Lawn Chair Catechism: Concluding Thoughts
I was reduced to tears as I read Sarah’s summation about her impressions of Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus,
I was particularly struck by the idea of kerygma, the idea that Jesus is the whole reason for everything we do. Period.
We have to have a relationship with Jesus.
In fact, I want to break down and weep as I write now.
Why?
So many people are cold, hungry and outside the Church
but they do not know where to look for the answers.
I was one of the lucky ones..
and that thought has me breaking down again.
Why?
He brought me into His Church in spite of myself
God was so merciful and Kind..
I was anti-Catholic .
The teachings seemed almost anti-gospel to me.
And then, while i still had a protesting, Protestant mind
the Virgin Mary came to live in my heart.
I remember the imagery that the Spirit gave me as I became a Catholic.
And even more tears well in my heart.
I stood outside a Catholic Church
on the stone steps
but the door was open.
I was dressed as a bride.
the bride of Christ.
Each step towards the door increased my hunger,
increased the longing for union
for communion
to receive the Eucharist.
surrender to His presence in the host.To actually eat, swallow
I NEEDED to embrace a physical Presence
in His body and Blood
Because Jesus is all there is,
all I long for.all I need,
My core self has tasted His presence,
within me, driving me to surrender even more
Every taste opens deeper caverns of emptiness
even more of my darkness and emptiness to the Lord.
He is the ONLY giver of life and love.
Only in Him do I truly live and move and breath
Every other way of living, for me, is a sham,and have my very being.
a pretense, a sort of play
acting
Life apart from a life in Christ is empty and meaningless
it lacks substance.
Now my call is to remain in Him
A tangible touchstone for those searching
To listen to God
Speaking when He tells me
To anyone who is hungry, searchingTo be His hands and feet and mouth
joy of nine9 