Important Questions of Life

"Who are you?".."What are you then?"..."What do you have to say for yourself?"--John 1:19,21,22

Sometimes questions like these seem to be questions of justification. and we do not need to justify our value to anyone. We have value in God's creation of us and His purpose for us here. Those in nursing homes, in hospital wards, living on the streets have just as much of a Purpose Driven Life as we who sit comfortably at a computer. It may not be gracious of us to ask others to justify their existence. It might not be such a bad idea for us to ask ourselves, though. We need to be accountable to the still small voice of God within us. I watched the French film Hedgehog last night. The main character grew to learn the importance of a life in action . She was judging others, but learning to see beneath the surface to what people kept hidden within. She questioned death and learned to value the living of life. She wanted to know the importance of what we are doing when we die? I am walking beside people who are taking the final journey with their 85 year old father. He is gravely ill. He is in pain. He is not lucid. His wife does not have the mental capacity to understand who  he is or what is happening. It is reported that these last few weeks have been all about love; how much he loves his family. Those of us who have been on the outside looking in have not always seen that in the other years of his living. But this is where he is now. This is what he is saying to his family now. This is what he is doing. This is who he is at the hour of death.

The Face of the Lord

The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!--Numbers 6:24-26

In my Advent and Christmas devotional, a book which includes the writings of Henry Nouwen, I read today his comments about God's creation and His eyes upon His creation and His judgment of "Good."  Nouwen's quote led into a commentary of thinking of God's creation of ME as good. I suppose everyone may feel they lack perfection: those of us who have been raised with Good Catholic Guilt will know what I mean here.Nouwen was probably raised in the same era. Yet he points out that God sees the Good in what He has created. We are created in His image. We have something of Him within us. It is this part of God that can enable us to look upon others in blessing, to shine in acceptance and fellowship in the joys and accomplishments of others, and  to look upon others in welcome and with kindness. I had the volume down on the television last night as I was watching some of the New Year's Eve festivities. I was not familiar with the performers or their signature songs, but I could read their body language and facial expressions. It did not seem to me that these people were singing of graciousness and kindness to each other. My Word of the Year is GIFT. this year, in addition to tangible gifts I shall be open to giving graciousness and kindness, acceptance and fellowship, giving God's goodness and peace. Trekking Catholic.