Good morning.
I hope you had a good weekend. Brother Manfred professed is final vows as a Franciscan Friar yesterday. It was a really a wonderful service.
What moves a person like Manfred or any other person to give themselves over to God, not just for a short period of time or until things get a little rough. But for the rest of their lives????
I don’t know about you, but in my time, I have encountered others who would tell me that they were atheists. They just did not believe in God. I guess I have to accept their belief or lack thereof. I personally, could not imagine living a life without God. But as I accept their decision not to believe, I hope they accept my decision as well.
The businessman Steve Jobs once said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it by living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Very wise words from a very wise man. But it is said that Mr. Jobs was an atheist. This does not mean that Mr. Jobs was a bad person, one who enjoyed using others for his own purposes. It just means that the gift of faith was not given to him. Why? Only God knows.
But it is said that on his death bed, his last words spoken in the presence of a friend was, “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.”
The noted theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar tells us that at the point of death we have an ultimate choice to make, for God or not. The last words of Steve Jobs may have been made because he said YES to God who may have been after like the “Hound of Heaven” in Francis Thompson’s poem.
“God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.” (Wm. Cowper)
Peace and All Good,
Fr. Vinnie, fcm and the
Bros and Srs of the
Franciscan House of Prayer.
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