For the Love of Us All: December 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

NEW HOPE-NEW BLESSINGS-NEW LIFE

NEW HOPE---NEW BLESSINGS---NEW LIFE

As we
Close the doors
On another year
It is time
To take an inventory
Of who we are---both individually---and collectively

SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING---I mean

Materially---as long as
We have a roof over our head
And something to eat
How much does it really matter

This life
Is just our “temporary” home

“He put a new song
In my mouth
A hymn of praise to God” Psalm 40:3

My Father
Used to say it another way
“Live with a song in your heart
And a smile on your face”

My wish for you---for me too---in 2014
Is that we will ALL

Live with GOD’S SONG
In our heart
And with a smile on our face

This comes from knowing
That we are ALL
CHILDREN OF GOD

And knowing
That he LOVES us
The way a parent
Loves his very own child

The way a parent
Loves and FORGIVES his very own child

Listen to what the Lord says,
“I will give you a new heart
And put a new and right spirit within you” Ezekiel 36:26

And so
As we move forward in to 2014
My wish for you is that

Whatever is in your PAST
Whatever is

NOT of God
NOT of love
NOT life---fulfilling

That you and I
Have the courage
To leave it there---IN THE PAST

“Therefore
If anyone is in Christ
He is a NEW CREATION
The old has gone
The new has come” 2 Corinthians 5:17

My wish for you is that you ( and I )

“Be made new
In the attitude of our mind
And we put on the new self
Created to be like God
In true righteousness and holiness” Ephesians 4:23 & 24

My wish for you ( and me ), in 2012
Is that we live

“With a smile on our face
And a song in our heart”

And we find

NEW HOPE---NEW BLESSINGS
And NEW LIFE

In the Lord our God

HAPPY NEW YEAR---I LOVE YOU

Robert P. Wallman

12-22-11

Monday, December 30, 2013

GOD WILL PROVIDE

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

Sunday, December 29, 2013

THE HOLY FAMILY/A FAMILY IS

Today-12-129-17- is the feast of the HOLY FAMILY
In 2,014-may ALL families-live with the LOVE AND RESPECT
That the Holy Family lived with

JANUARY 3^rd, 2012

A FAMILY IS

A family is Life
A family is Love
A family is God’s Light
Shining on us
From up above

A family is
Loving each other
Even when we don’t like them
A family is
Being kind to each other
When we don’t want to

A family is Life
A family is Love
A family is GOD’S Light
Shining on us
From up above

A family is accepting each other
Accepting them for who they are
Not who you want them to be

A family is FORGIVING each other
When they acted in a way
That we don’t understand
Or
When they don’t even try
To lend a hand

A family is Life
A family is Love
A family is GOD’S Light
Shining on us
From up above

A FAMILY IS LOVE

Robert P. Wallman
5-14-06

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque is the patron Saint of families
Her feast day is October 17^th, the date on which she died
At the age of 43

She experienced a series of visions of Christ---
Which were later authenticated---and brought much needed
Devotion back to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Saturday, December 28, 2013

THE HOLY INNOCENTS OF TODAY

THE HOLY INNOCENTS OF TODAY

In the Catholic Church
On December 28^th,
There is a feast day
Dedicated to the children of Bethlehem
Killed by the tyrant-Herod the Great

Told by the Magi
Of the birth of a new king
He tried to eliminate ALL possible rivals

“Then Herod called the Magi secretly
And found out from them
The exact time the star had appeared
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,

“Go and make
A careful search for the child
As soon as you find him
Report to me
So that I too
May go and worship him” Matthew 2:7-8

But the Magi were too smart for him
After being warned in a dream
Not to go back to Herod
They returned to their country
By a different route

And Mary and Joseph
Fled to Egypt with Jesus
As Herod killed all the first born sons in Bethlehem

Thus the Holy Innocents
Are considered to be martyrs-BECAUSE
Not only did they die for Christ
Bit they died
In place of Christ

But the story
DOES NOT END THERE

Children today
Are being used as gun-toting soldiers
And we have case after case
Of children being sexually abused
And on and on and on

Children are paying for adult crimes
In every country
In every area of life

And most recently
We have the tragedy
In Newtown, Connecticut
Where 26 innocent people were killed
Including twenty children

Let the children come
WHAT ARE WE DOING
To our children
It is time for GOOD people
To stand up
To be a positive example for our children

“Let the children come to me
And do not hinder them
For the KINGDOM OF GOD
Belongs to such as these

I tell you the truth
Anyone who will not receive
The kingdom of God
Like a little child
Will never enter into it”

And he took the children
Into his arms
Put his hands on them and blessed them” Mark 10:14-16

Dear Lord-we pray
For the Holy Innocent children
Lost and hurt 2,000 years ago
And we pray
For all the innocent children
Lost and hurt through all the years
As well as in today’s evil world

“And he said,

“I tell you the truth
Unless you change and become
Like little children
You will never
Enter into the kingdom of heaven

Therefore whoever humbles himself
Like this child
Is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven

And whoever welcomes a little child
Like this-WELCOMES ME” Matthew 18:3-5

LORD-PLEASE HELP US
To build a safer country and world
For our children
So we can truly say.

