WITNESS

FEBRUARY 1^st, 2012

THE WILL OF GOD

How do you know

If you are doing

The will of God

Something is troubling you

And you are suffering

And you know

Not what to do

It may be health related

Praying for a miracle

It may be financial

Maybe you just lost your job

It may be

A broken relationship

That no matter how hard that you try

You just can’t seem to restore it

How do you know

If your suffering is God’s will

I don’t know

Can’t answer that

But I can tell you this

In 1 Peter 4, it says,

“If you suffer

It should not be

As a murderer or thief

Or any other kind of criminal

Or even as a meddler

However

If you suffer as a Christian

Do NOT be ashamed

But PRAISE GOD

That you bear his name”                                     1 Peter 4:15 & 16

You may NOT even see it

How it helps anyone

But it just may be

For the GREATER GOOD

The will of God---

How do we know

---If we are abiding in it

One thing I do know

Is that

If you are trying

To live by the standards of this world

Sexual lust---materialism---violence

That that Is NOT

THE WILL OF GOD

“Do not conform

Any longer to the pattern

Of this world

But be transformed

By the renewing of the mind

Then you will be able

To test and approve

What GOD’S WILL IS-------------

HIS GOOD, PERFECT AND PLEASING WILL”                                 Romans 12:2

So HOW  do we know

Really know

That we are really doing

The will of God

I do know this

If it is the right choice

If it is the right decision

It---your life---your decisions

Will stand the test of tine

“The world and its desires pass away

But the man who does the will of God---LIVES FOREVER”                         1 John 2:!7

THE WORD OF GOD
THE WILL OF GOD

STANDS FOREVER

Robert P. Wallman

10-9-11

Ps      WITNESS        2-1-13

Saint John Bosco---a Saint for the children

Today when

The sexual abuse of young children

Is so prevalent

It is heartening

To look at the past

To the lives

Of some of the Saints

John---actually called Don Bosco

Was born in 1815

His father died

When he was 2 years old

His mother brought him up

In extreme poverty

He was so poor

That when he entered the seminary

In 1831

His clothes and shoes

Had to be donated

He was ordained in1841

And soon thereafter

He began his life’s work

Which was the education

Of young apostolate boys---and young men

Particularly in working class families

He also worked in the slums---in prisons

And was appointed a chaplain

At a refuge for young girls

After leaving as chaplain for the girls

He lived in poverty with his mother

And 40 destitute young boys

Don Bosco had a charismatic personality

Had great oratory skills

Was an eloquent preacher

And popular writer

“Don” was also a visionary

A wonder worker

And had an extraordinary gift

For handling difficult children

Usually without punishing them

But with gentleness and a firm hand

A typical day for Don

Was to take the boys to Mass

Followed by a picnic in the country---games---

And a catechism class

Don Bosco

Founded the Salesian order

And also The Daughters of our Lady Help of Christians for girls 

It is important to remember

That at a time

When the Catholic church is taking so much criticism

About the handling of the abuse scandal

And rightfully so

Important to remember

All the good the Catholic Church has done

In the building up of faith

For BOTH adults and children

Through men like Saint John Bosco

Down through the years

John “Don” Bosco

A Saint for us all

But particularly

A SAINT AND MAN FOR THE CHILDREN

Robert P. Wallman

2-5-12

Ps                    Don Bosco’s feast day is January 31st

WITNESS

1-31-13

“God is Madly in Love with You”

Did you know that

God is madly

In love

With you

He lived

A life full of love

Because

He loves you

He died

A completely rejected

Wreck of humanity

Because

He loves you

What are you

Doing with your life

Are you offering

Your good up to God

Are you sharing

The worst part of yourself

With him

God desires to

Know you

All of you

The good and the bad

Did you know

God is madly in love

With you

Robert P. Wallman

4/10/10

Ps        WITNESS 1-31-13

“The Lord LOVES righteousness and justice

The world is FULL of his UNFAILING LOVE”                                                   Psalm 33-5

“For GOD so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only SON

That whoever BELIEVES in him shall NOT perish but have ETERNAL LIFE”           John 3:16

“The God of Second Chances”

