In despair, George Bailey, played by the iconic Jimmy Stewart, offered a simple prayer that changed the direction of his life — and became the turning point of this classic film.
God … oh God … Dear Father in Heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if You’re up there and You can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, Oh God.
It took less than 40 seconds (and less than 40 words, as well) for God to change George Bailey’s life. So, if that’s all it takes, why do we keep praying? Why do we keep asking God for things? Many times, we keep asking for the same thing, and we keep asking day in and day out. Why?
I’ve been struggling with this question lately.
Ironically, I’ve been struggling with this question just around the same time that I traded my theology books for a small 15-page book of prayers and dedicated my mornings to spiritual devotion.
Daily, I just silently read each prayer, many prepared by our great Saints, as I sip a warm cup of coffee. I sit downstairs in my EZ-Chair or outside as the sun rises, alone with only my most loyal family member at my feet.
The words of the prayers don’t change. My requests are usually the same.
I don’t ask for richness or success. I simply ask for guidance, Heavenly protection from the Evil One, and the will to be an example of Christ’s Love if and when called upon. And I do this every day. I do this every day, even though I know God is Ever-present, All-Knowing.
I do this knowing, as a Father, God is always there, always watching, always willing and prepared to help.
Every day, I repeat my prayers even though I know that God does not exist in time. I repeat my prayers even though I know God heard and remembered every word I spoke the day before. And I do this knowing that, just like George Bailey, all it takes is less than 40 seconds and less than 40 words to get my point across.
If fact, God knows exactly what I am going to say and exactly what I’m going to ask. So why do I do it? Why do I pray every single day and dedicate so much of my morning to prayer?
I do it because…
I need to remind myself that God is always watching. I need to keep close to God, not the other way around. Prayer keeps me connected to the Father. Prayer keeps me close to Him and to the Heavenly Hosts. Prayer keeps the temptations of the Evil One at bay — for just a little while, at least.
Sure, God can change one’s life in less than 40 seconds — and so can Satan.
So, through prayer, I choose to spend my time with the Father. As His child, I seek His loving guidance and protection, daily, the same way my children seek my guidance and protection. In prayer, I willingly accept His loving hand as I cross this chaotic, traffic-filled road called life until I get safely to the other side — and He will do the same for you.
As a writer, James has been featured on The Inside Success Show, Bob Salter (CBS Radio), Mike Siegel, Mancow, and more.
Beyond writing, James worked with At-Risk youth in Southern California for over six years. His contributions to the classroom — featured on local television and in the LA Daily News and the Los Angeles Times’ Burbank Leader — earned him the honors of “Teacher of the Year”. James was also twice honored by a CASDA Scholar as the teacher who had the greatest influence on that student. As an educator, James also appeared twice on America Live with Megyn Kelly.
Today, James lives in New York where he continues to teach — and write. Besides his books, you can follow his musing on this blog Corporation You.
The photo of Jimmy Stewart is from “It’s a Wonderful Life”. George Bailey’s Prayer. (1946) Fair Use: The 1961 Report of the Register of Copyrights on the General Revision of the U.S.
My blog this week was to mark the 40th year of my Dad’s premature passing from cancer. It started sadly like this…
It always begins around the end of April.
Right around the time the snow melts and the trees begin to bud, the itch begins. It’s hardly noticeable at first, then it begins to intensify. Over time, an abrasion shows. Soon, it becomes sore and finally, it opens into a small wound.
It’s been going on like this for years — 40 years exactly this week.
The more I try not to notice it, the harder it is to ignore. Soon, I am reminded of the scar it left behind.
I stopped there — at a loss for words. The plan was to write about the sadness of losing a loved one. The continual pain it causes; its lasting side-effects, especially when a child loses a parent.
But I just could not find the words or the strength to continue. Then it happened…
On the anniversary of my dad’s death, I received a text from a close childhood friend, whose wife, also a dear friend, has been in her own grudge-match with cancer.