“LET THEM COME”

Robert P. Wallman
12-28-12

Ps Tomorrow, 12-29-13, is the feast of the HOLY FAMILY-Dear Lord-we pray for
ALL Families today that they might be able to LIVE with that same peace,
Unity, and LOVE that the Holy Family-Jesus-Mary-and Joseph did

And we pray for the SAFETY of all our children-and that we BEGIN
To BUILD a better world for them

Friday, December 27, 2013

A NEWNESS IN 2014

A NEWNESS IN 2014

This past July
My niece, Lindsay,
Bought a brand-new 4-door red Hyundai Elantra

Don't you
Just love That new car sell

And when I
Was at her house
This past November
I could still smell
That new car smell

That is the way
We are with God
IF we are in constant communication with him
ALWAYS feeling BRAND NEW

“He put
A new song in my mouth
A hymn of praise
To our God

MANY will see and fear
And PUT THEIR TRUST
In the Lord” Psalm 40:3

And come January 1^st, 2014
If we aren't
feeling brand new
We can feel
BRAND NEW AGAIN

ALL we have to do
Is to remember
To KEEP God
In our life
As we celebrate
OUR NEW PLANS
OUR NEW HOPES
and OUR NEW DREAMS

“Therefore
If anyone is in Christ
He is a NEW CREATION
The old has gone
THE NEW HAS COME” 2 Corinthians 5:17

CREATE in yourself
A brand new start
In 2014

Create new plans-new hopes-new dreams
IF your old plans
Aren't working out

And if they are
Working out
Create a new dedication-and commitment
TO YOUR OLD DREAM

They can still work out
If we are patient
Because,
“ALL things are possible in God” Mark 10:27

And if we
NEED to be RE-CREATED
IN GOD-IN OUR LORD
We know
We can do that too

And there is no better time
To begin-Than right now
January 1^st, 2014

“I will
Give you a new heart
And put a new spirit
In you

….....

YOU WILL be my people
And I will be your God” Ezekiel 9:26-28

So
NOT ONLY
Do we have
New plans-new hopes-new dreams

IF we screwed up

WE have
A NEW SPIRIT OF GOD within us

We have a new chance
To RECOMMIT ourselves to God
Because we are his people
And our God
IS a God of INFINITE CHANCES

And so
As my niece, Lindsay's car
Retained that fresh smell
For many months

I wish you
That NEWNESS OF SPIRIT
For ALL of 2014
And beyond

“Yet I am writing you
A new command

IT'S TRUTH is seen in him
And you

Because the darkness is passing
And the TRUE LIGHT
IS ALREADY SHINING” 1 John 2:8

And this true light
IS GOD'S LOVE

MAY it SHINE in you
Far into the year
Of 2014

Robert P. Wallman
12-17-13

Thursday, December 26, 2013

FOREVER TOFETHER

WITNESS

4-29-13

FOREVER TOGETHER---STEPHEN AND PAUL

There are 2 men
In my mind from the Bible
That will be forever
Linked together

Stephen---the first Christian martyr
Who gave up his life for Christ
And Saul---later Paul
Who stood by and approved
Maybe, in fact, even ordered Stephen’s death

Forever together
You and me
Forever linked with God
Forever in God’s word
And in God’s heart
That’s the way it has to be

When they began stoning Stephen
As Saul stood by and watched
Stephen prayed,
“Lord Jesus receive my spirit
Lord do not hold this sin
Against them”

And, of course, God heard Stephen’s prayer
As he hears yours and mine

Out of death---grew life
The death of Stephen---turned in to
The life of Paul
And the beginnings of Christianity

Picture this
You are a great hater of God
And the new Christian movement

You have persecuted many Christians
And it is widely known

As you near
The end of your journey
A light flashes around you---a light from Heaven
You get knocked to the ground
And you hear a voice say,

“Saul Saul why do you persecute me
Go in to the city
And you will be told what to do”

You slowly get up off the ground
You cannot see a thing
Your traveling companions
Don’t know what has happened

The lord sends Ananias
To place hands on you

Scales from Saul’s eyes fall off
Saul can see again
See better than ever
Saul becomes baptized
Filled with the Holy Spirit
And has great vision for God’s new Kingdom

Forever together---Stephen and Paul
Out of death grows life
Life and the vision for a brand new world

How about you and me
Can our life be converted
Can our life be changed
To a life devoted to God
To a life of loving others

Forever together---Stephen and Paul
Forever together---you and me
Forever together---God and us
Tell me Lord---can it be

“For whoever wants to save his life
Will lose it
But whoever loses his life for me
Will find it” Matthew 16:25

Forever together Lord
You---Stephen---and Paul
Forever together Lord
You and us

Forever together Lord
For out of death comes life

Forever together Lord
You and me

Robert P. Wallman
5-11-11

Ps WITNESS 4-29-13

“But the Lord said to Ananias-“GO! This man is my CHOSEN instrument
To carry my name before the GENTILES and their kings-and before the people of Israel-
I will show him how much he MUST SUFER for my name”

Acts 9:15-16

Saint Stephen

STEPHEN—THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR

Do you know
Who the first
Christian martyr was

His name was Stephen

In those days
Some of the Jewish women
Were being overlooked
In the distribution of the food

The apostles gathered
And chose seven men
To oversee the food distribution

One of those men
Was Stephen

Stephen was a man
Full of God’s grace and spirit
And performed many miraculous signs

Some opposition
Arose to Stephen
But since
They couldn’t fairly battle Stephen
Because of his wisdom and spirit
They persuaded some men to lie
And say—Stephen was blaspheming
About God and Moses

Stephen then testified
To the whole Sanhedrin
About the Lord’s covenant through people
Like Abraham and Moses

Stephen said to the Sanhedrin,

“You always resist the Holy Spirit”
And about Christ,

“Was there ever a prophet
Your fathers did not persecute
They even killed those
Who predicted the coming
Of the Righteous One

And now you have
Betrayed and murdered him
-You have received the law
That was put into effect through angels
But have NOT obeyed it” Acts 7:52 & 53

The religious community
Became furious at him
And gnashed their teeth at him

But Stephen remained full of the Holy Spirit
And said,

“Look I see heaven open
And the Son of Man
Standing at the right hand of God” Acts 7:56

At this
They began yelling at him-rushed him
And began stoning him

Stephen prayed,

“Lord Jesus-receive my spirit
Lord-do NOT hold this sin
Against them” Acts 7:59-60

At this-he died

Dear Lord-we pray
That when people lie about us
And betray us
During the ordinary course of our lives

That we have
The FAITH of Saint Stephen
And clutch even tighter to you
And have the courage
To live that faith
Just as your humble servant-Saint Stephen

