The Simple Path

THE SIMPLE PATH
"The fruit of silence is PRAYER.
The fruit of prayer is FAITH.
The fruit of faith is LOVE.
The fruit of love is SERVICE.
The fruit of service is PEACE."

from Mother Theresa's writings

Prayer, faith, love, service, peace - this road map to Christ is our simple path in life. It's not simple meaning easy, but simple because with Christ there is freedom. Following Christ gives us a freedom that the world and all it's trappings can never give.

The freedom comes through our baptism into Christ's family where the supernatural virtues of faith, hope and love are bestowed upon us. We can not take credit for our increasing faith, hope or love, though we can pray to be more open to these virtues which help us to love God more and grow in holiness.

Through prayer, we grow in faith. This faith compels us to love Christ more and more, which then leads us to serve Him through acts of charity toward our neighbors. Through selfless acts of charity, the Lord helps us grow in humility. When we are more concerned with loving Christ and all that He stands for and loving our neighbor with this love, then falling to last place in line becomes easier.

Notice I did not say EASY, but easier. Being last, unpreferred, unnoticed or approved of is not easy by any means. But, with God's amazing grace, through faith, it does get easier the more we trust in God's divine providence.

Through this service or humility comes peace - the peace of Christ. This peace is that of knowing that whatever may come, He is in charge and has us in the palm of His hand through it all.

Trusting in the world's ideas, solutions, etc... really is the hard path if looked at through the lense of faith. The world's notions change with the passing seasons, but God never changes. He is always loving, always merciful. If we just persevere, He will lead us to the promised land. True, that promised land may be far different from what we asked for.

When faced with troubles, such as disease or death, that threaten to steal our peace, Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of His love for us, saying, "I have told you this so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." John 16:33

By opening ourselves to the grace of God, there is freedom in trusting. Trusting in His Truth that He will "never leave us, even unto the end of the I will never forsake you or abandon you."
Thus we may say with confidence: "The Lord is my helper, (and) I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6

When the questions and the storms surround us, we must step back and listen to the soft whisper inside. Faith will lead us to take the simple path of a young child who trusts his parent. The child doesn't rationalize whether they understand the answer of the parent (this changes in the teen years!!). He doesn't sit up at night wondering how his father will pay the mortgage. The child has faith and believes and goes out to play.

That is why when the disciples approached Jesus, He asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "

Obviously, the kingdom of heaven is the goal we strive for as we walk the simple path.

Some examples:

A wife/mother of four gets pregnant and can't afford another child. She and her husband think the "simple path" would be to murder (abort) their unborn child, so as to continue on the path they think is right for them. This was the story last night outside the Eastern Avenue Abortion Clinic in Grand Rapids. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, here's what happened after the father talked to a sidewalk counselor...

"A couple went in very fast, telling me they already had 4 kids and couldn't afford another one. They were very determined to have an abortion that night. After half an hour they came out and he came right over to me and said "Tell me more about what you said about adoption." He was quite broken. She interrupted and said she already had given up a baby to adoption, "it's not easy seeing your baby and giving it away." He asked many questions and took the 'Pause' DVD, she was shaken but undecided. Pray for this young couple. From the way they were acting I believe they will not abort their baby. God uses our words, as inadequate as they are. As quickly as they ran in, they heard the words about adoption and it touched their hearts."

The simple path of Christ will lead this couple to a deeper peace than the "simple path" of abortion. The road may be rocky and full of thorns, but our Lord will lead them through, and His people in Grand Rapids will rise up to help as they have many times for many women in situations such as this.

While walking downtown, a nicely dress working man comes across an elderly man struggling to cross the street with his shopping cart. It is very clear that the man with the shopping cart is homeless. Well, he and his cart are blocking the way of the other man who is trying to get back to work after his lunch break. Crossing the street to avoid the homeless man would seem to be the "simple path" in the working man's eyes.

As he grumbles to himself, the soft voice within spurs him on to slow down and help the man instead. Through this small act of love, the working man experiences of peace beyond his understanding.

Now, the "simple path" he may have taken by crossing the street would have kept him in bondage of selfishness and fear. By taking the simple path of Christ, he was free and will, no doubt, take this freedom and peace back to those in his workplace and beyond. The ripple effect occurs either way.

Let us pray today and always that, through the grace of God, we can help lead others on the simple path of Christ and that we open our eyes to where God wants to lead us through others.

Also, pray for our hearts and minds to continually be open to receive His love through those in need. With God, we can move mountains that the world deems unmovable.

Remember, "God + 1 = an army" - St. Theresa of Avila

Pray for so many on the streets in the summer heat. Tempers flair, desperation increases... May God's holy angels surround and protect those on the streets around the world.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours. Amen.

Lord, You fail us not

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.


Thank God for His presence in Christian music. How important it is to fill our hearts and ears with musical lyrics that are honorable to our Lord.

The following words from a song by 1000 Generations seeped into my heart as I was ironing this morning. I have failed Him many times this week in my words and actions, yet He is ever merciful.
Praise and honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ! In my sinfulness, YOU are always there -consistent in Your love, calling me to be consistent in my love for my neighbor.

Failure doesn't faze you.
Worry doesn't win.
Lost doesn't leave YOU.
I'm free to start again.
Our sin doesn't shock YOU.
Our shame doesn't shame YOU at all.

There is nothing above YOU.
There is nothing beyond YOU.
There is nothing that YOU can't do.
Whatever may come, we'll rise above
YOU fail us not. YOU fail us not.

No matter the war.
Our hope is secure.
YOU fail us not. YOU fail us not.

Our Lord never fails us. Even when the circumstances around us seem to point towards failure, HE is there. We fail Him at times by not turning to Him or trusting in His Divine Mercy, but He is always there.