Do you  remember

The parable

Of  the Prodigal Son

He needed

A second chance

And his Father

Gave him one

What about you

Do you need

A second chance

Another try at life

Another try at love

Don’t give up

God will give you

Another chance

Our God

Is the God of second chances

And third, and fourth, and fifth

Chances  too

So take a chance

On God

Take a chance

On love

Take a chance

On life

Be like the Prodigal Son

Don’t be afraid

To come home again

Robert P. Wallman

4/4/10  6:13pm

Ps        WITNESS       1-30-13

“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation

Through Our Lord Jesus Christ

He died for us so that –whether we are awake or sleep-we may live together with him

Therefore ENCOURAGE one another and BUILD each other up

As in fact you are doing”

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

The Prodigal Son parable is in Luke chapter 15

“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me-and everything I have is yours

But we had to celebrate and be glad-because this brother of your was lost

And is alive again-he was lost and is found”

(the father to the other brother about giving his brother another chance)

WITNESS

1-29-13

Moral Failure

The question is not

What are we going to do

If we encounter

Moral Failure

The question is

What are we going to do with it

Once we realize

We did fail

Look at Saint Peter

He denied Christ 3 times

Even after he said

He would never deny Christ

Yet

He went on

To actually BE the ROCK

And have the whole foundation

Of the Church

Built upon him

Look at Saint Paul

Previously called Saul

Not worthy to be called an Apostle

And a killer of Christians

In the new Church

Yet the Lord converted him

And he became

Probably

The most prolific writer

And recruiter

In the Christian movement

What about Moses

A murderer

What about David

An adulterer

What about anyone

In the Bible

What about you/what about me

When we realize

We failed God

In some way

How are we

Going to

Let God use us

In the building up

Of his Kingdom

There are

No perfect people in this world

Only Christ

So you failed

So what

You can still be

On the team

And maybe

Just maybe

A star

On the team

Of our Lord

Robert P. Wallman

2/7/11

Ps       WITNESS        1-29-13

“I will maintain my love to him forever

And my covenant with him will NEVER FAIL”                                              Psalm 89:28

“We who are strong ought to bear with the FAILINGS of the weak

And not to please ourselves-EACH of us should please his neighbor

For his good to build him up”                                                                       Romans 15:1

“LOVE NEVER FAILS”                                                                           1 Corinthians 13:8

WITNESS


1-28-13

Putting God First

Does anyone

In today’s world

Actually put God first

I mean put God

Really put God and Love

Above all else

How about you

Do you love God

Greater than you

Love  money or materialism

Do you love God

Greater than your sexuality

If you get ill

And receive a bad diagnosis

Do you put your

Faith in God

Above

Your faith in science

Putting God first

Is not an easy thing to do

Putting God first

However will pull you through

Can you love God

Greater than yourself

Can you love others

Above your very own self

It is not

An easy thing to do

But if you do this

I suggest to you

That it is then

That you have found God

Putting God first

Loving God

With your whole heart, your whole soul

Your whole mind, and your whole strength

What you do

For the least of my brothers

That you do unto me

Robert P. Wallman

2/9/11

Ps        WITNESS        1-28-13

“Listen to me-oh Jacob-Israel whom I have called

I am he:

I am the FIRST and I am the last”                                                       Isaiah 48:12

“But seek FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness

And ALL these things will be given to you as well”                        Matthew 6:33

GOD WILL PROVIDE

You have needs

I have needs

The question becomes

How are we going to provide for them

Don’t worry

God will provide for them

It may not be

What you want

But it will be

What you need

How do we know

We know-because the Bible tells us so

God will provide

In Genesis 22

God tells Abraham

To sacrifice his son Isaac

Isaac-the boy-says to his father

“Father?”