In short, it read:
We went to the doctor on Monday and … the tumor has disappeared!
Coincidence? There are no coincidences with God.
The day that has been marked by sadness for decades now has been transformed into a day of celebration; and like that, the words came to me:
A song of praise rose from the silence, gliding on the wind, capturing my full attention. and these words were whispered into my ear.
Everyone knows the story about Galileo and the Catholic Church — or at least everyone thinks they know the story.
The centuries old controversy was set into motion after a sequence of events, beginning with the enlightened scientist’s defense of the Copernican astronomical theory and culminating with a trial and condemnation by the behemoth of religiosity, the Catholic Church, and its stubborn hold to a scripture-centered Geocentrism.
At least that’s the present worldview of the events.
Today, many people point to this moment in history as the great schism between science and religion. The fallout from this event continues to foster disdain, not just for the Catholic Church, but for organized religion in general.
The Galileo Affair has also divided the faithful into two camps: Those who literally interpret scripture verse those who don’t.
These divisions are brutally deep, leaving gaping wounds, filled with hurt feelings and scars that have never fully healed. The purulent exudate from the battle wounds of this historic clash, has seeped into of our schools, our institutions, our politics, and has saturated almost every aspect of life.
But what if the Church wasn’t wrong? What if the Earth IS truly the center of the Universe?
Would all these scars finally mend and heal?
Would the scientific community jointly write a treatise, as John Paul II did in 1992, apologizing for their errors?
Well, truth be told, Stephen Hawking proved that the Church was right holding to the belief that the Earth was the center of the Universe.
Yes, Stephen Hawking!
Back in 2016, in Episode 4 of the TV series Genius, Stephen Hawking set out to prove, through a series of demonstrations, that the universe was ever-expanding, a theory promoted by the brilliant Belgian scientist named George Lemaître.
Lemaître was not just a mathematician, astronomer, professor of physics, and member of the Royal Academy of Science, he was also an ordained Catholic priest. You may know Lemaître’s theory best as The Big Bang Theory.
In the aforementioned episode, Hawking had screens set up that represented maps of a small part of our universe; the lights on the screens represented galaxies.
“Think of them,” Hawking said of the screens, “as two snapshots of the same area of space taken 1 billion years apart. So how about we put our [time] machine together? Overlap the screens?”
The two screens were then overlapped on each other. As the TV hosts stepped back from the screens, it was clear that they were not the same.
“It looks like everything is radiating out from a point,” they pointed out. “So it looks from a billion years ago to today everything has moved away slightly … Same patterns, but they have moved … It was like jumping to warp speed and you get that pssheew starburst sort of effect … And we figured out that that is supposed to represent the expansion of space….”
After this last demonstration, Hawking said something profound; something that has stayed with me ever since.
“Everywhere is the center of the universe,” Hawking declared, “because it all came into existence at the same time, and it’s all moving away from everywhere at the same time. Space didn’t exist before the big bang. Now space is expanding in all directions, and these simple facts mean wherever you are in the universe, it’s the center, where it all began.”
Don’t take my word for it, CLICK HERE and read the episode script yourself. It’s at the very end of the teleplay. Or watch it below. The scene discussed above starts at 45.25.
Everywhere is the center of the universe …wherever you are in the universe, it’s the center, where it all began.”
Astounding, right?
It sounds allot like the first words of scripture that teaches it all began when God, at the beginning of time, created heaven and earth. Earth was still an empty waste…. (Genesis 1:1-2)
Assuming Stephen Hawking correct, that the universe IS ever-expanding — and the chances that the man declared the smartest person in the worldis correct — then wherever you are in the universe, it’s the center must be a true statement.
And if that statement is true, and wherever you are IS the Earth, then the Earth IS the center of the universe.
The truth is: The Gallileo Affair was never really about science. At it’s core, it was a battle between philosophies.
