Gavin Reese's Blog - Posts Tagged "diary"
Michael Thomas Journal Entry: 17 Dec
"17December--
I've been staying here at the chapel full-time for a few weeks now. Monsignor Hernandez and I are quietly re-establishing our relationship. It's been a little strange to see how we both have to adjust to our time apart. I went away, to South America, for about five years, grew in my spirituality and faith, and he stayed here and largely lived through five years of Groundhog Day. SSDD. He's still my most valued mentor and sounding board, though, right up there with Dad.
Got troubling news tonight. One of San Miguel's deacons, Nino Griego, has been in the Central African Republic for three years. He called the chapel tonight, desperate for help. Nino told us 42 Christians have been martyred by local Islamists there in the last week. The imam's men have put up roadblocks all across the region, and they're brutally massacring any infidel who doesn't convert to Islam on-command. Nino and his family are trapped in their little village and they short on supplies. He asked us to alert the State Dept and the Catholic organization that oversees his mission there. A local family allowed him to make one phone call, and said they feared helping him further. He went to help the locals dig wells, and now he's the one in dire need of help.
"H" asked what we could do for him. Nino insisted he only needed us to pray for him. He asked us to pray his children and wife escape harm. Pray that UN peacekeepers make it to them in time. Pray that the militants don't come into the villages. Pray that God would soften their hearts and change their minds. Pray that no villagers are harmed defending Nino and his family.
The capacity and depth of Nino's heart & faith astonish me...and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Why do we Christians always demand God perform the most unbelievable miracles on our behalf?!
In my opinion, we oughta focus on the desired outcome: keep Nino, his family, and the villagers safe. Even though God could do it, softening the hearts and minds of militant Islamists isn't on the agenda right now.
Why do we ask God for the impossible, like it's some test of our faith and His abilities?
Ask for Simple solutions: an unblocked road, a competent sniper, or the intestinal fortitude for martyrdom. God could much more easily help one sniper find his way to Nino's village, which gives his family time to escape.
As much as we want to pretend that violence doesn't solve problems, that's just some Sunday School bullshit we tell the kids while they're still too young to understand human nature.
God, please grant Nino just one good sniper, and a few minutes to escape to safety. If it's not in Your plan to change the hearts & minds of such men, I pray you let a few precision riflemen do it for You. In the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit. AMEN."
I've been staying here at the chapel full-time for a few weeks now. Monsignor Hernandez and I are quietly re-establishing our relationship. It's been a little strange to see how we both have to adjust to our time apart. I went away, to South America, for about five years, grew in my spirituality and faith, and he stayed here and largely lived through five years of Groundhog Day. SSDD. He's still my most valued mentor and sounding board, though, right up there with Dad.
Got troubling news tonight. One of San Miguel's deacons, Nino Griego, has been in the Central African Republic for three years. He called the chapel tonight, desperate for help. Nino told us 42 Christians have been martyred by local Islamists there in the last week. The imam's men have put up roadblocks all across the region, and they're brutally massacring any infidel who doesn't convert to Islam on-command. Nino and his family are trapped in their little village and they short on supplies. He asked us to alert the State Dept and the Catholic organization that oversees his mission there. A local family allowed him to make one phone call, and said they feared helping him further. He went to help the locals dig wells, and now he's the one in dire need of help.
"H" asked what we could do for him. Nino insisted he only needed us to pray for him. He asked us to pray his children and wife escape harm. Pray that UN peacekeepers make it to them in time. Pray that the militants don't come into the villages. Pray that God would soften their hearts and change their minds. Pray that no villagers are harmed defending Nino and his family.
The capacity and depth of Nino's heart & faith astonish me...and I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Why do we Christians always demand God perform the most unbelievable miracles on our behalf?!
In my opinion, we oughta focus on the desired outcome: keep Nino, his family, and the villagers safe. Even though God could do it, softening the hearts and minds of militant Islamists isn't on the agenda right now.
Why do we ask God for the impossible, like it's some test of our faith and His abilities?
Ask for Simple solutions: an unblocked road, a competent sniper, or the intestinal fortitude for martyrdom. God could much more easily help one sniper find his way to Nino's village, which gives his family time to escape.
As much as we want to pretend that violence doesn't solve problems, that's just some Sunday School bullshit we tell the kids while they're still too young to understand human nature.
God, please grant Nino just one good sniper, and a few minutes to escape to safety. If it's not in Your plan to change the hearts & minds of such men, I pray you let a few precision riflemen do it for You. In the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit. AMEN."