“Yes my son,” says Abraham

“The fire and wood are here

But where is the lamb

For the burnt offering”

Oh-how Abraham’s heart

Must have been breaking

Yet-with FAITH-he says

“God himself

Will provide the lamb for the burnt offering

My son”

Abraham and Isaac

Went out together

Abraham laid his son Isaac

On the altar

But the angel called out-

“Abraham-Abraham”

“Here I am,” Abraham replied

“Do not lay a hand

On the boy,” the angel said

“Do no do anything to him

Now I know

You fear God

Because you have not

Withheld from me your son

Your only son”

Abraham looked up

And saw a ram

Caught by its horns

GOD WILL PROVIDE

And when

It was time

To pay for the sins of the world

God PROVIDED the sacrifice again

HIS ONE AND ONLY SON

“For God so loved the world

That he gave his one and only son

That whoever believes in him

Shall not perish

But have ETERNAL LIFE”                                                                  John 3:16

God’s LOVE is contagious

God’s KINDNESS is overwhelming

God’s COMPASSION for us

Is unlimited

So you have needs

I have needs

This world has so many needs

We needn’t worry

GOD WILL PROVIDE

Robert P. Wallman

11-15-12

WITNESS

!-27-13

AN ANGEL TO THE RESCUE

Picture this

A great man has died

A prophet

He is the Messiah

He has Risen over the grave

You have witnessed it yourself

You are committed to his message

You are committed

To preaching the WORD OF GOD

The current King Herod

Is committed to wiping out this message

To exterminate the WORD OF GOD

He has killed one of your friends

James---the brother of John

He has arrested you

Now you sit in jail

Scared for your own life

Not knowing what is going to happen

Yet you know

Your friends and church

Are praying for you

The night before your trial

You are sleeping between 2 soldiers

Bound in chains

And guards sitting at the entrance

A light

Is shone in your face

And someone says,

“Quick get up”

The chains just fall magically off of your body

You open your eyes slowly

You see an angel in white

The angel says,

“Put on your clothes and sandals

Wrap your cloak around you

And follow me”

You follow the angel

At this point

Not really sure

If you are awake

Or if you are dreaming

You walk

Past the first and second guards

The iron gate magically opens

And you find yourself standing on the street

You knock

On your friend’s door

You tell them

That an angel has saved your life

You go from door to door

Telling as many as will listen

About an angel saving your life

You don’t care

If they think you are crazy

You don’t care

If they think

You are out of your mind

So Peter is rescued by the angels

And continues to preach Christ’s Word

And the great King Herod has died

Dear Lord

As we live out our lives

We pray

That though we may not see actual angels

As Peter did

We pray

That you send us people

People disguised as angels

People to help us on our way

On this journey through life

I myself

Have met many angels

In my life

Angels disguised as people

To help me on my way

“For he will command his angels

Concerning you

To guard you in all your ways

They will lift you up in their hands

So that you will not strike your foot

Against a stone”                                                                 Psalm 91:11-12

May we ALL be so fortunate as Saint Peter

As to have

AN ANGEL TO THE RESCUE

Robert P. Wallman

5-4-11

Ps        Based on Acts 12---An angel rescues Peter from jail

Ps        WITNESS        1-27-13

WITNESS

1-26-13

WITHOUT YOU

How would  you

Define Heaven

The Bible defines Heaven

As a place of perfect happiness

And eternal communion with God

Did you know

That God’s Heaven

Would not be complete without you

Did you know

That without you

There would be an empty chair

Did you know

That without you

There would be no one there

The Bible says

Do not store up

Treasure on earth

Where moth and rust destroy

But build up your treasures

For heaven

Where moth and rust

Cannot destroy

For where your treasure is

There your heart will also be

So build your life

On God’s word

Build your life

On love and forgiveness

Because we don’t need

Any empty chairs

Heaven would not be complete

Without you

WITHOUT YOU

Robert P. Wallman

3-7-11

Ps        WITNESS       1-26-13

WITNESS

1-25-13

“A Case of Mistaken Identity”

As children

We all liked fairy tales

Because they had

Happy endings

Did you ever

Hear the story

Of a woman

Who stopped at the scene of an accident

To help out

Only to find out

That the injured person was her daughter

Or the emergency surgeon

Who was dead tired

But forced himself to stay

To perform one last surgery

The patient

Turned out to be his son

Or the story of

The Greatest Story Ever Told

The story of

A baby born in a stable

The story of a man

Who for 30 years did nothing

Then surrounded himself

With a cast of misfits

To teach the word of God to

For 3 years

At the end

Of the story

We find out

This man

Was the Son of God

In the XXV chapter of Saint Matthew’s Gospel

The story is told

Of a King thanking the righteous

For clothing him

For giving him drink

And for giving him food

The righteous reply

Lord, when did we do this

And the King replied,

“I tell you the truth

Whatever you did for the least of my brothers

You did for me”