In Jesus ‘name-we pray

Robert P. Wallman

5-16-12

Sunday, December 22, 2013

PAY IT FORWARD

PAY IT FORWARD

ONE of my most favorite movies
Is a movie called
PAY IT FORWARD

It is a 2000 movie
BASED on the novel
Of the same name

It boasts a stellar cast INCUDING:
Helen Hunt-Kevin Spacey-Haley Joe Osment
and many other names you would recognize
Including Angie Dickinson

But it is the THEME of the movie
That hit me
RIGHT in the heart

Osment is a seventh grade student
In Las Vegas, Nevada
And his social studies teacher (Spacey)
GIVES the class an assignment
To devise and put into action

“A plan
That would change the world
For the better”

What a novel thought
DO SOMETHING KIND or good
For someone
Rather than
Rape, steal, defraud, etc., etc., etc., someone

“God saw
ALL that he made
and it was very good” Genesis 1:31

MY GOD
What has happened to
This world
BETWEEN then and now-
Some 2,000 years later

“TASTE AND SEE
That the Lord is GOOD
BLESSED is the man
Who takes refuge in him” Psalm 34:8

In the movie,
“PAY IT FORWARD,”
The teacher asks the students
(including Osment)
To do three favors
For others
Rather than paying the favor back

But the favor
Must be a “MAJOR FAVOR”
That the receiver
Can't complete themselves

And isn't that the way
Our own lives are
Without GOD'S FAVOR in it

We were CREATED
In GOD'S own image
And if God can bestow
Life, love, forgiveness, and kindness
On us

Isn't that
The LEAST that we can do
For someone else

“Then God said:
'Let us make man
In our image- in our likeness'” Genesis 1:26

“For you created
My inmost being
You knit me together
In my mother's womb

I PRAISE YOU
For I am wonderfully made
Your WORKS are wonderful
I know that full well” Psalm 139:13-14

Whatever goodness lies in you
Pass it on
PAY IT FORWARD

Use it
To help someone else

In the movie
Osment (Trevor)
DOES FAVORS for three people
Asking each of them
To pass it on

Initially-with mixed results
-And ultimately
Costing Trevor his very own life

But our lives
BY NATURE
Have a cost-death

The BEST that we can HOPE for
IS to have a LASTING EFFECT
By taking all the BLESSINGS
That we have
And passing them on

PAY IT FORWARD

Robert P. Wallman
10-25-13

Saturday, December 21, 2013

ACCOUNTABILITY

Misc. 12-21-13

ACCOUNTABILITY

ACCOUNTABILITY is defined
As the fact or condition
Of being accountable
OR in other words

RESPONSIBLE

Responsible
For HOW MUCH love
We show
In this world

Responsible
FOR how much kindness
We show
In this world

AND RESPONSIBLE
For how much FORGIVENESS
WE show in this world

MANY people
Who are unaccountable
Seem to skate through this life
Foot loose and fancy free

NOT responsible or accountable
To anyone

BUT THEY WILL
As you and I will
Be accountable
To OUR LORD AND CREATOR

“NOW we know
That whatever the law says
It says to those
Who are under the law

SO that every mouth
May be silenced
And the WHOLE WORLD
Held ACCOUNTABLE to God” Romans 3:19

That means you
That means me
That means
EVERYONE of us
WILL be held ACCOUNTABLE
TO GOD

For what we do
In this life
What we don't do
In this life
And the REASONS thereof

“BUT I tell you
That men will have to give account
On the day of judgment
For EVERY careless word
They have spoken

FOR BY YOUR WORDS
You will be acquitted
And by your words
You will be condemned” Matthew 12:36-37

DEAR LORD
We pray for your MERCY AND FORGIVENESS
As we FORGIVE others with MERCY
Because
NONE of us are so self-righteous
SO ACCOUNTABLE
That we can stand
On our own merits
ONLY YOURS

“This righteousness from God
Comes through FAITH
IN Jesus Christ
To ALL who believe

There is no difference
FOR ALL have sinned
And all FALL SHORT
Of the GLORY OF GOD

And are justified
FREELY by his grace
Through the REDEMPTION
That came by Jesus Christ” Romans 3:22-24

Dear Lord-WE SAY
THANK YOU for being ACCOUNTABLE
FOR US

Robert P. Wallman

9-20-13

Friday, December 20, 2013

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

Have you seen
The bumper sticker
Or heard the saying

JESUS is the reason
For the season

HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET

As I
Write my Christmas cards
To family and friends
I try to remember

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

Before I left Pittsburgh
You couldn’t say
The word “CHRISTMAS” on tv

“Happy Sparkle Season”
Hardly has the same effect---at least for me

HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET

A miniature crèche
Identical to the one in Rome
Had to be moved
From the government courthouse
To outside a corporation

HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET

Haven’t you heard
JESUS is the reason
For the season

WITHOUT JESUS
You would be getting
Not one single gift this year

Putting up my decorations
And my Christmas tree
Trying to remember---trying NOT to forget
Jesus is the reason
For this kindness and goodwill
He is THE REASON
For this season

Trying to remember
The LOVE, the FORGIVENESS, and KINDNESS
That he brought to us---in this world
Trying to remember---his name---the name of JESUS CHRIST
Trying to let him know
That it ALL
Wasn’t for not
That it ALL---wasn’t in vain

Let us put the letter “C”
Back into Christmas
Let us put the name Christ
Back into Christmas

It is NOT so hard to remember
It really isn’t---all we have to do
Is take one long look up at the CROSS

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE---I LOVE YOU

Robert P. Wallman
12-3-11

Ps And HAPPY HANNUKAH to ALL my JEWISH FRIENDS

Also today is the feast of the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION---
MARY said yes to God and the angel---JESUS said yes to his Father

What about me
What about you
What if we ALL said yes to God

rpw
12-08-11

Thursday, December 19, 2013

YOUR CHRISTMAS NATION

DECEMBER 5^th, 2012

YOUR CHRISTMAS SEASON

It’s another Christmas season
And I wonder what’s in people’s hearts
I see people rushing everywhere
They’re moving in such a hurry
I wonder if they remember what Christmas is all about
Perhaps-it could even be tearing them apart

