‘I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.
My friend Mike just got back from Japan. He went there with his son to celebrate Mike’s 70th Birthday. When I saw Mike, I asked him how his trip went and what it was like. He listed several places and many different experiences.
If an angel dropped by my house, I would question what he said but I would have been more interested in what God was like. Yes, yes, I would also question the angel’s statement .Poor Zechariah! I would have done something just as stupid as he did. I got lost in the impossible statement that his wife was pregnant. I would have probably asked who the father was. My tongue would have been permanently removed of that, I am sure. I would have declared that I was too old for the impossible to happen. Impossible for humans, but not for God.
We always try to put God, Jesus, Mary, Angels, and others in a box. We can only glimpse into the mind and purpose of God, but our finite minds will never fully understand. We know certain things. God cannot sin. He cannot deny Himself. He loves us. There are times that I really wonder why because we surely don’t deserve it. Especially when we as a people and a nation hurt and abuse the poor and downtrodden of the world.
Nonetheless, we as a people still try to obey and love one another as Jesus loves us. We fail, we are human and we try again. That is part of the key of being a saint. All saints are sinners, but they get up the next day and try again. Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen once said in generalities about listen to the confessions of a group of nuns. He said it was like being stoned with kernels of popcorn.
In our world today we see people doing the wrong thing, but some get up the next day and try to be better. God is the God of second, third, and fourth chances and true forgiveness. His door is always open and all we have to do is knock. Rev 3:20.
Zechariah and I could tell you many other stupid things that I have done, but the important thing for all of us is that we have the opportunity to get up and do better. Hope never ends, because we have a God who gives us the hope of endless possibilities.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Pope Leo XIV. Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace! The impossible could and can happen. (Saint Rita) Never deny God! Pray for justice for immigrants! Pray for justice for our President and all government officials!