Dear Lord

We pray

For the grace

To see you in all others

And to respond with a kind heart

A loving smile

And a listening ear

And to

Look for no reward

Except

To continue to live in your love

Robert P. Wallman

8/7/10

·                 Inspired by the teaching of Father Leo Clifford

Ps        Today (1-24) is the feast day of Saint Francis de Sales—the patron Saint of writers--

            I thank God and pay homage to Saint Francis for any knowledge and ability

            To put that knowledge in to words that I may have

WITNESS 1-25-13

THE SAINT OF WRITERS---Saint Francis de Sales

He was born in 1567

In France

He was very delicate as a boy

And was educated privately

At least at first

Later---

He attended the University of Paris

And studied rhetoric, philosophy, and theology

He became a doctor of law

And opportunities

For marriage and a brilliant career abounded

But he chose

To become a Catholic priest

He became distinguished

Both for his service to the poor

And his preaching

He succeeded

In almost everything that he did

Because of his great love

His great understanding

And his persistent patience and gentleness

His most famous writings were called

THE TREATISE OF THE LOVE OF GOD

And

INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE

One of his best friends was

Jane Frances de Chantal

Who founded the Visitation order

 Under his direction

And who later became a Saint herself

He was extremely influential as a writer

And in leading souls to self-sacrifice

And to the finding of God’s love

He died in 1622

Was canonized as a Saint in 1665

And declared a Doctor of the church in 1877

His name is FRANCIS de SALES

Robert P. Wallman

1-27-12

Ps                    Francis de Sales feast day is January 24^th---I found great inspiration---

                        In reading the life story of Saint Francis de Sales---and find great

                        inspiration in reading the lives of ALL the Saints

He is the patron Saint of writers

WITNESS

1-24-13

PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL TRAINING

“For physical training

Is of some value

But godliness

Has value for all things

Holding a promise

For both the present life

And the life to come”                                                     1 Timothy 4:8

When I was younger

I used to run

Five miles a day

Lift weights 3 times a week

Play ball

Do anything and everything

That I could do physically

But sadly

Illness and age

Has robbed me of much of that

But for everything

I have lost along the way

God has given me

Some other gifts

Earth is just our temporary home

Our ultimate destination

Is to spend eternity with God

To live a life everlasting

With our ONE supreme being

“But now

That you have been

Set free from sin

And have become slaves to God

The benefit that you reap

Leads to holiness

And the result is ETERNAL LIFE

For the wages of sin

Is death

But the gifts of God

Is eternal life

In Christ Jesus our Lord”                                                    Romans 6:22-23

I see people

Of ALL ages-weights-and sizes

Walking-running-pumping weights

Etc., etc., etc.

I want you to know

That if I still could

I would be out there

Right along beside you

I see people taking vitamins

Eating right

And I TRY to do this too

But SADLY

In today’s world

Many of us

Have become so focused

On the physical part of our life

That we have neglected

The spiritual part of our lives

We have NEGLECTED God

Many of us

Have cut God

Out of our lives

And I can think

Of no greater tragedy

Than to live our lives

Without knowing God

“As you come to him

The LIVING STONE

-Rejected by men-

But CHOSEN by God and precious to him-

You also like living stones

Are being built into

A spiritual house

To be a holy priesthood

Offering spiritual sacrifices

Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”                                  1 Peter 2:4-5

Please know

That as you daily

Build your physical house

That I would

Be right beside you

If I could

And please know

That as you build your spiritual house

I am right beside you

Trying to build mine

After all-earth is

JUST OUR TEMPORARY HOME

Robert P. Wallman

8-21-12

Ps       WITNESS        1-24-13

WITNESS

1-23-13

BE STILL

Be still

And know that I am God  ( Psalm 46:10  )