As His children, we are called to reflect His mercy on those around us - no matter what they've done. "I'm free to start again. Our sin doesn't shock YOU. Our shame doesn't shame YOU at all."

His grace guides me in this very mission each time I serve our brothers and sisters on the streets of Grand Rapids. Interacting with many of the same people week after week and building relationships with some is one of God's greatest blessings in my life. Set in motion through prayer, groups of us go to serve lunch to the hungry, but our time there is about so much more than lunch.

Weekly visits with some have turned into mid-week phone calls or visits. Unrecognized numbers on my phone often bring the joyful greeting of one of the brothers from the park "just calling to say hello and see how we're doing." God is good.

There are countless stories on the streets of failure - failure in the world's eyes, that is. That "failure" brings many to their knees - some literally and some subconsciously.

As the song says and our Lord proclaims, "Failure doesn't faze me." Our failures are stepping stones on the road to redemption. In our failures we see ourselves as sinners in need of a Higher Power - Jesus.

"No matter the war.
Our hope is secure.
YOU fail us not. YOU fail us not.
YOU fail us not!"

If our ears and the eyes of our hearts are open, Jesus' grace will flow freely into our hearts. Humility is a great gift. When we make a mistake and realize it, this is the time to praise God instead of condemning ourselves. In that moment He allowed us to see our sin and turn to Him, who alone can cleanse us.

Each Saturday morning before heading down to Veteran's Park, I participate in the Holy Mass or spend time with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration in order to bring His presence within me to our neighbors. There is no way I could go down there on my own merit. He is in charge of the day, and I just pray that I hear Him and see Him when He calls upon me and the others who serve Him there.

Our failure doesn't faze YOU...

As tabernacles of His Spirit, the failures of others should not faze us either. We are called to look with love on our neighbors, just as we ask them to look with love on us - in our homes, communities and beyond. Only then does it become easy to meet and build relationships with those society may deem failures.


If Jesus Christ is pure love, then we should pray for His grace to reflect and act with pure love.

Planting the seeds of love will bear great fruit.

We now have people who we have served helping us serve! One gentleman who lives in a low-income apartment complex in the area where we serve lunch sometimes now comes to the park to see us and help serve. What a beautiful blessing this is for us and for him to be able to serve others (he is out of work). He is always sharing the joy of Christ in his smile and conversation and now can pass this on to his fellow brothers and sisters.

Another woman, 'Sue', who has befriended us comes all the way from south Grand Rapids each Saturday. She has an apartment, but no family or community to encourage her. She has limited income for food. Her life has been full of trials, "with no way out" she says. We continue to encourage her to call on the Lord and not focus on her current trials. She continues to come back and share.

God has called Sue and I together. His reason is only known to Him, but He surely has a plan for us both. Week after week, I have felt so inadequate in this situation. This woman has cancer and countless other struggles. I have sat for hours with Sue in the ER, prayed with her, listened to her. Our family has done other things with her and for her, but I feel so helpless because I can't really do anything for her. She has to want to change and want to accept Christ. Her struggles are more spiritual than worldly.

Praying and listening in my weakness, I hear God's message...

"Amy, I know you feel inadequate here, but I didn't call you for your strength. YOU can't help her, but I can. Let MY STRENGTH and grace work through you to bring her to me."

Can I share with you that I am VERY uncomfortable with His mission with Sue? (or perhaps hers with me) I like to fix things. I like to see results. All I can do with Sue is listen and continue to point her toward Jesus - the only one who can rebuild her life and show her true love. LISTEN. Whether she accepts Him or not, I will continue to love her and be a friend. This is all I can do with everyone I meet.

O Lord, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

Each month we hear more stories of housing and jobs found. We hear words of hope and gratitude. God is always in hope and gratitude.

There are numerous other fruits that we will never see until Our Father reveals them in heaven.

Some people have faith that runs deep and sustains them in their life of homelessness, but they still get discouraged. Some are still searching for the true God. There are others who have fallen away from their faith and looking for guidance back. Still others whose image of our Lord has been warped by the world or by false teaching. When the Lord calls, are we willing to risk our comfortable lives for their souls? We may be the only contact they have with someone outside of their circumstances who says, "stay strong. You can do it."

We go downtown to serve and bring the love of Christ, though this is done more through our actions than words. Last week was a little different in that respect.

One gentleman, who I met last December, but haven't really had any lengthy conversations with, really wanted to talk about life, our Lord and share his faith. 'Billy' said he doesn't have anyone else with whom he can discuss the Bible. As soon as he starts, they walk the other way. I explained that because others know where he stands and WHO he stands for, he is still a witness to Christ, whether they walk away or not. Someday a brother may search him out to talk with him about our Lord. Then "Billy" will be the bridge where there was none before.

One of his favorite psalms is Psalm 37. It helps him through the waiting.

Each week, by the grace of our Lord Jesus, there is harmony, compassion and peace in the park. It may be short-lived or remain for the day or beyond within the brothers and sisters we meet. There are so many circumstances that seek to steal this peace from them - drugs, alcohol, worry, shame, fear...

Stay focused on the Lord...

The evil one doesn't like us bringing life into his territory, but we go without fear in the name of the Lord not looking at the deeds of those we meet because they have all been created in the image of God.

St. Peter proclaimed -"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
-- 1 Peter 3


Please continue to pray for the many brothers and sisters in our community and throughout the world who are homeless and hungry. May we unite with Christ in our sufferings.

Pray for us who serve that we remain humble, obedient and open to God's will.

Pray for His abundance in donations and servers so we may continue this mission.

Pray and stay in the Word to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Praise to our Lord Jesus Christ who never fails us!