But this poem is not to admonish anyone
It’s merely to help me regain my perspective
To see my responsibilities-and also enjoy the fun
I’m so thankful
There’s so much fun in just being alive
On Christmas day I’m not trying to accomplish anything
I’m not trying to strive
I’m not living in the world’s competition
I’m just relaxing and enjoying myself
I’m surrounding myself with family and friends
And if I receive their presence
My Christmas will beyond description

Sometimes I wonder if we haven’t lost the meaning of Christmas
Are we only concerned with our number of presents
Or if the present we got coast as much as what we spent
Maybe-we’re comparing our decorations to that of our neighbor
Is our Christmas wreath as pretty as the one next door
What you do and believe is what’s at the core
Of the Christmas season

In my Christmas-I want a blend
Of loving and sharing with my family and friends
And for the ones who are far away
The greetings we receive and the greeting we send
A nice glass of red wine
And a home-cooked meal
The opportunity to sit down and dine
And relax once more

What do you want in your Christmas season
Whatever it is
I hope it is in the true spirit of Christmas
And I hope it comes your way

Robert P. Wallman
12-14-1980

Ps “Preach the word-be prepared in SEASON and out of Season
Correct-rebuke-and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction”
2 Timothy 4:2

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

BELIEVE

WITNESS

8-3-13

BELIEVE

The best magic
Doesn’t trick you
IT MAKES YOU BELIEVE

And that’s
WHAT happened to me

Believe
In the GOODNESS of God
BELIEVE
In the KINDNESS of others

GOD SAVED
My life
He has kept me alive
Over and over again

God is good
BELIEVE
Believe in the goodness of God
Believe in miracles
Believe in the MAGIC
Of ordinary days

Believe
OUR GOD IS ALIVE

“Jesus said,
‘I tell you the truth
If you have faith and do not doubt
Not only
Can you do what was done
To the fig tree
But you can also say
To the mountain
‘Go throw yourself into the sea’
And it will be done
If you BELIEVE
You will receive
Whatever you ask for in prayer’” Matthew 21:22

BELIEVE

Believe in God
Believe in others

SO MANY have helped me on my way
Along my journey
BELIEVE-in the KINDNESS of others
GOD will not disappoint
FAMILY will not disappoint
FRIENDS will not disappoint

THE BEST MAGIC IS GOD
The next best magic is FAMILY
And the next best magic
Is your friends

JUST BELIEVE

“He (John the Baptist) came as a witness
To testify
Concerning that BELIEF
So that through him
ALL MEN WILL BELIEVE” John 1:7

“He himself
Was NOT the light (JESUS was)
He came only as a witness
To the light
The true light
That gives light to every man
Was coming into the world” John 1:8 & 9

And if you
Do not believe
In John’s testimony
Or believe
In my faith and testimony

BELIEVE IN THE MIRACLES
For no miracle
Was ever performed by Jesus
Without faith
By the one
Who received the miracle

“WHY then
Do you accuse me of blasphemy
Because I said
‘I am God’s Son’

Do not believe me
Unless I do what my Father does

But if I do it
Even though you do not believe me
BELIEVE THE MIRACLES
That you may know and understand
That the Father is in me
And I in the Father” John 10:37 & 38

Dear Lord-WE BELIEVE

Robert P. Wallman
5-19-13

Ps WITNESS 8-3-13

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

CARRYING ANOTHER'S BURDENS

CARRYING ANOTHER’S BURDENS

Have you ever
Tried to help another human being

I mean really help someone
NOT just giving lip service

Whether it be family, friend
Or a virtual stranger

We ALL need help
At one time or another

It may be
Because of health difficulties
It may be
Because of financial problems or obligations
A lost job---mitigating circumstances
Broken relationships within a family
Or with a very close friend

In any case
We need help---we can’t do it alone
Because we are fighting heavy battles
And we are losing

It may surprise you to know
That OUR LORD knows this
It wasn’t any different 2000 years ago

Jesus saw this
And with a compassionate loving heart
He said,

“Come to me
All you who are weary and heavy burdened
And I will give you rest
Take my yoke upon you
And learn from me
For I am gentle and humble of heart
And you will find rest
For your souls

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

A yoke is the instrument
That binds 2 animals together

Maybe you have
So many problems
That you feel
You have nothing left
To help someone else

Maybe you have
So many burdens
That you feel
Nothing and no one can help you

I have some news for you
Jesus can

He carried
The weight of the world
Some 2000 years ago
I thin he is quite capable
Of carrying yours and my burdens

We live
In a world
Full of selfishness
Becoming more and more so
Each day

“What the world needs now
Is love---sweet love
It is the only thing
That there is just too little of” from a song many years ago

Tiredness of body---come to me
Weakness of soul and spirit---come to me

Jesus says,

“Come to me
Let me help you
Carry your burdens”

He can carry burdens
And solve problems
That we never can
Maybe
Burdens and problems that we
Were never intended to carry

Moses believed in God’s promises
Abraham believed
The Blessed Mother---Mary---believed

“I am the Lord’s servant
may it be done to me
According to your Word” Luke 1:38

Do you believe
Do I believe

Your problems my be great
My problems may be great

They are NOT insurmountable

“And we know
That in all things
God works for the good
Of those who love him” Romans 8:28

Maybe we can’t
Carry another’s burdens
Maybe we can’t even
Carry our own

But God says---Christ says,
“I can”
He says,
“Tie your yoke to me”

He says the most appealing words
Ever heard
This side of paradise---

---“COME TO ME”
And you will find REST for your souls

Robert P. Wallman
8-7-11

* Inspired by the teaching of Father Leo Clifford O.F.M.