We all

If we are good people

Want to change the world

And we should all do

Whatever good that we can

For another human being

But we will

Never

Change the world

With activity

WE can only

CHANGE

The world

By living

In perfect harmony with God

By living

In perfect love with God

By making God’s thoughts

Our thoughts

If we do this

If we let God be God

And we be

Who God meant

Us to be

We will change the world

We just need to

BE STILL

And know that I am God        ( Psalm 46:10  )

Robert P. Wallman

2/8/11

Ps        WITNESS        1-23-13

WITNESS

1-22-13

“Can We Break God’s Heart”

Can we

A mere mortal

Break God’s heart

I believe we can

And I believe it

Because of God’s unwavering love

For us

Only someone who you love

Can in fact

Break your heart

And we are all

Children of God

And God loves us

With an infinite love

The word of God

Is in fact spirit

And he wants us

To live

According to the fruits

Of that spirit

And these fruits

Are love, joy, peace, patience

Kindness, goodness, faithfulness

Gentleness and self-control

He wants us

To live these qualities

And not lives of

Coldness, indifference, ingratitude, and rejection

Of Him and those around us

But we are children of God

And like any loving parent

God forgives us

Over and over and over again

So what can we do

To earn God’s love and forgiveness

Nothing

All we can do

Is to strive to become better each and every day

And know God still loves us

WITH AN INFINITE LOVE

Robert P. Wallman

5/25/10

Ps        WITNESS---1-22-13

“Dear children let us not love with words and tongue

But with actions and in truth

This then is how we know that we belong to the truth

And how we set our hearts at rest in his presence-whenever our hearts condemn us

For God is GREATER than our HEARTS-and he knows everything”

1 John 3:18-20

WITHOUT LIMITS

One of my favorite movies

Was a movie called

“WITHOUT LIMITS”

It was the story

Of long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine

And his coach Bill Bowerman

It had a first rate cast

That included:  Donald Sutherland-Billy Crudup-and Monica Potter

Prefontaine was a successful;

Middle and long-distance runner

Who once held seven American records

In distance track events

WITHOUT LIMITS

Sadly Steve Prefontaine

Died at the age of 24

In an automobile accident

LIMITED-like ALL of us

Limited by our own mortality

Limited by health factors

Limited by finances

Limited in relationships

In fact

There is only one thing

In which

We have the capacity

To be UNLIMITED

That is

OUR CAPACITY TO LOVE

To love God

And o love others

God demonstrates to us

His UNFAILING LOVE

“The Lord loves

Righteousness and justice

The earth is full

Of his unfailing love”                                                            Psalm 33:5

God loves you unconditionally

God love you unfailingly-

WITHOUT LIMITS

“May your unfailing love

Be my comfort

According to your promise”                                                       Psalm 119:76

Dear Lord

Let your promise be my promise

Let it be OUR promise

To love you and others

With an unfailing love

“Let the morning bring me

Word of your unfailing love

For I have put my trust in you”                                               Psalm 143:8

Dear Lord

You gave us the PERFECT EXAMPLE

Of LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS

In the person of your Son-Jesus Christ

HELP US

To do our best

To GIVE OUR LOVE back to you

BY LOVING WITHOUT LIMITS

There is NO other quality on earth

LIKE LOVE

We NEVER run out

The more we give

The more we have left to give

Love unlimited

LOVE-WITHOUT LIMITS

Robert P. Wallman

10-15-12

WITNESS

1-21-12

BE THE CHANGE

Be the change

That you want to see

In this world

If you

Want a world

Based on love

Live love

If you want

A world based on forgiveness

Live forgiveness

Change means

To make a difference in some way

To alter

To Transform

“Love your enemies

Do good to them

And lend to them

Without expecting anything back

Then your reward

Will be great

And you will be sons

Of the most high

Because he is kind

To the ungrateful and wicked

Be merciful

Just as your Father is merciful”                                          Luke 6:35-36

BE THE CHANGE

“But I tell you

Do not resist an evil person

If someone strikes you

On the right cheek

Turn to him the other also”                                                 Matthew 5:39

……………….

