WITNESS

4-01-13

“God So Loved the World”

God so loved

The world

That he gave us

His one and only Son

How much love

Do you have

For God

For your neighbor

Can you imagine

How much love

How much love

That took

Can you imagine

Giving up your child

For someone else

How God’s heart

Must have broke

As Jesus was rejected

And hung dying on the cross

God so loved

The world

That he gave us

His only begotten Son

How much love

Do you have

Accept God—Accept Christ

Into your hearts

Robert P. Wallman

April 6^th, 2010

WITNESS        4-01-13

“For God SO LOVE 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

WITNESS

3-31-13

MARY MAGDALENE

Outside of Jesus’ own mother

Mary Magdalene was probably

Jesus’ BEST FRIEND

She is often called

THE APOSTLE TO THE APOSTLES

Because he appeared to her first

And she carried to the news

To the rest of the men

Mary said to the gardener

NOT KNOWING he was Jesus,

“Sir, if you carried him away

Tell me where you have put him

And I will get him”                                                          John 20:15

The gardener then said, “Mary”

Mary then turned toward him

And cried out, “Rabboni,” which means Teacher                      John 20:16

She then went to tell the others

The news,

“I have seen the Lord”                                                         John 20:18

Jesus had been Mary’s teacher

About the Word of God

And it is said,

He cast out, “seven demons” from her

She may have been the sister

To Martha of Bethany and Lazarus

And anointed Christ’s feet

It is known

That she was present

At the crucifixion of Jesus

Along with his mother, the BELOVED disciple,

And some other women

She is

Considered to be

The patron Saint of repentant sinners

And of the contemplative life

May we FIND PEACE in Christ

As our sister, Mary Magdalene, did

The feast day of Saint Mary Magdalene is July 22nd

Robert P. Wallman

7-18-12

Ps        CONTRARY to popular fiction in the modern day world-Mary Magdalene

            Was NOT JESUS’ wife-NOT his girlfriend-and definitely NOT the mother

            Of his baby

            SHE was HIS CLOSE friend-perhaps HIS BEST FRIEND because of

            The healing he had done in her-AND SHE BELIEVED IN HIM-perhaps

            The REASON WHY he appeared to her first

WITNESS        3-31-13

WITNESS

3-30-13

ONE---just thinking

Jesus asked us

To be as one

HOW did we get it so wrong

“My prayer is not for them alone

I pray also for those

Who will believe in me

Through their message

That ALL of them

May be one, Father,

Just as you are in me

And I am in you

May they also be in us

So that the world may believe

That you have sent me

I have given them the glory

That you gave me

That they may be one

As we are one”                                                         John 17:20-22

Today there are 33,820 Christian  denominations                 ( the World  Christian       

Not to mention                                                                          Encyclopedia year 2,000 )

The Jewish religion, the Muslims,

The Buddhists and many 0thers      

“That they may be one”

ONE---I wonder

What Jesus would say today

We have the Catholic Religion 

Which I have been apart of

Since almost my first day

On this earth---and still proudly so

We have the Protestant Religion

We have Willow Creek

We have the Baptists

All of which I have been a part of

And proud o be a part of

I have Jewish family

I have Jewish friends

Can’t say that I have any Muslim friends

That I am personally aware of

But I don’t think

Any religion

Is inherently good or bad

It is always the radical element   

Of any group

That gets us into trouble

“That they may be one”

I am certainly NO Theologian

But I have a general understanding

Of how the church

Has broken apart over the years

“I in them and you in me

May they be brought to complete unity

To let the world

Know that you sent me

And have loved them

Even as you have loved me”                                              John 17:23

“That they may be one

As we are one”

When I talk to people      

I always ask them about God

And their church

I have met

So many beautiful people

People from ALL countries

From ALL nationalities

From ALL societies

ALL socio-economic make ups

And religions

Where is the bridge

Linking us ALL together

I dear say

It is our humanity

The desire to be accepted and valued

As a human being---for who we are

Being told that we matter

That we are somebody in this world

Could it really be that simple?