The Roman Church stood against Galileo’s theory because it believed it to be foolish and absurd in philosophy [not science] … since it explicitly contradicts in many places the sense of Holy Scripture.
By removing the Earth from the center of the cosmos, Copernicanism embraced what became known as the ‘principle of mediocrity’. In that sense, Earth became just a mediocre member of a mediocre solar system.
The sense of Holy scripture is philosophically contrary to the principle of mediocrity.
That’s because the senseof Holy scripture comes from a Divine point-of-view. It informs us that the power and energy that created the universe came from God. It also calls us to spiritually focus on a “Rare Earth” [1][2], a rare Earth that is the center of God’s world, the center of the universe.
In that sense, Stephen Hawking and the Church both philosophicallyput the center of the universe in the same place — wherever you are!
So, if God created the universe that means God created you. And, if the center of the universe is wherever you are, that means God put YOU in the center of the universe.
If God thinks you’re important enough to make you the center of His universe, maybe you might want to consider making God the center of yours.
St. John Paul II also said ““Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes. Each can draw the other to a wider world, a world in which both can flourish.”
Maybe that’s why we call him Great.
Years before the pontificate of John Paul II, another Pope, Benedict XIV, granted an imprimatur to the first edition of the Complete Works of Galileo. He did so — in 1741![1] An imprimatur is an official declaration by a bishop — in this case the Bishop of Rome — that a book is free from doctrinal error. [2]
Regardless of the events in his life, Galileo remained a pious Catholic for the remainder of his life. He died in 1642. Galileo was 88 years old and was buried at the Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze in Florence Italy with his daughter, Sister Maria Celeste, a Catholic nun.
So, you can see why St. John Paul believed the events of the Galileo case were far removed from reality.
Wednesday night, my wife and I had a very rare opportunity.
We were finally able to get out of the house, without our boys, for a date night. We spent our evening together, with friends, at a preview of the faith-based film Unplanned.
The film is based on the true-life story of Abby Johnson, who went from Planned Parenthood clinic director to Pro-life advocate.
Kleenex were handed out before the movie for what was expected to be a tear-jerker.
Shortly after, a local pastor had us all, a private audience, bow our heads to pray for the end of abortion in the United States.
Though personally Pro-Life, I attended the film to support my wife, who was gifted tickets through our Parish’s RCIA program.
To be honest, I would’ve enjoyed seeing A Star is Born with my wife rather than Unplanned. My wife, however, is not a chick-flick kind of gal. Since she cried when watching the trailer, I wanted to be there for her just in case she needed a shoulder to cry on.
You see, we lost our middle child, Jimmy, who was stillborn at 19-weeks.
It’s difficult to lose a child at any age. However, it’s even more difficult to openly express grief for a child most people don’t accept as a child — especially people who believe that life begins with “viability” outside the womb or don’t believe life begins at conception, as we do.
The loss affected my wife, more than me.
She had a greater connection to our boy simply by the nature of carrying and nurturing him for almost five months. She also had to go through the pains of childbirth only to say “hello” and “goodbye” in the same breath.
Don’t get me wrong; I mourn Jimmy, but for a completely different reason.
Sadly, I never saw him alive.
I was “too busy” with work. The first time I accompanied my wife to the doctor’s during the pregnancy was the first time I saw the image of our baby on the sonogram. He was oddly still. His heartbeat was silent.
This unplanned loss, oddly enough, would soon become my greatest moment of Faith.
On the evening of the scheduled delivery, I not only felt the heavy cross of sorrow spiritually lifted off my shoulder as my wife and I prayed together before we entered the hospital; I also felt the physical presence of the Almighty at our side.
In that time of pain and anguish, God lent me His strength to be the husband I was called to be at a time I needed to be a strong husband!
It’s amazing how such a sad and tragic event in my life is also my most evidential God-moment. The still birth of our son, at 19-weeks, also gave me a greater awareness of the development of the fetus in a woman’s womb.