“If someone forces you to go one mile

Go with him 2 miles”                                                              Matthew 5:41

BE THE CHANGE

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked

How many times shall I forgive my brother

When he sins against me

Up to 7 times”                                                                             Matthew 18:21

7x---surely that is more than generous

Jesus answered,

“I tell you

NOT 7 times

But 70 x 7 times”                                                                      Matthew 18:22

Radical thinking

To be sure

Was he right

You know he was

Nothing was ever built

On hatred

Nothing was ever built

On vengeance

Love is ROCK

Hatred is sand

Forgiveness is ROCK

Resentment is sand

Kindness is ROCK

Saint Francis of Assisi 

The man thought to be the most like Christ

That ever walked this earth---once said---

“Speak the Gospel at ALL times

Use words if necessary”

Have you

Ever tried to change

Someone’s opinion on something

How successful

Were you

Be it

Do it

Live it

Let others see

The love of God in you

BE THE CHANGE

Robert P. Wallman

7-7-11

Ps       WITNESS 1-21-13

Martin Luther King brought change

Jesus Christ WAS THE CHANGE

STAND UP FOR GOOD

STAND UP FOR LOVE

And stand up for CHANGE in today’s world

WITNESS

1-20-13  (  reposted from 11-14-11  )

GIVING THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

As I sit here

Reflecting on my life

Preparing to fly to Maryland

To spend Thanksgiving

With my 2 sisters, my 4 nieces,

And other family members

Some memories flash through my mind

To times gone by

Lying there

Packed in an ice bed

For 2 weeks---with a temperature of 108

I thank God for life

Bleeding internally

My blood count going down to 3

I thank God for life

The Good Father asking me

If I wanted to say an act of contrition

Or say something in my words

Saying:  “I don’t think God

Wants me to die

But if he does

He must have a reason

And to please bless

My father, my mother, my 2 sisters,

My family and my friends,

Because it would be harder on them

Than it would be on me

I would be gone

But if God

Wanted me to live

I would live

For my family, my friends,

And for all people everywhere”

And waking up a week or two later alive

I thank God for life

Spending 3 of the next 5 years

Again in the hospital---in critical shape

On my birthday

I thank God for life

“May you never take

One single breath for granted

God forbid

Love ever leave you empty handed”                          

        (  Lee Ann Womack---“I HOPE YOU DANCE”  )

THANKING GOD FOR LIFE

All the support

I received from my parents

Never questioning---ALWAYS LOVING

I thank God for family

2 sisters---4 nieces

That give me emotional and financial support

ALWAYS being there for me

I thank God for family

An extended family

Beyond compare

I thank God for family

Old friends

That are still there for me today

I thank God for friends

New friends

That I have made from Miami

To Palm Beach Gardens and beyond

I thank God for friends

People that I have met

From all over the world

I thank God for you

Priests, clergymen and women

That I have met

I thank God for God

I thank God for you

By human standards

My life is a total failure

No health---no money or material possessions

No family ( wife or children )

But along the way

I found GOD

And I found YOU

“I have learned

The secret of being content

In any and every situation

Whether well fed or hungry

Whether living in plenty

Or in want”                                                                1 Philippians 4:12

“Be joyful always; pray continually;

Give thanks in ALL circumstances

For this is God’s will for you

In Christ Jesus”                                                             1 Thessalonians 18

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE---I LOVE YOU

Robert P. Wallman

11-14-11

Ps         November 25th would have been my Father’s 80^th birthday---there is a Mass

             For him and my Mom at Immaculate Conception church in Mechanicsville,

             Maryland.  As I do every day, I will pray for ALL families and ALL children.

WITNESS 1-20-13

“Not Death/But Life”

It’s not death

That scares me

But life

Living in a world

With murder

Not death

But life

Living in a world

With child predators

Not death

But life

Living in a world

With poverty and homelessness

Living in a world

That disrespects the aged

Not death but life

Living in a world

Which values

Sex, money, and science

Above the respect

Of each and every human being

Not death but life

Yeah

It’s not death but life

That terrifies me

Can we make

This world

A better place

Robert P. Wallman

12/17/09

Ps        TODAY is my 58^th birthday-despite the problems in this world-I THANK GOD

            For every breath-FOR LIFE is GOD’S GREATEST GIFT-and we should NEVER

            Take it for granted

“The length of our days is seventy years-or 80-if have the strength

Yet their span is but trouble and sorrow

For they quickly pass-and we fly away”                                                              Psalm 90:10

THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS GIFT OF LIFE

Rpw---WITNESS-1-19-13

WITNESS

1-18-13

Your Philosophy of Life

What is

Your philosophy of life

You say

You don’t have one

But you do

We all do

Consciously or Unconsciously

In the Xth Chapter

Of Saint Luke’s Gospel

An expert asks Jesus the question:

“Who is my neighbor?”

