Friday, November 23, 2012
THE FORK
THE FORK
Author Unknown
November 23, 2012
There was a woman who had been diagnosed with cancer and had been given 3
months to live. Her doctor told her to start making preparations to die
(something we all should be doing all of the time.) So she contacted her
pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final
wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what
scriptures she would like read, and what she wanted to be wearing.
The woman also told her pastor that she wanted to be buried with her
favorite Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to
leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
"There's one more thing." She said excitedly. "What's that?" came the
pastor's reply.
"This is very important." The woman continued. "I want to be buried with a
fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the woman not knowing
quite what to say. "That shocks you doesn't it?" The woman asked. "Well to
be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor. The woman
explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and functions where
food was involved and let's be honest, food is an important part of any
church event; spiritual or otherwise); my favorite part was when whoever was
clearing away the dishes of the main course would lean over and say 'you can
keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something
better was coming. When they told me to keep my fork, I knew that something
great was about to be given to me. It wasn't Jell-O or pudding. It was cake
or pie. Something with substance. So I just want people to see me there in
that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with
the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Something better is coming so keep
your fork too.'" The pastor's eyes were welled up with tears of joy as he
hugged the woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he
would see her before her death. But he also knew that that woman had a
better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was
coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the
pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite bible and the fork placed in
her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question "What's with the
fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the
people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He
also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The
pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and
told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it
either. He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it
remind you oh so gently that there is something better coming.
-- John Ortberg's Book "If You Want to Walk on Water You've Got to Get Out
of The Boat", Chapter 8, Focusing on Jesus, page 169
P.S. Dad was buried with a fork in his hands because the best is yet to
come.
-- pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite bible and the fork placed in
her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question "What's with the
fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the
people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He
also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The
pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and
told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it
either. He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it
remind you oh so gently that there is something better coming.
-- John Ortberg's Book "If You Want to Walk on Water You've Got to Get Out
of The Boat", Chapter 8, Focusing on Jesus, page 169
P.S. Dad was buried with a fork in his hands because the best is yet to
come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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© 2012 FoodForThought
SATURDAY 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
NOVEMBER 24, 2012
MEMORIAL, ST. ANDREW DUNG-LAC & COMPANIONS
SATURDAY 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
Rv 11:4-12 / Lk 20:27-40
REVELATION 11:4-12
These are the two olive trees and the two lamps which are before the Lord of the earth. If anyone intends to harm them, fire will come out of their mouths to devour their enemies: this is how whoever intends to harm them will perish. They have the power to close the sky and hold back the rain during the time of their prophetic mission; they also have the power to change water into blood, and punish the earth with a thousand plagues, any time they wish. But when my witnesses have fulfilled their mission, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war upon them, and will conquer and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the square of the Great City which the believers figuratively call Sodom or Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. And their dead bodies will be exposed for three days and a half to people of all tribes, races, languages and nations who will be ordered not to have them buried. Then the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice, congratulate one another and exchange gifts among themselves because these two prophets were a torment to them. But after those three and a half days, a spirit of life coming from God entered them. They then stood up, and those who looked at them were seized with great fear. A loud voice from heaven called them, "Come up here." So they went up to heaven in the midst of the clouds in the sight of their enemies.
LUKE 20:27-40
Then some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection, and they asked Jesus this question, "Master, in the Law Moses told us, `If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.' Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; and the second and the third took the wife; in fact, all seven died leaving no children. Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife? For all seven had her as a wife." And Jesus replied, "Taking a husband or a wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come, and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die, for they are like the angels. They are sons and daughters of God, because they are born of the resurrection. Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush, where he called the Lord `the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob'. For God is God of the living, and not of the dead, for to him everyone is alive." Some teachers of the Law then agreed with Jesus, "Master, you have spoken well." They didn't dare to ask him anything else.
REFLECTION
This Gospel speaks of the resurrection of the dead. What should matter to us, though, is that we are all invited to seriously look at our lives. Jesus Christ mentions "the children of this world," referring, of course, to our existence on earth. He contrasts them with the "children of the resurrection," or those who have risen to new life. Clearly this is an indication that we are called to participate in the promise of the resurrection.
We are bombarded daily with media commercials that transform every want into a need. This daily battle can be won only through prayer and with the help of the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength, perseverance, and courage to discern what is right for each of us. It is truly good news to know that our God is the God of the living and that his son Jesus Christ has overcome many temptations. Jesus has trod a path for us to follow, so that we, too, may come to taste the glory of the resurrection and join him in his heavenly kingdom.
Let us ask ourselves: if someone argued a point or had honest questions about the Bible which we don't have an answer, how would we deal with this?