You can say this was a turning-point in my life, on many levels.
Likewise, the movie Unplannedbegan almost immediately with the turning point in Abby Johnson’s life: Her witnessing a 13-week baby, on a sonogram, fighting off the attack of a surgical vacuum and eventually losing its life at the hands of an abortionist, who she was assisting.
The film quickly jump-cut, from that dramatic moment, back to Abby Johnson’s college years and her initial introduction to Planned Parenthood on her university’s campus.
From there, Unplannedchronicled the events in Abby Johnson’s life from naive Planned Parenthood volunteer to dedicated Abortion Clinic director. Unplannedcontinues forward, showcasing her rising in the ranks, until the film returns to the first turning- point of the story, when she watched the sonogram of that 13-week baby whose struggle and death changed Abby into the defender of Life she is this day!
Though there was no cursing or nudity, the film received an R-rated. Oddly, I think the controversy behind the film’s MPAA rating gave Unplanneda publicity boost, awaking a sleeping giant, an audience of Pro-Lifers across America.
A letter from Abby Johnson was read before the film began, pointing out the two scenes reportedly responsible for the film’s R-rated: a CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) sonogram re-creation of the initial abortion and the re-creation of an awful experience Abby had after using the abortion pill.
Even though Unplannedhad an obvious Pro-Life message, I had a problem with some of the film’s possible mixed messages.
Christian and the Pro-Life most likely would not agree with Abby Johnson’s early life choices, however, others may see the life of Abby Johnson improving after being freed from the having a child — not once, but twice — with her loser boyfriend who later became her unfaithful first husband!
Film is powerful. These scenes, I feel, as they are portrayed, sadly play right into the hand of the pro-choice movement.
I thought it strange, as well, how observing the dissected body parts of an aborted fetus in a petri-dish had no impact on the film’s protagonist. In fact, it appeared to only made her a stronger Pro-Choice advocate.
Yet, after witnessing a two-dimensional sonogram of an abortion, the film’s protagonist became Pro-Life?
I couldn’t help but thinking that the short film Silent Scream, which has been out since 1984, could have been found online at that time. Wasn’t she, or anyone she knew, aware of it? Or even curious?
I’m not questioning Abby Johnson’s character. I’m just questioning the motion picture’s story-line and imagery.
There was one scene, for me, that favorably stood out. It was a brief, yet it portrayed the true power and patience of our Heavenly Father
Pregnant with their first child, Abby was offered a promotion at Planned Parenthood. If promoted, she would become one of the youngest clinic directors in the non-profit organization’s history. So, she prayed and placed the promotion in God’s hands.
Her husband, in the film, as well as many around me in the theater, chuckled at the perceived irony of a Pro-Choice advocate believing that a promotion, from abortion clinic health counselor to abortion over-seer would involve God’s Will?
It may not be a part of God’s Will, but her promotion was certainly part of God’s Plan!
Think about it: If Abby never received her promotion, she may have never witnessed the sonogram of the abortion — and today, we’re discussing a movie about the conversion of Abby Johnson because of tha ultra-sound.
God, in His infinite wisdom, knew how and when Abby would see it — and He knew what would happen to Abby’s heart once she did!
As a film, Unplannedwas good. It just wasn’t great. The highlight of the film was the performance of Ashley Bratcher, the actress who played Abby Johnson.
I prayed for Ashley, after the film, because knowing Hollywood as I do, I fear that her career may be negatively impacted by the success of Unplannedjust as Jim Cavievel’s career suffered after playing Jesus in The Passion of The Christ.
The actress who stars in Unplanned, appears to be less fearful and believes the film is going to change history. Not to be a negative Nellie, but I sadly don’t agree with her.
Do I think Unplannedwill have an impact on our culture? Yes, it will … with some folks!
However, as I told my wife on the ride home, “Schindler’s List was so much more of a movie — and sadly anti-Semitism is at an all-time high today.”