“That they may be one”

We have Moses and the Ten Commandments

We have Jesus’ teaching on love,

The 2 Greatest Commandments, forgiveness

And the SERMON on the MOUNT

We have the teachings of Confucius, Buddha,

Of Mohammed, Gandhi,

And many other great men and women

In and of this world

And finally

We have the Golden Rule

“So in everything, do to others

What you would have them do to you

For this sums up

The Law and the Prophets”                                                       Matthew 7:12

“THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE”

We can do it---it is up to us

I urge to be a bridge

And a connector

In today’s world

Robert P. Wallman

6-21-11

Ps         WITNESS       3-30-13

“Hear-oh Israel-the Lord our GOD is ONE LORD”                                 

Deuteronomy 6:4

“There is neither Jew nor Greek-there is neither bond

Nor free-there is neither male nor female-for you are

ALL ONE in Christ Jesus”                                                       

Galatians 3:28

                                                                    

                                                                                               

                              

WITNESS

3-29=13

WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED THE CROSS?

HAPPY EASTER!

In Jesus’ day

The cross was the means

Of capitol punishment

Much like

The electric chair

Or lethal injection

Is today

In today’s times

It is anything and everything

That separates us from God

And just as Jesus had to physically

Carry his wooden cross

As a condemned person

Wrongfully sentenced to death

We have to carry our crosses

Rightfully or wrongfully through life

And the best way

To carry our crosses in life

Is by uniting our suffering with Jesus

Jesus said

“If anyone would

Come after me

He must deny himself

And take up his cross

And follow me

For whoever

Wants to save his life

Will lose it

And whoever loses his life

For me

And my Gospel

Will save it”                                                                                               Mark 8:34-35

Jesus’ wooden cross

Was heavy

It led to his physical death

But because he was an innocent man

AND GOD’S SON

God raised him from the dead

Our crosses in life

Are heavy too

OUR CROSSES of physical illness

OUR CROSSES of financial obligations

OUR CROSSES of broken physical relationships

And our crosses

Of physical addictions

Our own temptations

And our own sin

But by

UNITING our crosses with Christ’s

They can become

Just a little lighter

A little easier to carry

“Come to me

ALL you who are weary

And burdened

And I will give you rest

Take my yoke upon you

And learn from me

For I am gentle

And humble in heart

And you will find rest

For your souls

For my yoke is easy

And my burden is light”                                                              Matthew 11:28-30

Make no mistake

OUR CROSSES in this life

ARE HEAVY

But by uniting

OUR LIVES with Christ

The burden is lighter

And like Christ

Who rose from the dead

We can RISE ABOVE our crosses

In this life

To live a FAITH-FILLED life

IN GOD AND IN CHRIST

By uniting our crosses

To Christ

We can rise above our crosses

In life-and live

                                 RESURRECTED LIVES

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Robert P. Wallman

March 14^th, 2013

Ps        I LOVE YOU

WITNESS       3-29-13

WITNESS

3-28-13

MEASURING SUCCESS

How do you measure success

In your life

In today’s world

The secular world tells us

That more is better

Bigger is best

And if you are NOT no. 1

It is insignificant

It measures our value

By how much money

Or material wealth that we have

Or what

Our boyfriend or girlfriend looks like

And it is WRONG

The standards of God

Are different than this world

God tells us

That we

A single individual in this world MATTER

Regardless of our wealth

Or what we look like

ALL we have to do

Is look at the parables

In the 15^th chapter of Saint Luke’s Gospel

To know HOW GOD FEELS about us

He tells us

ABOUT ONE lost sheep

ABOUT ONE LOST COIN

AND ABOUT ONE LOST SON

Trying to reconnect with his loving father

God doesn’t say-“Count my sheep”

He says-“FEED them”

