A major ploy of Satan is to delude us into thinking that we can live life on our own power, not having to rely on another. Yes, we have some problems but we can just use our industry, intelligence and energy to solve them. We might well believe his lie that we can or have to take care of our problems all by ourselves. This message of falsehood would be the exact opposite message of the Gospel.

We need another! We totally rely on another! We are dependent. We are absolutely helpless without the help of another. And this "another" is God. What hope for eternal life do we have without God?

You are not going to believe this but I just looked at my computer clock and it read 7:11! If you do not know, I teach that Jesus Christ, in all his power and mercy, is open for business - ALL THE TIME just like 7-Eleven convenience stores which are open all the time. When I saw it was 7:11 am I was just getting ready to write that God IS! God IS! He is with us all the time and never changes in who he is for us. And who he is for us is eternal life. And that reality, my friends, is mercy. The mercy of God is all we have going for us. Any hope that we have is because of God's mercy calling us to heaven. His business is extending boundless mercy to us, rolling out the red carpet for us to run to a celebration of life without end. God does not take away his mercy from us - ever!

The importance of things like church and prayer and meditation and slowing down and silence are that they can help us dispel Satan's lies that we do not need God. Slow down, pray, be honest and face the truth and lies in your life. We are broken and we cannot heal it. On our own, we do not have the power for peace and forgiveness. Only God has that power. The forgiveness, healing and peace he gives happen because he is Mercy. His mercy never changes and is with us all the time.

When we put the reality of our own brokenness and dependence into his arms, then we realize just how merciful God is. When we are honest with our utter need for him, his eternal radiance can fill us with his mercy.

In light (pun not initially intended) of his everlasting mercy shining in on us, spend some time praying about the following quote by Leonard Cohen, "Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget the perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. It's how the light gets in."

Blessed by the BEST,

+Fr. John