Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church | South Fulton, GA

Here's a peek at what Dr. Glenn Packiam says about lament:

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

When evildoers come at me

to devour my flesh,

These my enemies and foes

themselves stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,

my heart does not fear;

Though war be waged against me,

even then do I trust.

One thing I ask of the LORD;

this I seek:

To dwell in the LORD’s house

all the days of my life,

To gaze on the LORD’s beauty,

to visit his temple.

For God will hide me in his shelter

in time of trouble,

He will conceal me in the cover of his tent;

and set me high upon a rock.

Even now my head is held high

above my enemies on every side!

I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and chant praise to the LORD.

Hear my voice, LORD, when I call;

have mercy on me and answer me.

“Come,” says my heart, “seek his face”;*

your face, LORD, do I seek!

Do not hide your face from me;

do not repel your servant in anger.

You are my salvation; do not cast me off;

do not forsake me, God my savior!

Even if my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will take me in.

LORD, show me your way;

lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

Do not abandon me to the desire of my foes;

malicious and lying witnesses have risen against me.

I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD, take courage;

be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

God IS ALWAYS WITH US...and sometimes calls on us to do HIS work…

A few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales meeting in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night dinner. They were running late to catch their flight.

And in their rush, with getting tickets and baggage, one of these salesmen inadvertently knocked over a table which held a display of baskets of apples. The apples flew everywhere. But, without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach their flight in time. All but one. He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a moment of compassion for the young girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He yelled to his buddies to go on without him and to tell his wife that he would take a later flight. Then he returned to the place where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad that he did.

The 14-year-old girl selling the apples was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her face in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled apples as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one caring about her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them into the baskets, and helped reset up the display. As he did this, he noticed that many of the apples had been battered and bruised: these he placed aside in another basket. When he finished, he took out his wallet and said, to the girl, “Here please take this $50 dollars for the trouble we caused and the damage we did. Then he asked her, are you okay?

She nodded, yes, through her tears.

Then he went on to say, “I hope we didn’t spoil your day to badly.”

When the salesman began to walk away the bewildered girl called out to him. “Mister, mister …” He paused and turned back. And she asked, “Are you Jesus?”

He stopped in mid-stride and wonder, then slowly made his way off to book a later flight, but the question kept burning in his heart and in his soul: “Are you Jesus?”

As we shelter in place during this time of pandemic, we too can reach out (by phone, e- mail or social media) to be JESUS to each other. 

I would like to share the following biblical passage with our community. When I was about 14, I read a book, Be Not Afraid, about a little boy with epilepsy, and it contained what became one of my favorite biblical passages because it has calmed and comforted me and reminded me to always trust in God.  I hope it does the same for everyone else who reads or hears it.

Mark 6:48-50 

(New American Bible, Revised Edition)

Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them.

But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out.

They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”