So we know

That whoever we are

Whatever state that we are in

That we matter to God

AND GOD LOVES US

Jesus spent countless time-hours

Meeting with people one-on-one

Healing them-eating with them

Spending time with them

And then going off ALONE to pray

ONE MATTERS-to God

ONE MATTERS-to Christ

ONE MATTERS-YOU MATTER

Mother Theresa said,

“One does NOT call us to be successful

But to be FAITHFFUL”

And even

When we fail

In our life long battle to be faithful

As Saint Peter did

Jesus reaches out to us

In love and forgiveness

So we KNOW

That our success

DEPENDS on our relationship with God

YOU MATTER TO GOD

Robert P. Wallman

5-25-12

Ps        Inspired by an article in Living Faith magazine

            5-25-12-Sister Melanie Svoboda, S.N.D.

WITNESS        3-28-13

WITNESS

3-27-13

RELEASE US

In the time of our Lord

There was a custom

For a prisoner to be released

At a feast

At this particular time

There were two such prisoners

Jesus---the so-called SON OF GOD

Or Barabbas---a notorious thief and murderer

“Which one do you want me to release to you

Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?”  

asked the Roman ruler Pilate

“Barabbas---Barabbas,”  the crowd yelled

“What about Jesus?”  Pilate said

“Crucify him---crucify him”---the crowd yelled yet again

While it would be easy

To blame

The people of Christ’s day

Do your really think

It would be any different today

We live

In a godless society

For the most part

And if

There was a Christ-like figure

And a Charles Manson type figure

Who would the people choose

In today’s world

We know that that

Is not going to happen

So we pray to you---Dear Lord

To please release us

Release us

From the coldness---the indifference

---the ingratitude---the luke warmness

And the rejection of our fellow man

In today’s world

And replace it

WITH YOUR LOVE

Robert P. Wallman

3-6-11

Ps        WITNESS        3-27-13

WITNESS

3-26-13

HIS STRENGTH

His strength

Is made perfect

In my weakness

I am weak

But he is strong

“The Lord is my strength

And my song

He has become my salvation

He is my God

And I will praise him

My Father’s God

And I will exalt him”                                                              Exodus 15:2

I feel the weakness

Of a chronic illness

I fee the pain

THE LORD GOD

Is my strength

I feel the weakness

Of financial obligations

I don’t know

How to meet

The Lord God

Is my strength

I feel the weakness

Of lust in my heart

But I do not act

I do not speak

MY WEAKNESS-HIS STRENGTH

“It is God

Who arms me with strength

And makes my way perfect”                                                        2 Samuel 22:33

It is God

Who gives me strength

To live another day

The LORD GOD’S STRENGTH carries me

“So do not fear

For I am with you

Do not be dismayed

For I am your God

I will strengthen you

And help you

I will uphold you

With my righteous right hand”                                                         Isaiah 41:10

IT IS THE LORD

Who SUSTAINS me

It is the Lord

Who carries me

To try and live

A righteous life

MY WEAKNESS

HIS STRENGTH

Robert P. Wallman

3-19-13

Ps        WITNESS         3-26-13

“The Lord is my STRENGTH and my shield

My heart trusts in him-and I am helped

My heart leaps for joy-and I will give thanks to him

In song”                                                                                           Psalm 28:7

WITNESS

3-25-13

CHANGE

We live in a world

That is constantly changing

Babies are born

People die

The circle of life

Continues to change

But the one thing that never changes

Is God’s love for us

People move out---people move in

We change our job

Our health or financial circumstances change

Life continues to change

One thing NEVER changes

God’s love for us

“I the Lord do not change

So you, descendants of Jacob

Are not destroyed

Ever since the time of your forefathers

You have turned away

From my decrees

And have not kept them

RETURN TO ME

And I will return to you Says the Lord Almighty”                           Malachi 3:6

Are we trying to build our lives

On money and materialism

Are we

Trying to build a relationship

With someone

On a physical basis

God’s love for us

Does NOT change

The love of a good man

For a good woman

Or a good woman

For a good man

Does not change

By how we look

They love us

For who we really are

“Do you take this man…..”