Monday, December 16, 2013

POWER AND AUTHORITY

POWER AND AUTHORITY

WHERE do you get your power
Where do you get your FAITH
Where do you
Get the GRACE
TO RISE AND FACE ANOTHER DAY

Only by
THE AUTHORITY AND POWER
Of God
For ALL power and authority
RESTS with him

“Yours-O Lord-
IS the greatness and power
And the glory
And the majesty
And the splendor

For EVERYTHING in heaven and earth
Is yours

Yours-O Lord
Is the kingdom
You are exalted
As head over ALL” 1 Chronicles 29:11

And even
The great power of the GOSPEL
Comes from God

WRITTEN by the HOLY SPIRIT
THROUGH Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, and others

“But so
That you may KNOW
That the SON OF MAN
Has authority on earth
To forgive sins........'

Then he said to the paralytic
'GET UP take your mat
And go home'

And the man
Got up and went home

When the crowd
Saw this
They were filled
With awe

And they praised God
Who had given
SUCH AUTHORITY to men” Matthew 9:6-8

And keep in mind
That this SAME authority and power
Was PASSED on to
HIS disciples and apostles

And trickles down to us
His apostles and disciples today
FOR THE JOB
Is NOT yet done

Then Jesus came to them
And said:

'ALL AUTHORITY in heaven
And on earth
Has been given to me'

THEREFORE
Go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS

Baptizing them
In the name of the FATHER
And of the SON
And of the HOLY SPIRIT

And teaching them
To OBEY everything I commanded you

And SURELY
I AM WITH YOU
To the VERY END of the age” Matthew 28:18-20

To ALL my friends
Gentile and Jew alike

I INVITE YOU ALL
To work
In BRINGING people to God

MAY the POWER AND AUTHORITY
OF GOD
BE with you

LOVE YOU ALL

Robert P. Wallman

10-28-13

Sunday, December 15, 2013

PATIENCE-WAITING on the LORD

WITNESS

8-6-13

PATIENCE---WAITING ON THE LORD
---WAITING ON YOU

You say
You are waiting on the Lord
To change your life

I have some news for you
He is
Waiting on you

Our Lord---Our God
Is there---always has been---always will be
His nature is UNCHANGING
His nature is LOVE
And he is
MADLY in love with you

My mother
Always taught me
That our help
Is at the end of our right arm/hand

I think
The same is true spiritually

Our God is there
We just have to make
The decision
To accept him in our hearts

And our God is a patient God
He will wait
A lifetime for you

“The Lord, the Lord
The compassionate and gracious God
Slow to anger
Abounding in love and faithfulness
Maintaining love to thousands
And forgiveness wickedness, rebelliousness, sin” Exodus 34:6

You say
You are waiting on the Lord
To change your life
I tell you
He is waiting on you

The good news is
If we are honestly trying
To get it right
If we are really really trying

Our God is a patient God
He will wait
A lifetime for you ( and me )

Patience is one of God’s gifts
A gift of the Holy Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit
Is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE,
Kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
Gentleness, and self-control

Against these things
There is no law” Galatians 5:22& 23

The Lord our God
Is a patient God
He will wait a lifetime
For you---for me

You say
You are waiting on the Lord
I tell you
He is waiting on you
Waiting on me
To get it right

But the GOOD NEWS
Is our God
Is a PATIENT God
A God
MADLY in love with you
And with me

And he will
Help us along our life’s journey
To eventually get it right
To COMPLETE us in God
And our Lord

“I thank my God---every time I remember you
In all my prayers for all of you,
I always with joy
Because of our partnership
In the Gospel from the first day
Until now
Being confident of this
That he who began
A good work in you
Will carry it on to completion
Until the day of Christ Jesus” Philippians 1:3-6

The Lord our God
Is a Patient God
Slow to anger
Quick to forgive

Our God
IS JUST WAITING ON YOU
---AND ON ME

Robert P. Wallman
8-22-11

Ps WITNESS 8-6-13

Saturday, December 14, 2013

SAINT LUCY-VISION

SAINT LUCY---VISION

Lucy was a virgin
A martyr
And today she is considered to be
The patroness of the blind

She died in the year of 304
During the persecution of Diocletian

She was
A wealthy Sicilian
Who refused marriage offers
Gave her goods
To the poor
And was accused
By one of her suitors
To the authorities

The judge ordered her
To be sent to a brothel
And become violated

But she became miraculously immovable

He tried to have her burnt
Also unsuccessful

Finally---she was killed
By a sword

Legend has it
That her eyes too---were torn out
Only to be miraculously restored

Dear Lord---I pray---we pray
That in a world
That has become blinded
By your vision for it

Blinded by greed
Blinded by sexual lust
And just blinded
By our own pure selfishness

We pray
That we have the faith
Of Saint Lucy
And we pray for your vision

Your vision for our world
And your vision---for each of us individually
And all of us collectively
To be returned to us---TO YOU

IN JESUS’ NAME WE PRAY

Robert P. Wallman
12-13-11

Ps today---12-13---is the feast day of Saint Lucy

Friday, December 13, 2013

GOD'S LOVE-THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

GOD'S LOVE
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

There I said it
Wash my mouth out
With soap

We can say
“Happy Hanukkah”
We can say
“Happy Kwanzaa”

I don't understand
Why it is such a BIG DEAL
to say “MERRY CHRISTMAS”

It is a holiday
Named after a man
Who gave his life
To this world
And the people
In it

He BELIEVED in you
He believed in us
Whether we believe in him
Or not

But by believing
In him
We are left
With eternal life

“For the wages
Of sin is death
But the GIFT OF GOD
Is eternal life
In Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23

I want to
LIVE FOREVER-IN GOD
How about you

At any rate
GOD has been giving GIFTS to his people
GIFTS-in the form of people
Since the beginning of TIME

He used Noah
To SAVE the world
From the great flood

He used Abraham
To become the FATHER
Of many nations

He used Moses
TO LEAD his people
To the PROMISED LAND

And he used Jesus Christ
HIS SON
To give people
The gift of life IN LOVE
And be an example
Of how to sacrifice
For one another

The GIFT
That KEEPS ON GIVING
IS GOD'S LOVE

And what is so great about it
IS-we don't have to give anything back

And UNFORTUNATELY
Many of us don't
NOT even a thought to Christ
And what his life/death
Stood for
And what it still STANDS for
AT this special time of year

“Therefore-if you are offering
Your gift at the altar
And there remember
That your brother
Has something against you

LEAVE your gift there
In front of the altar

First go
And be reconciled
To your brother

Then come
And offer your gift” Matthew 5:23

I don't have anything
Against anyone

And I HOPE AND PRAY
No one
Has anything against me

GOD'S MESSAGE
IS UNITY AND LOVE
Regardless of our race, nationality, or religion

So HAPPY HANUKKAH!
HAPPY KWANZAA!

