Simple Gifts

Recently, my daughter and I pedaled 360 miles across the Show Me State from Weston to Louisiana with cyclists from 28 states and five countries.  At one point while climbing a suicide hill against a fierce head wind, face burning in the heat, suffocating in the humidity, sweat saturating my body, I cursed aloud.  “Oh my GAWD!”

            A voice in my head resonated back, “Got the exclamation correct.  A little mental misspelling, but glad I have your attention!”

            I was only on my second mile with 56 miles to go on the first day! 

            One never knows when …, but for me when I am physically spent, energy depleted, completely empty..., during what seems to be the strangest times, the Lord engages me transforming events - the most recent, the Bike Across Missouri – into sacramental moments.

            I’m in “the zone” when seemingly ordinary events in my life are made sacred.

As the first 58 miles unfolded, I was moved to revisit a question I’d asked many times.   What did the early Christian communities look like?  “Those who believed shared all things in common.”  Acts 2:44. We’re all in the big BAM together to support and motivate each other, to conquer the head winds, climb endless hills, expire the heat – stay upbeat!  Cycling - like high speed video - captures the twists, turns, the elegance and simplicity, the details one misses – savoring the sacramental in the ordinary!

Gratitude

By Mike Hey

Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The 4th of July, America’s Independence Day, should prompt every citizen of this great nation to say thanks. Thanks to our Creator, and thanks to the bravery and resolve of millions of men and women who from our founding have believed that America was special, exceptional even. Our freedoms were bitterly fought and died for and are by no means free.

So what is gratitude? I believe it is an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received. We also recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves. We acknowledge that by dying for our sins our Lord Jesus Christ gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives.

Expressing gratitude is healthy. As rough as our lives seem at times, someone is hurting more. Each day I wake up and thank God for giving me another day. Gratitude brings us happiness: Many experts in the practical and social sciences, including religious, believe that practicing gratitude has proven to be one of the most reliable methods for increasing happiness and life satisfaction; it also boosts feelings of optimism, joy, pleasure, enthusiasm, and other positive emotions.

Gratitude is good for our bodies: It strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces symptoms of illness, and makes us less bothered by aches and pains. It also encourages us to exercise more and take better care of our health. Grateful people sleep better: They get more hours of sleep each night, spend less time awake before falling asleep, and feel more refreshed upon awakening. If you want to sleep more soundly, count blessings, not sheep. This makes us more resilient.

Gratitude strengthens relationships: It makes us feel closer and more committed to our family, friends, Church, and community. When husbands and wives feel and express gratitude for each other, they each become more satisfied with their marriage. Gratitude also promotes forgiveness, a key to our Lord’s love for us.

A couple of Christmas Eve’s ago Father Sanger used his midnight Mass homily to express those things in his life that he was grateful for. It was delightful, far better than what follows below (he’s a tough act to follow). So as I’ve thought about this blog, and those things in my life which I am especially grateful for, it is my hope that each of you may do the same. It’s actually kind of hard doing this without humming “My Favorite Things”! We are blessed, guys. These are some of mine.

I am grateful that the Holy Spirit found my lost wandering soul and returned me to the Church. I’m blessed to be Catholic and to receive the Church’s sacraments and instruction. I am grateful for our Lord’s words in Holy Scripture that anchor and instruct me each day. I am grateful that Holy Infant Parish is a faith-filled community that enriches me every day.

I am grateful to be a citizen of the greatest country in the history of mankind. America, warts and all, is the beacon of freedom in this crazy world. I’m grateful for our Constitution and the freedoms and opportunities it affords all of us. I’m grateful for all servicemen and women, police and first responders, who keep us safe. I get angry and frustrated at her sometimes, mostly because we can’t seem to move beyond petty politics, but I know God has blessed America and always will.

I am grateful to be married to Lucy. As we have grown older she has become my best friend and joy. She is a daily reminder that surely God does watch out for unfortunate wretches because I won the lottery with her. I am grateful for my mom who regularly exasperates me, but each day also makes me realize how lucky and blessed I am to be her son. I am grateful for memories of my dad, grandparents and great aunts and uncles, and of Lucy’s mother and dad. I feel their closeness. I am grateful for a sister and brother, their spouses and families and extended family, that we all get along and enjoy spending time together.

As I said earlier I thank God each morning for giving me another day. I am grateful to be retired from a career that challenged and rewarded me – but also made me realize that it could kill me too. I am grateful that my father and wife insisted that I learn how to save money. I am grateful for the opportunity to worship God each day. I am grateful for the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors, three of the four seasons (not as much in winter) in Missouri, and to give something back to others through volunteerism. I am grateful to have a mind that seeks knowledge and enlightenment, and for a body that can still work and play hard. I am grateful for my wife’s cooking, a well-struck golf ball, a tight loop in a cast to rising fish, a crisp IPA on a fall afternoon, a nice bottle of Bordeaux with dinner, a single malt by the fire, and the first light of dawn on a new day. All of these blessings are mine through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, what are you grateful for?

Mike Hey

Colossians 3:17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.