“Do you take this woman…..”

And he said,

“I tell you the truth

Unless you change

And become like little children

You will

Never enter the Kingdom of Heaven”                                               Matthew 18:3

What does the Lord

Mean with this

The Lord is telling us

We should love him

With the innocence of a child

The Lord is telling us

That we should have faith in him

The way a child has faith

In his own Father and Mother

So we know

That the world and the people in it

Will change

We know

That the circumstances of our life

Will change

And we know

That 2 things will Never change

God’s LOVE for us

And the WORDS of Jesus Christ

“Heaven and earth will pass away

But my words

Will NEVER PASSAWAY”                                                   Luke 21:33

Rest on the LOVE and WORDS of God

His love for you

NEVER CHANGES

Robert P. Wallman

12-11-11

Ps        WITNESS        3-25-13

“I the Lord do NOT CHANGE”                                                Malachi 3:6

WITNESS

3-24-13

YOUR VALUE TO GOD

Have you---Like me

Ever wondered

If your one little life

Is of any value to God

Your value to God

Is infinite

Your value to God

Is forever

In Luke 15

Jesus tells us

About the story of one lost sheep

And how the Shepherd

Will leave the other 99

And come find him

Then he will

Tell his friends and neighbors

“Rejoice with me

I have found my lost sheep”

We may get lost

Along the way

On the road of life

But don’t worry

God will come find you

And Jesus

Tells us the story about a woman

With coins---who loses one

And when she finds it

She will say,

“Rejoice with me

I have found my lost coin”

Your value to God

Is infinite

Your value to God

Is forever

Or the story

Of the lost son

And his loving Father

Who says,

“For this son of mine

Was dead

And he is alive again;

He was lost

And is found”

So if

You are lost

On this road of life

Please patient

Please persevere

God will come find you

And if he can’t

Please come home again

On your own

God will be there

Your value to God

Is infinite

Your value to God

Is forever

He will come find you

And if he can’t

Come home again

On your own accord

HE WILL BE THERE

Robert P. Wallman

3-6-11

Ps        WITNESS        3-24-13

“Consider the ravens:  they do not sow or reap-

They have no storeroom or barn-yet God feeds them

And how much more VALUABLE you are than birds”           Luke 12:24

“For physical training is of some VALUE

But godliness has VALUE FOR ALL THINGS

Holding PROMISE for both the present life

And the life to come”                                                                1 Timothy 4:8

“He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ

As of GREATER VALUE  than the treasures of Egypt

Because he was looking ahead to his reward”                              Hebrews 11:26

WITNESS

3-23-13

ARE YOU JOYFUL

Are you a joyful person

Before you say yes

Think about it

Are you joyful

Even when your health is falling apart

Are you joyful

When you don’t have enough money in the bank

To pay your bills

Are you joyful

When your relationship

With your significant other

Is falling apart

Or when your personal relationships

Are not what they were---

Or what they used to be

If you and I can truly say yes to this question

When our lives are falling apart

Then we are truly

Living in the spirit of God

Someone once said,

“Joy is the infallible sign

Of GOD’S PRESENCE

In your life”

Joy is one of the aspects

And is a sign

That God’s word---GOD’S SPIRIT

Is alive in us

That joy is evident

In Jesus’ life

The COMPASSION that he showed

To those in need---the healing

Always making himself AVAILABLE to others

And Jesus

Teaches us that joy comes from servant hood

Even with impending crucifixion and death

He gets down on his hands and knees

And washes his disciples feet

So they would be made clean

JOY

Comes from

Having a servant’s heart

“I have set an example

That you should do

As I have done for you”                                           John 13:16

Joy

Comes from

Having a servant’s heart

“And we pray this

In order that you may live a life

Worthy of the Lord

And may please him

In every way

Bearing fruit in every good work

Growing in the knowledge of God

Being strengthened with all power

According to his glorious might

So that you may have

Great endurance and patience

And JOYFULLY giving thanks to the Father”                        1 Corinthians 10-12

