As I was fishing on a beach in Ventura this afternoon, I received a call (aren't cellphones great?)from someone who comes to our church sometimes and is also a local realtor. They told me that there is a church property for sale in town for 1.3 million dollars. I know what building it is and we could make it work very well. I am normally a very practical person - which is as total odds with the pentecostal part of me. I am seriously praying about his.

You see, our church doesn't have two nickles to rub to together but I believe God is doing something here. Our church is 10 years old yet we are virtually unknown in our area while churches that are well funded that have been around for a couple of years are already institutions in this town. I repent of envy almost daily.

Buildings absolutely don't make a church but they do help minister to community much more than a limited rental space.

I'm good with where ever God puts us, but this call was so random and very timely in some ways. It might just be God. The money will have to fall from heaven. God can do this - I know he can.

But for now I'll pray until Gods speaks clearly one way or another and until then focus on bringing souls to Jesus Christ- I'll let the Lord worry about a place to put all them newly saved souls.

Please pray with me on this. And let me know if the Lord gives you a word on this subject.

Going Big

There Is Still Joy

the Funeral for a Stranger?

On Sunday I celebrated a funeral mass for a woman whom I only knew for a few minutes before I saw her pass away. A week previously I was called from the hospital to minister to her as she was dieing. Her family was around her as the Lord embraced her for eternity. On the day she went to be with the Lord her son had told me a little about her life and faith. That frail lifeless body that I had seen lying in that hospital bed had seen adversity one only reads of in books. She was a saint of great faith. I never knew her but she was my grandmother, mom, aunt , cousin and big sister. She wasn't a stranger she was family and I was sad to see her go. Later the family would ask me to celebrate the funeral mass which I was more than glad to do .I had asked Deacon Joshua to serve at the funeral mass and he did . After the service he said he had wondered what I was going to say about her as I didn't know her but he was surprised that there was as much familiarity in what I had said.

I have done some funerals -not hundreds- but some. I have never done a funeral for a stranger although half the funerals I've done were for folks I never really met. Deacon Joshua and I talked about this for a while. I guess I'd never really thought about it before. But I always feel that I am laying a family member to rest when I celebrate a funeral mass. I feel that way whether I know if the person was Christian or not. Our common need for a savior makes for kinship I guess. Doing a christian funeral for a known atheist is blog entry for another day.

This last funeral was quite a blessing. I was blessed to pray the commendation for Vera, a woman who spent a total of 7 years in two different prison camps during WWII and after . She worked doing anything she could to provide a good life and education for her only child- a son. These are experiences that challenge ones faith enormously -SHE NEVER LOST FAITH. I don't know every detail of her life but I know enough to feel proud to have been there for last breath.

Rest in peace Vera.

Doing Magic Again

Many of you know that I was a professional Magician for a little over a decade. It helped to pay for my education. I renewed my membership at the Magic Castle in Hollywood last year and plan to do the same this. I've been practicing my old routines and some new ones and hope to start performing again but this time it will be different. Yes, I'd like to work professionally again but I'd also like to use magic(slight of hand) to evangelize. I've always had my reservations about Gospel magic because I have seldom seen it done well. Lately I have seen many competent Gospel magicians. I feel called to do some street performing with a gospel message. I'm still praying about it. We'll see what God says. I don't want this to be just me forcing a Gospel message so I can do magic. That would be bad..

Go Big!

Los Lobos Rock but Monica Rocks Harder

I have lots of God children the eldest of them is Monica who is 25 . She was my kid before I had any. She ruled me at 12 months old. She has no idea that I am her biggest fan. She is bright and caring and flawed and I love it all. But tonight dazzled me.

She told me months ago to reserve the evening of Jan 11th as she said that I was to receive my bday gift on that day.

Well , the 11th was today and she took me to see a special Los Lobos concert. I like Los Lobos but I never counted them amongst my favorites. She also gifted me with a Los Lobos Tshirt. ( side note: Being Mexican American, I have no clue as to why Mexican American artists feel the need to paint skeletons all the time).

Anyway , we have a quick dinner at a near by Japanese food court then go to the concert. These guys are crazy talented . They impressed me but not as much as Monica did. She has a tough life but she is letting God get her through it. For some reason she loves me (I don't know why I torture her every chance I get) and she showed tonight. We laughed together to the point of tears. I can't remember the last time I HAD SO MUCH FUN.

She'll probably never see this but I need to say this - I love you Monicaca! YOU ROCK.

I wish you all knew her.

That young woman is going big!