tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14684571497752004702011-10-09T21:27:02.613-07:00Fr. Arnold Ortiz, O.S.J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16475003819583130238noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1468457149775200470.post-88510591488993058242010-11-09T09:45:00.000-08:002010-12-01T11:18:19.605-08:00"Stay Awake"<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Yes, stay awake, Jesus says. Don't miss a thing! Be alert to the signs of His presence.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">You do not want to be surprised - that is, caught off guard - when He returns.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Speaking of surprises ... An older gentleman played the lottery often; his family would hold</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">the ticket for him and watch the numbers. Surprise! He won $100 million! Now the family was</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">put in a difficult spot. They were concerned that 93-year-old grandfather might have a heart attack</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; ">die when he heard the news. What to do? They thought they would talk to their pastor, a close</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">family friend, and get some advice. Maybe he would gently deliver the news to grandpa. The pastor</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">agreed to meet with him.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The pastor paid grandpa a visit. They talked about the weather and the pills grandpa was</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">taking. They talked about Aunt Emma in Omaha. Then the pastor asked, "How would you feel</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">if you won $100 million?" </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Grandpa responded, "Well, I'd still have arthritis and I'd still be 93 years old. I'd probably </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">give you the money so you can build your church."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>At which point the pastor had a heart attack and died! Surprise!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The bible tells us many stories of people surprised at the power and presence of</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">God – like the people who lived in total disregard for the Lord's laws and were suddenly</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">swept away in the great flood or those destroyed at Sodom and Gomorrah. At a time we least</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">expect, to Lord will return in all His glory. There's one way to prepare – stay awake, live today</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">like the disciple you are called to be, repent today of sinfulness. This Advent, Jesus says –</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">stay awake!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1468457149775200470-8851059148899305824?l=sjmparish.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Fr. Arnold Ortiz, O.S.J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16475003819583130238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1468457149775200470.post-54098038768047644142010-10-11T09:25:00.000-07:002010-12-01T10:39:20.177-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_93s8Y1ZjVHY/TLM9rXIxmRI/AAAAAAAAACg/I7npcqHovHs/s1600/movie+contest.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_93s8Y1ZjVHY/TLM9rXIxmRI/AAAAAAAAACg/I7npcqHovHs/s320/movie+contest.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526828982868220178" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;font-size:16px;">The WINNER of this month's Blog Contest is MATT CHALLSTROM. Matt just won (11/30/10) movie tickets for four. Congratulations!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></span></span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;font-size:16px;">Parishisoners – we'll be posting a new contest soon so stay tuned!</span></span></b></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1468457149775200470-5409803876804764414?l=sjmparish.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Fr. Arnold Ortiz, O.S.J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16475003819583130238noreply@blogger.com2