If you can be joyous

When you are suffering

AS CHRIST DID

You are truly living in the SPIRIT OF GOD

And if we remain JOYOUS

In ALL circumstances

Living on the WORD OF GOD

It will lead us

To salvation

“Though you have not seen him

You love him

And even though

You do not see him now

You believe in him

And are filled

With an inexpressible and glorious JOY

For you are receiving the GOAL of your faith

THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS”                                   1 Peter 8-9

May the JOY OF THE LORD

LIVE IN YOU

ROBERT P. WALLMAN

3-5-12

Ps       WITNESS 3-23-13

“Consider it pure JOY-my brothers-whenever you face trials

Of many kinds-because you know that the testing of your faith

Develops perseverance”                                                                  James 1:2-3

WITNESS

3-22-13

TRUST IN THE LORD

Who are you going to trust

TRUST IN THE LORD

We live in a time

When almost all miracles

Are called medical miracles

We are leaving God

OUT OF THE PICTURE

How would you define the word “miracle”

I would define the word “miracle”

As when you’ve come

To the end of what medical science can do

Or-is willing to do

GOD-THE CREATOR AND THE SPIRIT OF LIFE-takes over

What has happened

In my life

Is definitely a “GOD” miracle

And I am proud

To boast in the Lord

TRUST IN THE LORD

In 1977-I walked away from

Peritonitis-gangrene-surgical shock- and a 108 degree temperature

Yet here I am

In additional years in the late 1970’s

And early 1980’s

I walked away-three times

From critical situations

That overlapped my birthday

“Vindicate me-oh Lord

For I have led a blameless life

I have trusted in the Lord

Without wavering”                                          Psalm 26:1

I don’t pretend

EVEN TO MYSELF

That I have lived a blameless life

But I will tell you this

I HAVE TRUSTED in the Lord our God

TRUSTED-over and over again

And so

As I face some more

Difficult medical decisions

I will tell you this

I have NOTHING

Against medical science

But I am

GOING TO TRUST IN THE LORD

The Lord our God

Has given me miracle after miracle

In my life

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TRUST?

God gave me LIFE once in 1955

He gave me life a second time-in 1977

He has performed MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE

In my life

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TRUST?

“But if SERVING the Lord

Seems undesirable to you

Then choose for yourself-THIS DAY

Whom you will serve

Whether the gods your forefathers served

Beyond the river

Or the gods of the Amorites

In whose land you are living

But as for me

And my household        ( ONLY ME )

We will serve the Lord”                                          Joshua 24:15

TRUST IN THE LORD

Robert P. Wallman

5-7-12

Ps        THE LORD GOD

            Gave me life more than once

            I figure-it is his decision

            WHEN TO BRING ME HOME

WITNESS        3-22-13

“IN God-whose word I praise-

In God-I TRUST-I will not be afraid

What can mortal man do to me?”                               Psalm 56:4

“TRUST in the Lord with all your heart

And lean not on your own understanding”                 Proverbs  3:5

“Do not let your hearts be troubled

TRUST in God-TRUST also in me”                           John 14:1

WITNESS

3-21-13

SLAYING THE GIANTS IN YOUR LIFE

We ALL have giants

In our life

GIANTS or crosses if your prefer

GIANTS standing in the way

Of our worship

Crosses-something

Standing in between

Our love of God and our love of others

Standing in the way

Of our desire

To live a happy successful life

In the 17^th chapter of 1 Samuel

The author literally

Tells us the story

Of a young man-a boy perhaps

Stepping forward

And slaying the GIANT for Israel

A Philistine giant named Goliath

Calls out to the Israelites,

“Why do you come out

And line up for battle

Am I not a Philistine

And are you not

Servants of Saul

Choose a man

And have him come down to me

If he is able

To fight

And kill me

We will become your subjects

But if I overcome him and kill him

You will become our subjects and serve us”                                               1 Samuel 17:8-9

