NOW I BELIEVE!

NOW I BELIEVE!


I went to CATHOLIC SCHOOL
All of my life-=grade school=
High school=and college


GROWING UP=it was hard
To BELIEVE everything as it
Was TAUGHT=and written
In the SCRIPTURES


But along the way
I have become
A TRANSFORMED PERSON
With a TRANSFORMED FAITH


I have TAKEN everything
TO HEART=I don't have
A doubt anymore


I believe JESUS=who he said
He Was=who he is=and
That he is COMING AGAIN
I BELIEVE!


“Peter hardly knew
What to say=
They were so TERRIFIED” Mark 9:6


Today we CELEBRATE the
Feast of the TRANSFIGURATION


Some SCHOLARS say
That this event
Never happened


Some say
It is a “PROJECTION” backward
Of the APOSTLES' RESURRECTION FAITH


“After six days
Jesus took Peter=
James and John with him


And led them UP a high mountain
Where they were all ALONE


There he was
TRANSFIGURED before them=
His CLOTHES
Became dazzling white=


WHITER THAN ANYONE in the world
Could bleach them
And there
APPEARED before them
Elijah and Moses
Who were TALKING with Jesus” Mark 9:2-4
(The TRANSFIGURATION STORY also appears
In MATTHEW chapter 17)


NOW I BELIEVE=as if I
Were there myself=
With Jesus=Peter=James and John
And Elijah and Moses


Call it a RESURRECTION FAITH
Call it what you will
But I am a TRANSFORMED PERSON=
With a TRANSFORMED FAITH


NOW I BELIEVE=I believe ALL
The STORIES of Jesus=
EXACTLY as they were written


I am= a man RENEWED=
A man TRANSFORMED=a man
With A TRANSFORMED FAITH


God TRANSCENDS everything
JESUS TRANSCENDS EVERYTHING


“And the PEACE OF GOD
Which TRANSCENDS
All understanding


Will guard your HEARTS
And your minds
In Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7


“And we ALL
Who with unveiled faces
CONTEMPLATE the Lord's glory


After being
TRANSFORMED into his IMAGE
With ever-increasing GLORY


Which comes from the LORD
Who is the SPIRIT” 2 Corinthians 3:18


I am a MAN who IS
A TRANSFORMED PERSON=with a
TRANSFORMED FAITH


NOW I BELIEVE!=
In the name of Jesus OUR LORD!


Robert P. Wallman
8-5-18




Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Miguel Dulick

SAINT JOHN VIANNEY

SAINT JOHN VIANNEY=1786-1859


Saint John Vianney
Is the PATRON
Of PARISH PRIESTS


And he is ONE
Of the BEST KNOWN of modern day saints


He once TOLD his bishop=
“IF you want the
WHOLE DIOCESE
To be converted


Then ALL the parish priests
Must BECOME SAINTS”


He was the 4^th of
SIX children
Of a peasant FAMILY


Studies were HARD for John=
And he needed PRIVATE TUTORING
To become a priest=he had
Particular trouble with LATIN


Finally at age 29=
He was ORDAINED


He lived the GOSPEL=fasted=and
Was a TIRELESS WORKER


His influence was felt
In his parish
Drunkenness and dancing stopped


The whole town was TRANSFORMED
And there were STORIES
Of remarkable CONVERSION
And cures


He could READ THOUGHTS
And many=saints and sinners
CAME to him=for his ADVICE


People came from ALL AROUND
To go to CONFESSION=and he became so POPULAR that
They had to issue tickets


He died at the age of 73
And ONE of his last lines
Was:


“It is sad to receive HOLY COMMUNION
For the last TIME”


August 4^th is his FEAST DAY
In the NAME of JESUS OUR LORD


Robert P. Wallman
8-4-18

WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH=CONTINUE TO STAY POSITIVE

WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH=
CONTINUE TO STAY POSITIVE


The WORLD can be a TOUGH
PLACE=and we all get
TOUGH TIMES at one time
Or another


When those times COME
Upon you=continue to LIVE
WITH HOPE=try not to GRUMBLE-
Try NOT to give up


TRY TO LIVE POSITIVELY!


“The WHOLE Israelite community
GRUMBLED against Moses and Aaron” Exodus 16:2


The people of
The EXODUS JOURNEY
Ignored the provisions and PROVIDENCE
That God continued to provide


They GRUMBLED=they pressured their leaders
To BEG for what they wanted


How do we BEHAVE
When our lives


Are not going
Like what we want?


Do we STAY POSITIVE?
Do we LIVE WITH GRATITUDE
Or do we grumble
And get NEGATIVE
When OUR times get tough?