Yet, of 198 world nations, the United States is one of only seven countries that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks. Canada, China, the Netherlands, North Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam are the other. The Netherlands and Singapore allow abortions after 20 weeks, but ban it after 24 weeks. (Astounding, isn’t it? Almost unbelievable. You can fact check it all here.)
So, I have my doubts that a computer-generated ultra-sound assisted abortion with have a stronger impact.
I am, however, praying for the hope that I’m wrong.
I’m also praying that the faithful show up in droves and support Unplanned.
Support, however, also needs to shared with the upcoming anti-abortion film Roe v. Wade when it is released. And while we wait for its opening day, we need to go back out, purchase the 2011 Christian-themed film October Baby, and show it to friends, as well.
Overwhelming support for Unplanned, and films like it, would simultaneously send a message to Hollywood and to our State and Federally elected officials that we have the heart to save lives, but the ways and means to change the hearts and minds of Americans.
The other day, me and my nine year-old were having an interesting conversation at the dinner table. We have a lot of interesting conversations; mainly because he’s so interesting.
In our discussion, he was describing how he noticed that certain people just know how to do things and do them well. Things like advanced math, science, music.
“They’re called geniuses,” I said.
I continued and shared with him a story about a young boy who has no real exposure to classical music. Neither one of his parents played and instrument; nor did any of his grandparents. However, this elementary school kid walked into a music one day, picked up an instrument, and began playing as if he played as if he was an accomplished musician. He later went on to write several symphonies.
“How?” my son asked.
“I don’t know,” I added. “However, Uncle Clay and I came up with a theory one night in college.
“No civilization lasts forever,” I explained. “Eventually, no matter how advanced, they seem to crumble. The genius, Uncle Clay and I, hypothesized is a fail-safe to rebuilt society after in falls.”
“The Roman Empire fell in 476. But soon, the Arab world rose. Why? … Because of the genius. we hypothesized….
“From the Dark Ages came Western Civilization. Why? Because of the genius….
“Civilizations rise and fall. After they fall, it’s the genius that steps in and saves the human race, over and over again….
“That night, Uncle Clay and I came to a conclusion: For the genius to exist, it has to be programmed into our collective DNA.”
“What DNA?” he asked.
“You know how you program a computer? Well, your DNA is a computer program just for you. But here’s where it gets cool….
“You and your most distant relative share 99.6% of DNA. There’s only a 0.4% difference between your DNA — your personal “computer program” — and the person on the planet who is the most-different from you.”
To my surprise, he was still listening. So, I continued.
“We thought, for the genius to exist, there has to be some kind of genetic memory. Today, with epigenetics, scientists have recently discovered that genetic memory truly exist!
“So, we were right!
“However, we further theorized, for the genius to be part of our Human genome, for a genius to have evolved, there had to be some kind of knowledge of the future that all civilizations would eventually come to a destructive end….
“And, there’s only one thing that has knowledge of the future…”
“What?” he enthusiastically asked. At least I want to believe he was enthusiastic.
“Well, it’s not what, but Who?”
“God!?” he replied.
“Yes, God! And that’s the story about the night Uncle Clay and I proved that God exists.”
“Cool,” he calmly added. “Can I watch EvanTube HD?”
I haven’t seen my college roommate since I moved my family back East. Nine years has past since then.
Of course, we still communicate through text from time-to-time. His response time is awful … just saying. However, a few weeks ago, we actually chatted on the phone. It’s been awhile.
It was nice just hearing his voice.
We picked up our conversation like we did when we shared a room together in college. Instead of discussing plans for the weekend, we lamented about not seeing each other. More so, we lamented about not seeing each other’s kids.
He has girls, who are full-grown; I have two boys, who are much younger. (He was always a few steps ahead of me.)
We talked about getting together soon, but both probably recognized that a reunion wouldn’t happen — at least not anytime soon.
The conversation had to end because we both had to run.