My friends

The giants of our life

Are calling us out

The giant of a chronic illness

The giant of financial problems

The giant of family relationships

Maybe even the giant

Of an addiction or two

David-the youngest of eight sons

Steps forward for the Israelites

And wins the fight

With a slingshot of all things

No one believed in the boy David

Least of all King Saul

But David said,

“The Lord who delivered me

From the paw of the lion

And the paw of the bear

Will deliver me

From the hand of this Philistine”                                                                  1 Samuel 17:37

And the Lord did

Deliver David

And he will deliver us

If we unite our lives with his

David went on

To become Israel’s greatest king

And went on

To write many of the psalms

A cross-our crosses

Are the GIANTS of our life

And by UNITING our lives with Christ

That is the pathway to our FREEDOM

“If anyone

Would come after me

He must deny himself

And take up his cross daily

And follow me”                                                                              Luke 9:23

Unite your life with Christ

Unite the problems of your life with Jesus

And your burdens will become LIGHTER

“For whoever wants to save his life

Will lose it

And whoever loses his life for me

Will save it”                                                                                 Luke 9:24

My friends

The way down

Is the way home

If the giants of your life

Are weighing you down

Let God and Christ

Help you back up

And like David and the Israelites

We will live to RISE AGAIN

Robert P. Wallman

7-18-12

Ps       WITNESS        3-21-13

“Though he slay me-yet I will HOPE in him

I will surely defend my ways to his face”                           Job 13:15

WITNESS

MARCH 20^th, 2013

THE FATHER OF FAMILIES

Joseph

Was the foster-father

Of Jesus

And the husband

Of the Blessed Virgin Mary

He was

Of Davidic descent

And his trade

Was a carpenter

Which implies

He was impoverished

He was betrothed

To Mary

And he had doubts

About her conception

Who wouldn’t

And he had doubts

About the decision

To go to

And the return from Egypt too

Everything we know

About Joseph

Comes from the Gospels

(Matthew 1 and 2 & 13:55

 Luke 1 and 2 & 4:22)

Joseph is

The patron Saint

Of fathers and families

Of bursars and procurators

Of manual workers-especially carpenters

And ALL of us

Who aspire to a holy death

It is believed

That Mary and Jesus

Comforted Joseph in death

Many churches-hospitals

And religious congregations

Are dedicated to Joseph

And the name of “Joseph”

As a Christian name

Has been used throughout history

He was declared

“Patron of the Universal Church”

By Pope Pius IX

And Pius XII

Declared the feast

Of “Saint Joseph the Worker”

Dear Lord-we pray

As Saint Joseph

Protected his wife-Mary

And his son-Jesus

And dedicated his life

To his family

We pray that more fathers

May have the dedication and honor

As Saint Joseph

THE FATHER OF FAMILIES

Robert P. Wallman

3-18-13

Ps       Saint Joseph feast days are March 19^th and May 1^st

Witness        3-20-13

WITNESS

3-19-13

I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH

All my life

My mom and I

Had the most beautiful relationship

I would always

Spread my arms as wide as I could

And say,

        “I love you this much”

And she would simply smile

And hold her thumb and forefinger

About a ¼ of an inch apart

And say,

        “I love you this much”

And we would both be smiling

And I would give her a big hug

Well I am here

To tell you

As much as I

Loved my mom

That is how much GOD LOVES YOU

“The Lord appeared to us

In the past saying:

“I have loved you

With an everlasting love

I have drawn you

With loving kindness”                                                                         Jeremiah 31:3

Can you imagine that

Our God-THE GOD-and creator of the universe

Loves each of us

“With an everlasting love”

I can just imagine

God looking at us-smiling at us

And saying,

“I LOVE you this much”

Well sadly

A few days

Before my mom passed

She said to me,

“Bob-I don’t want you

To say that anymore”

Of course

I didn’t say it anymore

But I FELT it

MOM-you are gone

You are NOT forgotten

And everyday of my life

In my heart-

In my mind-

In my soul-

I say about my mom,

“I love you this much”