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Renan Lacida and Josefa Ortiz
- Patrick K
… for the personal intentions of Pauline
… In Thanksgiving: Frances Marie Gonzalez
… In Memoriam: Soterania C. Santiago
… for the eternal repose of the souls of Pedro Mata. Eternal rest grant unto them and may perpetual light shine upon them. May they and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Alex Z. Reyes
- In Memoriam (+): Estrella Yu Castillo
- In Memoriam (+): Bertran Yu Lai (Sept 19-1965-Nov 24, 1996)+
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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To subscribe from this group, share a reflection or feedback
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claim to own any copyright privileges on it. All the messages are
believed to be free for circulation or public domain. All messages come
in either by email in original form or copied from the internet sites.
The work was submitted to us as an item for distribution, and it was
posted solely on the basis of its quality.
© 2012 FoodForThought
MEMORIAL, ST. ANDREW DUNG-LAC & COMPANIONS
SATURDAY 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II
Rv 11:4-12 / Lk 20:27-40
REVELATION 11:4-12
These are the two olive trees and the two lamps which are before the Lord of the earth. If anyone intends to harm them, fire will come out of their mouths to devour their enemies: this is how whoever intends to harm them will perish. They have the power to close the sky and hold back the rain during the time of their prophetic mission; they also have the power to change water into blood, and punish the earth with a thousand plagues, any time they wish. But when my witnesses have fulfilled their mission, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war upon them, and will conquer and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the square of the Great City which the believers figuratively call Sodom or Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. And their dead bodies will be exposed for three days and a half to people of all tribes, races, languages and nations who will be ordered not to have them buried. Then the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice, congratulate one another and exchange gifts among themselves because these two prophets were a torment to them. But after those three and a half days, a spirit of life coming from God entered them. They then stood up, and those who looked at them were seized with great fear. A loud voice from heaven called them, "Come up here." So they went up to heaven in the midst of the clouds in the sight of their enemies.
LUKE 20:27-40
Then some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection, and they asked Jesus this question, "Master, in the Law Moses told us, `If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.' Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; and the second and the third took the wife; in fact, all seven died leaving no children. Last of all the woman died. On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife? For all seven had her as a wife." And Jesus replied, "Taking a husband or a wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come, and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. Besides, they cannot die, for they are like the angels. They are sons and daughters of God, because they are born of the resurrection. Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush, where he called the Lord `the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob'. For God is God of the living, and not of the dead, for to him everyone is alive." Some teachers of the Law then agreed with Jesus, "Master, you have spoken well." They didn't dare to ask him anything else.
REFLECTION
This Gospel speaks of the resurrection of the dead. What should matter to us, though, is that we are all invited to seriously look at our lives. Jesus Christ mentions "the children of this world," referring, of course, to our existence on earth. He contrasts them with the "children of the resurrection," or those who have risen to new life. Clearly this is an indication that we are called to participate in the promise of the resurrection.
We are bombarded daily with media commercials that transform every want into a need. This daily battle can be won only through prayer and with the help of the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength, perseverance, and courage to discern what is right for each of us. It is truly good news to know that our God is the God of the living and that his son Jesus Christ has overcome many temptations. Jesus has trod a path for us to follow, so that we, too, may come to taste the glory of the resurrection and join him in his heavenly kingdom.
Let us ask ourselves: if someone argued a point or had honest questions about the Bible which we don't have an answer, how would we deal with this?
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Renan Lacida and Josefa Ortiz
- Patrick K
… for the personal intentions of Pauline
… In Thanksgiving: Frances Marie Gonzalez
… In Memoriam: Soterania C. Santiago
… for the eternal repose of the souls of Pedro Mata. Eternal rest grant unto them and may perpetual light shine upon them. May they and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Alex Z. Reyes
- In Memoriam (+): Estrella Yu Castillo
- In Memoriam (+): Bertran Yu Lai (Sept 19-1965-Nov 24, 1996)+
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Join our group on Facebook and post your comments on the reflection: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=142903436398
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Webpage: http://www.dailyfoodforthought.org/
Group Address: http://groups.google.com/group/dailyfoodforthought
GROUP CONTACT:
To subscribe from this group, share a reflection or feedback
on the reflection of the day, send email to: foodforthought2@earthlink.net
To unsubscribe : dailyfoodforthought-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
DISCLAIMER: FoodForThought shared this message as submitted and do not
claim to own any copyright privileges on it. All the messages are
believed to be free for circulation or public domain. All messages come
in either by email in original form or copied from the internet sites.
The work was submitted to us as an item for distribution, and it was
posted solely on the basis of its quality.
© 2012 FoodForThought