And YES MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GOD'S LOVE
IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

Robert P. Wallman
11-21-13

Thursday, December 12, 2013

STRENGTH

STRENGTH

We have all
Heard the saying

“What doesn’t kill me
Makes me stronger”

The LORD is my strength

“The Lord is my strength
And my song
He has become my salvation

He is my God
And I will raise him
My father’s God
And I will exalt him” Exodus 15:2

Where does
Your weakness lie

My particular weakness
Is health
My weakness
Is also finances

It is also the fact
That I don’t have
A significant other
Or a family of my own

I have to tell you
That if I had seen
A movie of my life
And what is what to become

I would have run
Not walked
And leapt
Off the nearest bridge

THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH

Our God is a merciful God
In that
He lets our life
Unfold only
One day at a time

So I latched
On to God
I latched on to Christ
And have been
Riding their coattails ever since

I am TOTALLY dependent on God
And on others

“Come to me
All you 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

Where does
Your weakness lie

Latch on to God
Latch on to Christ
And you will
Replace your weakness with strength

THE LORD GOD
IS MY STRENGTH

“But those
Who HOPE in the Lord
Will RENEW their strength

They will SOAR
On wings like eagles
They will run
And not grow weary
They will walk
And not be faint” Isaiah 40:31

Don’t be afraid
To show your weakness
For we are human
We weren’t meant
To never fail

It is
Only through RELYING ON GOD
That we can
Learn to fly

“For the foolishness
Of God
Is wiser than man’s wisdom
And the weakness of God
IS STRONGER
Than man’s strength” 1 Corinthians 1:24

Robert P. Wallman
10-15-12

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

OBEDIENCE TO GOD

WITNESS

9-3-13

OBEDIENCE TO GOD

It is important
To hear the Word of God

It is important to listen
To the Word of God
But once we are sure
We know what God
Is asking/telling us to do
Are we obedient to it
Are we obedient
To God’s Word

If we are
True followers of God
God sometimes
Asks us to do very difficult---very difficult things

“But the one
Who hears my words
And does not put them into practice
Is like a man without a foundation
The moment the torrent
Struck that house
It collapsed
And its destruction was complete” Luke 6:49

Love, forgiveness, kindness
Christ tells us that they are ROCK
Was he right
You know he was
Nothing was ever built on hatred

Being obedient to God
May be to just keep being kind
To that same difficult person
That turns their head
When we say hello
That treats us with contempt
And thinks we are beneath them

Being kind
To that same difficult human being
That takes us for granted over and over and over again

Christ taught us
About a different kind of love
It is called agape’
And means
Loving your enemies

“If your enemy is hungry
Give him to eat
If he is thirsty
Give him water to drink

In doing this
You will keep burning coals
On his head
And the Lord will reward you” Proverbs 25:21 & 22

Being a Christian
Means not only listening, hearing,
And knowing the Word of God
But being obedient to God
When he asks you
To do something difficult and uncomfortable

Do you think
Christ wanted to be
Mocked, ridiculed, humiliated, and die a shameful death

Of course not---But he did it
Because that is what God---his Father
OUR FATHER---told him to do

“Those who obey his commands
Live in him
And he in them
And this is how we know
That he lives in us:
We know it by the SPIRIT he gave us” 1 John 3:24

So the next time
God asks you
To do that difficult task
To love that difficult person
Who treats us with contempt

Lord we pray that we say YES
Just as JESUS---YOUR SON---did

Robert P. Wallman
6-16-11

Ps WITNESS 9-3-13

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

GOALS AND COMPASSION

GOALS AND COMPASSION

We ALL need goals
In life
GOALS that reflect vision
Goals that really matter
Goals that INCLUDE GOD

Of course
We need to have
Personal goals
But we have
To include God
In our personal goals
OR what is the point

At least
That is the way
That I feel

“So we made it
OUR GOAL to please him
Whether we are at home
In the body or away from it

For we must all appear
Before the judgment seat
Of Christ
That each one may receive
What is due him
For the things
Done while in the body
Whether good or bad” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

How are you doing
With your goals

Do you have
That significant other
Are you satisfied financially
Do you have many failings?

My goal
Is to live
IN HARMONY and love
To love GOD with my whole body, soul
Mind, and strength
And to love others as I love myself

Some goals
Can’t be measured in quantitative terms
ONLY IN LOVE

God is the ONLY ONE
That can satisfy these types of goals
And we can only reach that goal
If we come to the end of my life
And hear

“WELL DONE
Good and faithful servant

You have been faithful
With a few things
I will put you in charge
Of many things
Come and SHARE your master’s happiness” Matthew 25:23

One goal
That we should all have
Is to FEEL COMPASSION
For those
Less fortunate than ourselves

We should have a feeling
For those
Who have physical, spiritual,
Or emotional hurts

To feel compassion
For someone
And do nothing to help
Is not only UNFOUNDED Biblically
But is
NOT being much of a Christian

So I ask you
How are you doing
At achieving your goals
That you started out with

“Are you so foolish
After beginning with the spirit
Are you now trying to attain
Your goal by human effort” Galatians 3:3

In my book
If you are loving God
Loving others
And living your life
With compassion

YOU ARE A SUCCESS

Robert P. Wallman
1-17-13

Monday, December 9, 2013

ARE YOU JOYFUL?