And that is exactly

What our God does and says about us

Stretching his arms as wide

As the East is from the West

He says,

“I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH”

Robert P. Wallman

8-12-12

Ps       WITNESS        3-19-13

YESTERDAY was three years since my mom has been gone

“LOVE is patient-love is kind-it does not envy-it does not boast

It is not proud-it is not rude-it is not self-seeking-it is not easily angered

It keeps no record of wrongs-LOVE does NOT delight in evil-but

Rejoices with the truth-it always protects-always trusts-always hopes

ALWAYS perseveres-LOVE NEVER FAILS”      1 Corinthians 13:4-8

WITNESS

3-18-13

THROWING THE FIRST STONE

Imagine this

You are

A young or middle-aged married woman

Having an affair

Unbeknownst to you

Your husband finds out about it

He is irate

He rounds up a group of your friends

Finds you

And corners you in a dark alley

They all

Have stones and rocks

And there intent

Is to do you bodily harm

Out of nowhere

A man appears beside you

Looks straight at your husband

And the irate group

He begins to rattle off

Specifically all the sins

These people committed

Pornography, sadomasochism

Looking at someone of the opposite sex

With a lustful heart

Cheating on your income tax

Defrauding someone

Drinking, drugs, lying

Being mean to your kids

He hits on one

That applies

To each person individually

He says,

“If any of you are without sin

Throw the first stone”

One by one

They all walk away

Including the husband

Finally

When they are all gone

He puts his arm around you affectionately

And says,

“Woman, where are your condemners

Has no one condemned you”

“No one sir,” you say

“Then neither do I

Go and do it no more”

You who are perfect

In thought, in word, and in deed

Cast the first stone

Robert P. Wallman

April 8^th, 2011

Ps        Based on John 8

WITNESS        3-18-13

“IF any one of you is without sin-let him be the first to throw a stone at her”

Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground”                                                      

John 8:7

AN IRISH SAYING

May those who love us, love us

And those who don’t love us,

May God turn their hearts

And if he doesn’t turn their hearts

May he turn their ankles

Se we’ll know them by their limp

Lol

THE LIFE STORY OF SAINT PATRICK

There has been much controversy

Surrounding the life of Saint Patrick

Both as to what he did

And what he didn’t do

Patrick was British by birth

He lived during the fifth century

His father was on the town council

And was a deacon

His grandfather was a priest

When he was young

He was captured by Irish pirates

And was made a slave for 6 years

During these years

Patrick began to pray

And draw close to God

Which was in contrast to his earlier years

When he “knew NOT the true God”

After the 6 years

He escaped or was freed

And did some traveling

But almost starved to death

Patrick returned home to his family

A changed man

And trained to become a priest

After some contact with the Papacy

Patrick succeeded Palladius

To be the first bishop of the Irish

To believe in Christ

Patrick worked principally in Northern Ireland

Organizing the church

And had many missionary journeys

From there

Patrick was not especially learned

But lived with a sincere simplicity

And deep pastoral care

He worked to abolish paganism and idolatry

And made no distinction

Among classes of people

HE LOVED ALL

He himself was ready and willing

To accept imprisonment and death

For his FAITH IN CHRIST

Because of being a slave and fugitive

He learned to completely trust God

The historical Patrick is much different

Than the legendary Patrick

And much more interesting

He DID NOT convert Ireland single-handedly

In fact---it took MANY evangelists

And many generations to accomplish

But make no mistake

He was the PRIMARY INSTRUMENT of God

In getting it all started

He remains the most popular Saint

From Ireland

And he is Ireland’s patron

To this day

His cult spread form Ireland to Europe

In the middle ages

And in modern times

To the United States and Australia

Where it still flourishes on his feast day

Which is March 17^th

Happy Saint Patrick’s day!

With love---Robert P. wallman

March 15^th, 2012

Ps        my middle name is Patrick---after my grandfather Patrick Murphy

            Who was named after Saint Patrick