TRY to stay positive
Try to SHOW GRATITUDE
For what you do have


“........And be THANKFUL=
LET the message of CHRIST
Dwell among you richly


As you teach and admonish
ONE ANOTHER=with all wisdom
Through psalms=hymns=and songs
From the SPIRIT


Singing to God
With GRATITUDE
In your hearts” Colossians 3:15-16


LIKE the people of
Moses and Aaron=we PINE
For what we don't have
When it is missing


WHEN life doesn't go as planned
Or when things
Get extremely TOUGH


We grumble and complain
About how terrible
Our LIFE has become


It is then=when we
Need to REFUSE to give up
On our dreams=stop complaining
And LIVE WITH GRATITUDE


Stay positive=KEEP BELIEVING!=
And KEEP your faith in God


He will answer you POSITIVELY=
KEEP THE FAITH!


“If you do
NOT STAND firm
In your FAITH


You will not
Stand at all” Isaiah 7:9


“BY FAITH
In the name of Jesus


This man
Whom you see and know
Was made strong


It is JESUS' name
And the FAITH
That comes through him


That has
COMPLETELY healed him
As you can ALL SEE” Acts 3:15-16


We need to LET GO
Of the grumbling and negativity
In life


And REMEMBER
How Jesus has
CHANGED our lives
In the past


So that when times
Are TOUGH=keep the FAITH
And STAY POSITIVE


It is ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY
For a MIRACLE in your life


In the names of Jesus=
And HIS DIVINE FATHER OF LIGHT!


Robert P. Wallman
8-4-18




Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Joyce Rupp=O.S.M.

THE REAL VOICE OF GOD

THE REAL VOICE OF GOD


I believe-”Coca Cola”-USED to have
A slogan called=
“It's the REAL THING”


Like artistry=and music=the REAL THING
CANNOT be duplicated


That is TRUE=of
THE VOICE OF GOD TOO


There is only ONE TRUE VOICE
Of God in today's world=
That is the HOLY SPIRIT
And it cannot be DUPLICATED


You can tell the Holy Spirit
By its authenticity=its humility=
And its MERCY and LOVE


The voice of God is REAL=
It cannot be duplicated
Or imitated


“Now therefore=REFORM your ways
And your deeds


LISTEN to the voice
Of the Lord your God.........” Jeremiah 26:13


There are voices all
AROUND US=in this world


HOW can you tell
The REAL voice of God?


God's voice=Jesus' voice=
The HOLY SPIRIT'S voice


CALLS out for JUSTICE for
The poor=for widows=and children
It does NOT promote hatred=
But PROMOTES love
And INCLUSIVITY


THE REAL VOICE OF GOD!


“Now choose LIFE
So that you and your children
May live


And that you
May LOVE
The Lord your God


Listen to his VOICE
And hold fast to him


For the Lord is
Your LIFE
And he will give you
MANY YEARS


In the land
He swore
To GIVE to your Fathers=
Abraham-Isaac-and Jacob” Deuteronomy 30:19-20


Sounds REAL to me
How about you?


God's voice=the SPIRIT'S VOICE
Is always ROOTED in
Faith=hope and love


And it is always AUTHENTIC-human
And FULL of mercy and generosity


It is REAL=that VOICE of GOD


“For my flesh
Is REAL food
And my blood
Is REAL drink” John 6:55


“.........But as his anointing
Teaches you about
All things


And as that
Anointing is REAL=not counterfeit=
Just as it has taught you
REMAIN in him” 1 John 2:27


Dear Lord=help us to LOVE GOD=
LIVE as REAL and authentic human beings=and
As your VERY OWN VOICE


In the NAMES of Jesus=and the DIVINE FATHER=
( the VOICE of TRUTH in this world=through the HOLY SPIRIT)


Robert P. Wallman
8-3-18




Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Terri Mifek

STRUGGLING FOR ACCEPTANCE

STRUGGLING FOR ACCEPTANCE


EVERY young person
In this world
IS struggling for acceptance


BOTH as an individual
And in their careers


MOST of us have probably
Heard=”You are just a KID=
You have NO EXPERIENCE”


And our THOUGHTS are=if not
Our response=”HOW can I get
EXPERIENCE if no one
Will give me a chance”


“WHERE did this MAN
Get such WISDOM and mighty deeds?” Matthew 13:54


It may SURPRISE you
To know=that with Jesus
It was NO DIFFERENT


PEOPLE didn't want to accept him
Because he had NO EXPERIENCE
He had
No credentials=
Os SCHOOLING of any kind


Particularly people in
His HOMETOWN=”Isn't he the
CARPENTER'S son?=Don't we KNOW
His mother and his brothers?”