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 knot that the testing of your faith

Develops perseverance” James 1:2-3

Sunday, December 8, 2013

PREPARING THE WAY

PREPARING THE WAY

The word ADVENT
Means “coming”

It is a time
Of expectant waiting and celebration
For the coming of Jesus
At Christmas

2,000 years ago
The preparation for the coming of Jesus
Was done by his family member
His cousin-John the Baptist

John baptized Jesus
In the Jordan river
They both saw:

“A spirit descending on him
Like a dove”-and heard a voice
Coming from heaven saying:

“You are my son
Whom I love
With you I am well pleased” Mark 1:10-11

Now over 2,000 years later
As Jesus is coming again
It is up to
Each and everyone of us
To prepare room in our hearts
For him

Prepare room in our hearts
For his love
Prepare room in our hearts
For his forgiveness of us
And prepare room in our hearts
For his kindness to touch us

And at this special time of year
Take those same qualities
LOVE-FORGIVENESS-and KINDNESS
And pass them on to others

“PREPARE to meet your God-Oh Israel” Amos 4:12

Prepare in us
A CLEAN heart oh God
And put a NEW AND RIGHT spirit within us

Prepare a heart in us
A heart FULL OF LOVE
As we await our Lord and Savior

“No eye has seen
Nor ear has heard
No mind has conceived
What God has PREPARED
For those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Prepare in us
A heart FULL OF FORGIVENESS
As we await your forgiveness for us
As YOU enter into this world
AGAIN THIS YEAR

“You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with oil
My cup overflows

SURELY GOODNESS AND LOVE
Will FOLLOW me
ALL the days of my life
And I will dwell
In the HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER” Psalm 23:5-6

Dear Lord
Please be with us
As we humbly await your coming
Again this year

We prepare our hearts for you
WITH LOVE
We prepare our hearts for you
WITH FORGIVENESS
We prepare our hearts for your birth
WITH EAGER ANTICIPATION

Saturday, December 7, 2013

THE POET OF ADVENT

A writer is nothing without someone to read what he or she writes---
THANK YOU for letting me share my writing with you this past year---
Wishing you GOD’S blessings ALWAYS---Bobert

ISAIAH---THE POET OF ADVENT

The noun Advent
Generally means coming
And specifically means
The Coming of Christ in to the world

It may
Surprise you to know
That about 700 years before Christ
That there was another man
Known for his prophetic ministry

His name was Isaiah
And his reign lasted about 60 years
And today
He is often referred to
As The Poet Of Advent

“Then I heard
The voice of the Lord saying
“Whom shall I send
And who will go for us?’
And I said, “Here I am Lord
Send me” Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah was a well-educated
Particularly astute man
Who lived in Jerusalem
The capital of Judah

Judah was spiritually destitute
And Israel even more so
Isaiah prophesies
The destruction of Israel
Which indeed takes place
And now is turning his attention
To Judah
And the surrounding nations

That the judgment of God
Will come upon them

God said, “Go and tell the people”

“Be ever hearing---and never understanding
Be ever seeing---but never perceiving
Make the heart of his people calloused
Make their ears dull
And close their eyes
Otherwise they might see
With their eyes
Hear with their ears
Understand with their hearts
And be healed” Isaiah 6:9&10

And so
As we Christians
Prepare for the “COMING”
Of OUR LORD
In to our hearts this year

We pray
That God opens our ears
Opens our eyes
And opens our hearts enough---to KNOW
That God is ALIVE in today’s world
IN US
And in our BROTHERS AND SISTERS

We pray that we hear
And receive Isaiah’s message
That God is our eternal comforter,
OUR REDEEMER, and our SAVIOR

We pray
That we will know
That God will pardon us
If we forsake our past sin
And RETURN to him

We pray
That we will know
Like Isaiah taught us
DELIVERANCE comes from GOD---NOT man
And that we will know
That the GREATEST SUCCESS in this world
Comes from being obedient
To the WILL OF GOD

Lastly---Dear Lord---we pray
That when you ask

“Whom shall I send?”

We respond like Isaiah---The Poet of Advent
And say

SEND ME

Robert P. Wallman
12-5-11

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to EVERYONE!

MY VOCATION IS LOVE
( A Dedication to the Little Flower )

She was born
In a little town in France

Her Mother died
When she was 4
And the family moved to Liseux
Where her Aunt helped her Father
To look after her and her sisters

One of 4 girls
Who all became nuns
Theresa, herself,
Became a nun
At the age of 15

Theresa never did anything extraordinary
But did everything extraordinarily well

She never
Held a position with great responsibility
But was gifted
With a great intimacy with God

She lived a life
Hidden in God’s love
But was directed
To write an autobiography
Which she called

THE STORY OF A SOUL

In this book
She described her life
“As a little way of spiritual childhood”
And wrote that what matters most in life
“Is not great deeds, but great love”

It is said That Theresa was a very sweet person
That lived her life
With a great simplicity

However it is very apparent
That she lived out her life
In conjunction with the 4 Gospels

A simple life
In obedience
To the Word of God---to the Will of God

She once said,
“My mission---to make God loved---
Will begin after my death”

And

“I will spend my heaven
Doing good on earth
I will let fall
A shower of roses”

My Mom, myself
And millions of others
Have received roses from unexpected sources
After prayers to her

In this cold, cruel, indifferent world
We could ALL
Learn some things from Saint Theresa

To live out her lives
With selflessness
Instead of selfishness

To try to do small ordinary things
Extraordinarily well

And live out our lives
With such passion for God
And for others

So that we can truly say
Like Saint Theresa

“MY VOCATION IS LOVE”

Robert P. Wallman
10-4-11

Ps Saint Theresa died at the age of 24 from tuberculosis

She is considered the patroness of Missions

Her feast day is October 1^st

My Sister---Terri---is named after her

Friday, December 6, 2013

WHEREVER YOU ARE

WHEREVER YOU ARE

Wherever you are---
Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ

Before we answer that question
Maybe we should know
Who or what a disciple of Jesus Christ is