Likewise, I received a text recently at 6:59 am from someone I knew since forever. We exchanged texts about our days working in Yakutat, Alaska for Sitka Sound Seafoods.
His last text was “Drop me a line. 2 minutes”.
We talked for 2 1/2 … hours!
Our conversation went from our days Alaska to our antics high school; from Charlie Daniels to Yosef Islam to Father McDonald back to Yosef Islam/Cat Stevens. That lead us to Quebec City and the 1444 1/2 Bar — and on and on and on.
The conversation only ended because I had to feed my 9 year-old breakfast.
Both times, as I hung up, it occurred to me…
Having a good friend, especially one who lives a long-distance away, is much like having a relationship with God.
As with God, we probably should talk more often than we do. However, when we do, it’s as we were at each other’s side.
And, as you know, God is always at your side.
James Henry is the author of Corporation YOU: A Business Plan for the Soul, Kwanzaa Klaus, Hail Mary series, and two children’s books: The Second Prince and Klaus: The Gift-giver to ALL! As a writer, James has been widely featured on Bob Salter (CBS Radio), Mike Siegel, Mancow, and more. Today, James lives in New York where he continues to teach — and write. To contact James or book an interview, please contact Mark of Goldman/McCormick PR at (516) 639-0988 or Mark@goldmanmccormick.com.
The story of Charlie Gardheld the Western world captive for several weeks this summer. Even the Pope got involved.
The Twittersphere appeared to explode with hashtags and opinions – especially after it was revealed that the infant was baptized before he died. One Tweet stuck with me: It was from a gentleman who questioned how a merciful God would allow such suffering – especially when it’s congenital.
That can be a valid argument for many.
Often, Believers lose Faith because of the suffering of a Loved One – especially when it’s a child or a grandchild. So, it is not a surprise when a non-believer confirms his or her disbelief through the use of tragedy.
God did in fact co-create this infant, did He not?
He is also the creator of all things – including miracles, isn’t He?
So, why didN’T God save baby Charlie?
“Many men,” St. John Chrysostom explained, “when they see those who are pleasing to God suffering anything terrible, as, for instance, having fallen into sickness, or poverty and any other like, are offended, not knowing that to those especially dear to God it belongs to endure these things; since Lazarus also was one of the friends of Christ, and was sick.”
It’s difficult to understand that the suffering we endure is not a punishment from God. It is sometimes a sign of Love.
In times like these, I am reminded The Modern Parable of the Pious Precant. (If you heard it, skip the paragraphs below in italics.)
A man of God took to prayer when he heard a weather report of an oncoming storm with flood warnings. “God save and protect me,” he prayed.“I have nothing to fear.”
Moments later, the Sheriff came and asked him to evacuate, but he stayed put.
“I’m a God fearing man,” he told the Sheriff. “I’ve prayed for God to save and protect me. I have nothing to fear.” So, the Sheriff left to save others.
Soon the storm came and the floodwaters rose. So, the man moved to the second floor of his home and continued to pray. Soon, there was a knock on his window and he opened it only to find a rescue boat. He was ordered to get it the boat and evacuate, but he stayed put.
“I’ve prayed for God to save and protect me. I have nothing to fear.” So, the boat left to save others.
The floodwaters continued to rise. So, the man moved to the roof of his home and continued to pray. Soon, a helicopter hovered over his home. A lifeline was dropped from the helicopter and he was ordered to grab the rope so he could be airlifted to safety. Again, he stayed put.
“I’ve prayed for God to save and protect me. I have nothing to fear.” So, the helicopter left to save others.
The floodwaters, however, continued to rise and the pious man continued to pray as treaded water. Eventually, this faithful individual could no longer keep his head above water and drowned.
In Heaven, he met his Creator and quickly questioned Him.
“Lord God, I dedicated my life to you. Why did You not answer any of my prayers?”
