Where does he get these things?

Behold a mini-reflection on today's Gospel...

Where does he get these things? Have you ever asked that about someone? Has someone ever said that about you? Have you ever been so surprised at what came out of your mouth that afterwards you were like, "I didn't know I had it in me..."

One day a thirty-something sister was sitting around with her friends in what we would call a mid-life crisis. As they were discussing suddenly the youngest blurted out, "What if we really started to live out the Gospel?" Everyone was dead silent...

And then there was Leo the Great who had to approach Attila the Hun with nothing more than his wits and the help of the Holy Spirit. What could this man possibly say to the greatest military captain of his time to stop him from plundering Rome? Was there anything that could be said? Anything that could be done? And yet Leo went anyway, and while there are many legends as to what went on, perhaps all Leo said was, "Go home Attila. There's nothing for you here. Go home. Your heir is dead. Your beloved is dead. Go home Attila, and may God forgive you..."

And let's not forget St. Augustine, before his conversion, sobbing in the garden waiting for a sign from God. His whole life changed when he heard a little boy crying out, "Take and read! Take and read!"

You see, God's Word can come to us from anywhere and anyone at any time. We have ears to hear it, we are tuned in, as long as we live from our hearts. That is where God speaks to us. If we listen with our hearts, God will come through. He will answer. He will take us by the hand and show us the promised land, show us our true glory. All we have to do is tune in. And if we fail to tune in, we're doomed. Literally. Our life has no meaning, no purpose, no direction. We're lost and confused and... alone. Totally alone. Everyone hates feeling abandoned. Everyone loves being loved, guided, cared for, led.

And so you know that that nun, Teresa of Avila went on to become one of the greatest saints and mystics the world has ever seen. Attila turned back from his plundering and murder and went home. And Augustine took up and read Paul's letter to the Romans, and then broke with his pagan ways, became a Catholic... then eventually a priest, a bishop, and perhaps the greatest theologian of all time.

Where does he get these things from? Wherever he wants...

Hope you enjoyed this. Perhaps it can be a regular thing, maybe not every day, but often, or maybe a little shorter...

God bless,
Live from your heart,

Scott
PS. I'd really appreciate some feedback so I can offer you something that fits your own spiritual needs better!