I don’t think it is easy to put God first. To really put Him first. It’s easy to say. Believing in God can be difficult for some people. And putting Him first can be difficult for others.
I am always interested in people that hear His voice. Whether it is an out and out roar or a mere whisper.
As you know, Fr. Fred is leaving the parish in July. The scripture was about the sacrifice a father was to make by killing his son. We all know that old story. And so that was what Fred’s sermon was about last week.
He first heard the calling when he was very young. Growing up in Orange County, California with a Catholic mother and a Methodist father. So he became a priest.
This past Fall he said he knew something was going to happen. He said he started to hear the whispers. And the whispers said, “Time is precious. Time is precious.”
So he totally thought he was going to die of a heart attack! That man can make me laugh out loud.
Yeah, Fred carries a couple of extra pounds and has a penchant for junk food. Fine food but also fast food. He said he kept hoping that he wouldn’t die in the shower or in the car while shoving food in his mouth from the local Wienerschnitzel. He was hoping for something more dignified.
Anyway, luckily for him, it is a move and not an early death that prompted those whispers.
He said it is really hard. To leave. Said it hurts like hell. But he said he would not be “walking his talk” if he did not accept it and put God first. If he didn’t love God more than us. Said if all the sermons he shared about putting God first in our lives only applied to us and not him then he would be nothing more than a big old hypocrite. He said that he would have just been the world’s best salesman. But he said his job is not and never has been a salesman. It is a sheperd who tries his best to guide.
It’s not easy to put Him first. It’s difficult and sometimes it hurts like hell. But it sure does help if you have the right sheperd.
Just Being Mary 