“I did answered them, My child,” Lord God replied. “First, I sent you a Sheriff, then a lifeboat, then a helicopter.”
The world had a potential cure for Charlie’s disease. However, he was denied access to this cure because of the cost. So, donations flowed forward. However, Charlie was still denied access because the cure was experimental and in America. So, the U.S. Congress granted Charlie American residency. However, Charlie was denied access to travel.
He died July 28, a week before his first birthday, after a judge ordered he be taken off a ventilator.
It appears to me God continued to answer the prayers for Charlie Gard. Like the Pious Precant, the world response was sanctimonious, self-righteous, and pompous. In other words, it was pious.
So then, if God didn’t kill Charlie Gard, then who did?
The answer is clear: Charlie Gard was killed by the same people whose actions led Christ to the Cross and drove the nails into His hands and feet.
It was Taco Tuesday at the Dobkowski House. As we passed the chopped lettuce, grated cheese and diced tomatoes, my 7-year-old asked me, “Daddy, does God love the Devil?”
“That’s a good question, Bud,” I replied, unwilling to admit that I was stumped. I elicited my wife’s help and, together, we started to piecemeal the story of the fall of Satan and his prideful followers, as I stalled for more time.
All the while, my three-year-old kept interjecting, “But Daddy … But Daddy…”
Finally, I conceded.
“But Daddy, Jesus loves the Devil … He just doesn’t like what he does.”
Well, I have — and I’m not talking about being called to witness or lead to an altar call. I mean literally singled out by your priest or pastor in the middle the Church sermon!
“Where’s Jim?” my pastor shouted after awkwardly pausing in the midst of his homily.
Before services, as my wife and I were signing our children up for Religious Ed classes, I questioned my pastor if he could give me the inside scoop on the weekly sermon question. (Each week he would start his sermon with a question.)
This Sunday, he was grumpy and cross. Long story short, he had a bad week — which included what he described as “the wedding from Hell” and, for the first time in weeks, did not prepare a question for this week’s homily.
For full disclosure, I needled him for a’bit which only seemed to make him even more grumpy. So, it seemed, he was now getting even when he called me out!
“As you know, every week I ask a question and Jim asked me before Church if I had a question today. Well, I don’t,” he continued as he marched down the center aisle in my direction. “So, where is he? He usually sits way in the back.”
Finally, he found me.
“There you are,” he sniped. “Here’s my question: Can God do everything?”
I had a feeling it was a set up, but I gave the standard answer anyway.
“Yes, He can,” I boldly replied, though internally I was wishing I could hide.
“Well then, could He make a rock so big that He couldn’t pick it up?” he asked, then quickly moved back up the aisle, like a boxer heading to a neutral corner after landing a knockout punch.
If Christians could curse, I surely would’ve let a few fly that day in Church. Oh, wait. Thanks to Tim Hawkins, Christians can cuss — if we use the right words.
“Shut the front door! You bleeping fart-knocking son of a motherless goat!” Now I feel better! Too bad I didn’t have that comeback prepared back then.
Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling very Christian for the remainder of the homily. For the next 40 minutes, I prayed for God to change my heart, by it was little or no use. I was still pissed off as the Collect exited the pews.
As I left the Church, I slowed as I approached the exit where my pastor cheerfully greeted parishioners as they went forth.
With each step, I prayed and prayed not to seek vengeance or retribution.
“That’s what I get for listening to your homilies,” I joked — or at least tried to the best of my ability.
“Yes,” he laughed seemingly ignorant to the fact that I was brooding.
Funny how God works.
Though memorable for all the wrong reasons, that experience has turned out to be one of the most fruitful in my Christian formation.
Regardless of whether or not God can or cannot make a rock He cannot lift, we learn from scripture, most certainly, that God can NOT do everything.
God cannot be unjust (Hebrews 6:10). God cannot be disorder (1 Cor. 14:33). God cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13)
Above all, the Triune God cannot contradict Himself.
Corporation YOU 