Jesus=EARLY ON
Was STRUGGLING for acceptance too


“........And the Lord
ACCEPTED Job's prayer” Job 42:9


“The Lord has heard
My CRY for mercy


The Lord ACCEPTS my prayer” Psalm 6:9


“For if their rejection
Brought reconciliation
To the world


What will their ACCEPTANCE BE
But LIFE from the dead?” Romans 11:15


In TIME=people began
To ACCEPT Jesus=for WHO
He was=
A MAN FROM GOD


And in time people=
Will BEGIN to ACCEPT US=as
We gather experience=REVEALED
Through a little gray hair on our head
And as we gain our credentials


As we STRUGGLE in
Today's world=how HEARTENING it is
To KNOW that even Jesus
Struggled for ACCEPTANCE


Since he was truly human=as
Well as the SON OF GOD=
He must have experienced
Some SELF-DOUBT=as we all do


Struggling for ACCEPTANCE?
Experiencing some self-doubt


“Jesus replied=
'Truly I tell you-
IF you have FAITH
And do not DOUBT


Not only can
You do
WHAT was done to the fig tree


But also
You can say to this MOUNTAIN=
'Go throw yourself
Into the sea
And it WILL BE DONE'” Matthew 21:21


Dear Lord=we are all
STRUGGLING FOR ACCEPTANCE
In this world


It is COMFORTING to know
That even you STRUGGLED
And CONQUERED


You are OUR EXAMPLE=if you can do it
We can DO IT TOO


In the names of Jesus OUR LORD=and his DIVINE FATHER


Robert P. Wallman
8-2-18




Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Aileen O'Donoghue

PLANNING=OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD

PLANNING=OUR HELP IS IN
THE NAME OF THE LORD


Are you a PLANNER? I am
I like to PLAN THINGS=
Even my days


As a matter of fact=I
Was STUDYING to be a
FINANCIAL PNAANER=when my
ILLNESS hit again=I even had
A LUCRATIVE job offer


But NOW=I try to leave
The PLANNING to the Lord=
Our HELP is in
The NAME of the LORD


“.........On that day
His plans perish


BLESSED is he whose help
Is the GOD of Jacob
Whose hope
In in the LORD
His God” Psalm 146:4-5


There is NOTHING wrong
With BEING a planner
But it is wrong
When we put our OWN PLANS
Ahead of the LORD'S


“But the PLANS
Of the Lord
Stand firm FOREVER


The PURPOSES of his heart
Through all generations” Psalm 33:11


“MANY are the PLANS
In a person's heart


But it is the LORD'S PURPOSE
That prevails” Proverbs 19:21


“But the noble
Make NOBLE PLANS


And by noble deeds
They STAND” Isaiah 32:8


Our God=our JESUS
Is the MASTER PLANNER


FAITHFUL planning
Can be a WAY
To COOPERATE with God


ESPECIALLY when we are OPEN
To his design
And the working
Of the HOLY SPIRIT


But we need to GIVE UP
Control=and cooperate
With the Lord=
The REAL master planner


We have to REMEMBER
Without the Lord
We are nothing
And our PLANS=
Amount to almost nothing


We are BLESSED
When we realize
That our HELP


Is in the NAME
Of the LORD


“We wait
In hope for the Lord


He is our HELP
And our shield” Psalm 33:20


“In everything I did
I showed you
That by this kind
Of hard work


We must HELP the weak
REMEMBERING the words the
Lord Jesus himself said=


'It is MORE BLESSED
To give than to receive'” Acts 20:35


Dear Lord=dear GOD=
Help us to REALIZE
That you=are the MASTER PLANNER


And that all of our PLANS
Amount to nothing


Without your help=without
Your GUIDANCE AND PLANS


In the names of Jesus=and
God the FATHER=OUR
MASTER PLANNER


Robert P. Wallman
7-25-18




Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Kristin Armstrong

SAINT IGNATIUS LOYOLA

SAINT IGNATIUS LOYOLA




Saint Ignatius
Was the youngest of eleven children
Of a Basque nobleman


He always wanted
To be a soldier
But was wounded in a battle in 1521


His broken leg was badly set
Was broken again and reset


After a bad surgery
He was left deformed
And walked with a limp
For the rest of his life


While recuperating
He wanted to read romantic stories
About knights


Instead he was given books
About the life of Christ
And some books
About the legends of Saints


His conversion followed


He decided to study Latin
And work for souls
And later studied Philosophy
For three years


He lived a life of Holiness
And while still a layman
He was imprisoned
For being a heretic


He gathered 6 disciples
And they took
Vows of chastity to serve the church
And in 1540 were given Papal approval


He was elected the first general
And for 15 years
He inspired-counseled
And directed with prudence and understanding


The group he founded
Was the Jesuits
And their educational words
Helped refute attacks
By Lutherans and Calvinists


Their work
Was modern and progressive


The Jesuits
Were prominent in the foreign missions
And one of their early pioneers
Was saint Francis Xavier


The Jesuits
Were generous with their allocation
Of time-money-and personnel
To this cause---foreign missions


Ignatius did much work
And founded houses for converted Jews
And for fallen women


Ignatius died on July 31^st ( his feast day ), 1556
And by then
The Jesuits numbered over 1,000
And were in nine European countries
Besides working in the foreign missions


He is the patron
Of spiritual exercises and retreats
And the patron
For many schools, churches, and colleges


Robert P. Wallman
7-31-12
Ps 7-31-18