Friends to lean on

 This is the 6th and next to last Friday in Lent. I especially loved this week's podcast as Fr Dan and Kevin Wells talked about the top 10 favorite saints of Fr Al Shwartz. 

It made me think, who are my top ten people I count on and why? What is it that I like about them? Is it because some friends are funny or compassionate or incredibly poetic? Is it because I admire their inner style? As I was wondering about this I also asked myself who are my favorite saint buddies and why. Saints are just like friends but better: the are in heaven, whereas mortal friends are still. Just like a good friend, you can ask a saint to pray for you. You can also look to them for guidance to see what they did and how they set themselves apart when they were on earth so that their life started to more closely resemble the life of Christ by following in His footsteps. 

Little grape looking up to the big grape.

During the podcast, Fr Dan recounted a story where a few weeks ago he visited a garbage dump outside of Mexico City where abandoned children live. There, he met a little seven year old girl called Guadalupe who had clothes so big on her they were falling off. He returned to the school grounds where 3,500 girls live who were raised in similar situations. He told the students of little Guadalupe and asked them if they would be willing to sacrifice their Sunday treat for the children of the garbage dump: to give up their Sunday cookie. I melted into my chair....for I eat a Sunday cookie, but also a Monday cookie, a Tuesday cookie and occasionally a hidden Friday chocolate...The girls of Fr Dan's school gave up not only their Sunday treat, but as he put boxes around the school to receive any donations the girls started giving things to donate, that would ask a lot of them. They each get a bar of soap per month, a quota of shampoo and toilet paper. Some girls willingly gave up their soap, and decided to share soap with a friend. Some gave up shampoo and decided to use a little less, and one very brave girl gave up her toilet paper. 

Even old Bentley gets Christmas gifts. They say poor dogs in poor countries eat better than poor children in poor countries...

My throat tightened as I thought of what would be my equivalent to give up in my life for children in a dug heap to feel the love of the sacrificial Christ who gave it all up. He gave up comfort, and slept on the ground as He traveled to preach. He gave up food to fast and offer it as a prayer for our souls. When He was condemned to die He slowly gave up His life for me, for you, for your parents, and your friends too. He could have had a kingdom, He created the world! He could have had every comfort we have and more. But He didn't, and He didn't pick and choose what to give up. When the soldiers nailed His right hand to the cross, blowing the thick nail into the soft tissue of His hand, He didn't say, "Just the right hand! The right hand getting nailed is more than enough to give up for these sinners! I command you to leave my left hand in peace!" He didn't pick, He didn't choose what to give up. And He asphyxiated to death, naked (no little linen blowing in the breeze), beaten, humiliated, on a cross for me, for you, because of our sins. But it didn't end there, one dark night, three nights later, light burst out of the tomb where He had laid dead. Light burst out like fireworks on the 4th of July. And His death became our hope. 

On that note, I conclude with asking would you be on a list for your friends or one day for helping someone become a saint? No doubt I have offered countless opportunities of sanctification to my parents by trying their nerves and having them practice patience. Would you be willing to be a saint and live in an uncommon way in a world where being comfortable is key to our self identity? Little St Therese of Lisieux became a saint by doing every little thing with great love and counting each thing as a prayer to almighty God. St. Therese, intercede for us and help us want to become saints.  

Happy Friday friends!

Enjoy the podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-_cOeiAHZo