So tonight on my run, I was listening to this pastor speak on the Christian radio station here. I have been listening to him more and more as I run because it gives me something to think about while I'm running and I feel like I run better when I'm praying and focusing on God. Anyway, the topic tonight was, "Who Helps You?" and started out by listing the initial people in our lives that we go to in times of struggle such as family, friends, people involved at our church, etc. When we go to these people, we receive sympathy and offerings to help but we walk away with no solution to our problem. The person we should have gone to first was, of course, God because (as the pastor put it and I don't completely agree) He was the one that gave us the problem and therefore, is the only one that can help us through it. It's time for us to stop focusing so much on our horizontal relationships, those here on Earth with us, when we are in trouble and look vertically, up to God.
I was on a one-day retreat this weekend with Patricia with what ended up being a Catholic Filipino group of adults. I must say it was quite a new but neat experience to immerse myself in yet another culture but they were all so kind to us. Their life experiences are far more extensive than mine have been so far or might ever be but it was a beautiful reminder of how truly universal the Catholic church is. On Sunday, I went to Mass at Barry, where I've gone to church since November, for the last time and said 'goodbye' to the priest and thanked him for all his help and support this year. It was a very different feeling because he truly did help me and watch me grow this year without ever really knowing much about me. I know these 'goodbyes' will become more common in the next month. All these "horizontal" relationships this year have helped me in some way with my "vertical" relationship with God.
"We walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Cor. 5:7
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