JOURNAL= 5-13-15=LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK TEST

JOURNAL=5-13-15=LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK TEST “Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: 'You Arthenians-I see in EVERY RESPECT you are very religious'” Acts 17:22 Do people say that you are religious? I HOPE NOT-People say that I am religious and-I HATE IT-I like the word SPIRITUAL-spiritual in the sense that I LOVE GOD-and I love others-I don't like to be thought of as one who just OBEYS a set of rules-or am associated with 2000 years of killing or crime-in the name of various religions BUT I do like to be ASSOCIATED as ONE-who has a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with God and Jesus-and ONE who totally LOVES GOD and others-and one who is associated with GOD because of his teachings in the bible Saint Paul did HIS HOMEWORK-before ever uttering a SINGLE WORD in the name of God and Jesus-HE TOURED cities-temples-and familiarized himself with SOME of their great thinkers and writers-BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY-he KNEW the teachings of Jesus-Paul took the TIME to get to KNOW the people he was going to address IT IS the same way with us-WE NEED to know and study bible-WE need to learn the teachings of Jesus-and we do that by listening to our priests and pastors-and we do that by ALWAYS OPENING and reading the good book LIKE Paul-before we utter any words-we need to do our HOME WORK-and most of ALL we need to live what we learn-BY LOVING-BY FORGIVING-and being KIND to one another-We must get to KNOW the people we are ADDRESSING-by taking time-energy-and LOVE-when we are addressing the people we want to CONNECT with-And we must BEGIN each day by OPENING THE BOOK it is a GREAT DAY to be ALIVE in God's LOVE for us-and it as a GREAT DAY for opening the GOOD BOOK-and using our time-our energy-and OUR LOVE in connecting with others and a GREAT DAY to live what we learn WITNESS 9-13-13 LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK TEST When I was in school I used to love To hear the instructor say, “It’s an open book test” In my early days I used to think That would make the test much easier What I found out was--- It made the test harder ---much harder Because I found out That the questions Were much much harder And if you didn’t know Where to look for the answers Often times---You just ran out of time My friends Life is a lot like this The Bible is comprised Of 66 different books---chapters if you will 72 books---if you are Catholic It has every answer To life’s questions and problems in it And it even Gives us a few answers That all of us can use At all times Answers like, prayer, “Do not Be anxious about anything But in everything By prayer and petition With thanksgiving Present your request to God And the peace of God Which transcends all understanding Will guard your hearts And your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7 Answers like, forgiveness, “I tell you, NOT seven times But seventy times seven” Matthew 18:22 Answers like love, “Love the Lord your God With all your heart And with all your soul And with all your mind And with all your strength ……………… Love your neighbor as yourself There is no commandment Greater than these” Mark 12:30-31 Catch-all answers For every single question--- to be sure On how to treat others, “If your enemy is hungry Feed him If he is thirsty Give him something to drink In doing this You will keep burning coals on his head DO NOT be overcome by evil But OVERCOME evil with GOOD” Romans 12:21-21 We have ALL the answers To live We just need to OPEN THE BOOK Robert P. Wallman 9-26-11 Ps WITNESS 9-13-13 5-13-15