Jesus responds

With the parable

Of the “Good” Samaritan

A bunch of robbers

Beat a man up

And leave him

By the side of the road

The robbers philosophy

Is much like

The criminals in our world today

What is yours is mine

And I shall take it

A priest and Levite

Pass by

And keep on going

Their philosophy is much like

Most employers and employees

In today’s world

What is mine is mine

And I shall keep it

Then the Samaritan comes by

And stops and helps the poor man

His philosophy is

What is mine is yours

And I shall share it

So I ask myself

I ask you

Who is your neighbor

What is your philosophy

Towards them

Who can we give

A smile to

Who can we give

A listening ear to

Who can we say

A kind word about

A song is not a song

Until it is sung

A bell is not a bell

Until it is wrung

And love is not love

Until

IT IS GIVEN AWAY

Robert P. Wallman

9/28/10

·                Inspired by the teaching of Father Leo Clifford

Ps       WITNESS  1-18-13

“Through Jesus-therefore-let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise

 -the fruit of his lips that confess his name

And do not forget to do good and SHARE with others for with such sacrifices

God is pleased”

Hebrews 13:16-17

WITNESS

1-17-13

“An Unfinished Life”

Our lives

Are supposed to be

A symphony

To the Lord

A life

That is unfinished

But hopefully

A life

That gives testimony

To our Lord

But how

Do we make our unfinished life

A symphony to the Lord

We do so

By living lives

Of faith and prayer

And by living lives

In contact and conjunction with one another

We live

A life in symphony

By reaching out

And receiving

One another

In love

Our unfinished life

Can only begin

To become a finished life

By discovering Our Lord

In ourselves and others

By doing our life

His way

And not

Our own selfish way

Our unfinished life

Becomes a symphony

To our Lord

By conversing with him

By living

Lives of hope not despair

Our unfinished life

Becomes a symphony

Becomes a finished life

When we bring the Lord

Alive in ourselves

And alive in others

And when others see

No longer me

But JESUS

Robert P. Wallman

5/13/10

Ps        WITNESS 1-17-13

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me

And FINISH his work”                                                                            John 4:34

WITNESS

1-16-13

MERCY NOT JUDGMENT

Who

Who are you

Who am I

To be passing judgment on someone else

In today’s world

Give mercy

Give compassion

Give someone a free pass

Give someone love

God’s love

Look at the story of Daniel

Did you know

That the name Daniel means

“God is my judge”

Daniel goes public

He confesses his sin

And the sins of God’s people

How can Daniel

Be so sure

God will forgive him

Forgive them

Because Daniel knows

That he has the history of God

On his side

Daniel knows

That our God

Is a God of love and compassion

He has rescued his people

Over and over again

God saved

Daniel’s 3 friends

From the blazing furnace

God saved Daniel himself

From the lion’s den

And in Luke 7

We find Jesus saying,

“Do not judge

Or you too will be judged

For in the same way

That you judge others

You will be judged

And with the measure you use

It will

Be measured against you”

Take Daniel as your model

Give mercy---give love

Take Jesus

As your model

And as your God

Because giving someone else mercy

And not judgment

Is God’s way

Give someone love

Give someone a free pass

And do it TODAY

Robert P. Wallman

3-22-11

Ps       “It does not therefore depend on man’s desire or effort

            But on God’s MERCY”                                                       Romans 9:16

           “Blessed are the merciful

            For they will be shown MERCY”                                        Matthew 5:7

           “Because judgment without mercy

             Will be shown to anyone who has NOT been merciful

             MERCY triumphs over judgment!”                                       James 2:13

WITNESS 1-16-13