In John, 8:31, Jesus tells us himself
What a disciple of his is

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said,
“If you hold to my teaching
You really are my disciples”

So where are we
To proclaim his teachings

The answer is simple
And the answer is

WHEREVERYOU ARE

It can be
In our neighborhood
It can be
In our backyard
Or it can even be
In our own home

And what is great is
We don’t even have to say a word

They will know we are Christians
BY OUR LOVE
They will know we are Christians
By our kindness
They will know we are Christians
By our forgiveness

And what about our children
In today’s world
What does Jesus say

“And if anyone
Gives even a cup of cold water
To one of these little ones
Because he is my disciple
I tell you the truth
He will certainly not lose his reward” Matthew 10:42

A far cry from sexual abuse
Wouldn’t you say

What if
We treated our children with love
Instead of abusing them

“It would be better
For him to be thrown
Into the sea
With a millstone tied around his neck
Than for him
To cause one of these little ones
To sin
So watch yourselves” Luke 17:2 & 3

We can be a Christian
If we are a prisoner
In a prison cell

We can be a Christian
As a patient in a hospital room

We can be kind
To a child
Wherever we find them

In short
We can be a Christian
WHEREVER we are

Jesus said,
“Go into the whole world
And proclaim the Gospel
To every living creature” Mark 16:15

ALL we need to do is
CARRY GOD’S LOVE with us
In our hearts
And share it
With whoever God puts in our lives

WHEREVER WE ARE

Robert P. Wallman
1-27-12

Ps inspired by a message in Living Faith 1-25-12
by Sister Melanie SVOBODA S.M.D. . ..

Thursday, December 5, 2013

THE REAL SANTA CLAUSE

SAINT NICHOLAS-A SAINT FOR ALL SEASONS

The historical facts
And the legends of Saint Nicholas
Are-in fact-intertwined

What we know for sure
Is that
He was Bishop of Myra
And may or may not
Have been instrumental
In the council of Nicea in 325

He became widely known
In the East-and that was increased
By an account of a fictitious biographer

And his legend
Began to spread to the West
In the 10^th century

Many have claimed him
As their patron Saint
Including children-sailors-unmarried girls-
Merchants-pawnbrokers-and perfumiers

It is believed
He saved three girls from prostitution
By throwing 3 bags of money
Through their windows
To provide dowries
So they could get married

It is believed
That this is the basis
Of three gold bars
As the pawnbrokers sign

It is believed
He raised three boys
After they were murdered by a butcher
And that he saved three men
Unjustly condemned to death
As well as
Three sailors lost at sea
Off the coast of Turkey

Many churches
Are named after him
And he is believed to be
The most painted Saint
Other than the Blessed Mother

The most popular result
Of his cult
Is the belief that Saint Nicholas
Is responsible for the origins of Santa Claus

This is based on
Nicholas’ love of children
And his giving them gifts

Nicholas remains
A very popular name
As well as its many variations including:
Colin-Nicola-Nicolette-and many others

So this December 6h
On his feast day
Let us all remember
That giving is NOT just for Christmas

But ALL YEAR round
And Nicholas is not just a Christmas Saint
BUT A SAINT FOR ALL SEASONS

Robert P. Wallman
12-6-6

ps While Saint Nicholas-may have the BEGINNING of Santa Claus-
We ALL KNOW that God's LOVE and Christ's love is the GIFT
That KEEPS on GIVING and is the gift that NEVER ENDS

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Saint Francis Xavier

SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER

I went to grade school at Saint Francis Xavier
In Pittsburgh
The church and school
Were right around the corner from our home

I have countless friends
From Saint Francis Xavier
And many of them
Are still active in my life today

While today
The church is called RISEN LORD
( it was combined with Saint Leo the Great )

It still begs the question
Who just was this Saint Francis Xavier
This man---who my church and school
Were named after

Francis Xavier was a Jesuit missionary
Who was a Basque Spaniard
Who lived from 1506 to 1551

He was educated
At the University of Paris
Where he met Saint Ignatius of Loyola
And both were ordained as priests 3 years later

The foreign missions
Has been an integral part
Of the Jesuit ideal and vocation
And in Francis Xavier---it was no different

In 1541
Francis sailed to Goa in the East Indies
At the invitation of the King of Portugal
And was backed by a Papal brief
Nominating him as Apostolic nuncio
In the East

The journey took 13 months
And his mission there was to evangelize
For the remaining 10 years of his life

And he did just that
By his example
And by his preaching and writing verses
On Christian truths

He went among the poor
As a poor man himself
Slept on the ground
And lived on only rice and water

He would return to his headquarters
From time-to-time in Goa
And made plans to go further East

Eventually
Despite his propensity towards seasickness
And difficulty in learning foreign languages
He did make it to Japan

His external appearance of poverty
Was unsuccessful in Japan
So he abandoned this tactic
And began to dress in fine robes
And present gifts to the rulers
As a representative of the King of Portugal

When he left Japan
There were 2000 Christians---and growing
But they were under fierce attack form the rulers there

Counted among them were Paul Miki and his companions
Who ALL died a martyr’s death in 1597
With many more to follow in the coming years

Having established
The roots of the Christian faith in Japan
Francis returned to Goa
Then decided to set out for China
To try to establish roots there

While on his way there
Francis fell ill and died
Practically alone on an island

He became a Saint in 1622
And in 1927---Saint Francis Xavier
Was declared the patron Saint of foreign missions

Robert P. Wallman
2-9-12

Ps This one is for ALL my friends from Saint Francis Xavier---with whom
I share so many beautiful memories

Saint Francis Xavier’s feast day is December 3^rd
Saint Paul Miki and his 26 companions---February 6^th

And for OUR NEW POPE-FRANCIS 1^st-a fellow Jesuit like Saint Francis Xavier