Knock knock…how many people instantly thought/said “who’s there”? Sometimes in life we’ve done things for so long it just becomes “the way”. At times it’s something silly as a “knock knock” joke, but other times it can be how we interact, or see others interacting, with the world around us. There’s a saying that goes something along the lines of “the most dangerous phrase is: we’ve always done it this way”. Let me ask you how often do you act or react to certain situations based on that thought process. Now I know there are times when it holds true, but not always. The undertaking is learning when it’s not the case. One of my goals this Lent is to get myself back on the right path, because the truth is there is only one way…Jesus.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…. -John 14:6
So yesterday Kerri and I were talking about our goals for Lent and how daunting it was going to be so she suggests that if we feel like we’re going to faultier to say a prayer. I thought this was a brilliant idea, especially since how often was I really going to need it. After a little thought I decided if I needed it I would say an Our father for forgiveness and a Hail Mary for strength. No problem…well over the course of the day today I repeated this contrition six times! As 3:30 rolled around I couldn’t get home fast enough, so obviously there was delays on the subway. Accordingly by the time I reached Herald Square I was running down 34th St to make my train. In the midst of my mad dash, in the distance I saw a homeless guy struggling to stand up as the horde of commuters were pushing their way into Penn Station. As I reached that side of 7th Ave I stopped right in front of him. With my back to the oncoming crowd I reached my hand out and asked if he was ok. “All good now Leatherneck” was his response. Caught off guard for a moment, forgetting I am wearing a Marine Corps sweatshirt I snapped back with an “oorah”. After helping him up and off to the side, we spoke in the pleasantries that former marines do. Him asking if I was a “Hollywood Marine” because I’m wearing shorts in February and me responding that his softness was obviously because he wasn’t 3rd Battalion. We spoke for a minute or two but I had to resume my run to get to the train, so I handed him a bottle of water and said “Semper Fi brother”. He looked up at me and said “Marines never quit do we?” I shook his hand and said “no we don’t. God bless”, and was off. As I sit on the train now I wonder how many times have I passed that same man and never even gave a second glance. I don’t know if I’ll see that guy tomorrow or ever again, but what I do know is the way I feel after doing something so simple but at the same time so right makes all the difficulties that I went through during the day fadeaway. I’m honestly looking forward for the rest of this journey. Maybe just like the response to a “knock knock” joke this will just be the way.
Remember to live the faith.
God bless
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[a] you were doing it to me!’ -Mathew 25:40
Faith like Water 