June 12, 2005 9:00 a.m

Refusing To Live Small
Isaiah 32.8
It's been said of President Reagan, "He lived a magnanimous, noble life." Have you heard otherwise? Sometimes it's unclear who's living nobly. Yet, if you scrutinize, you'll detect telltale wiggles. Like that Easterner learned when he walked into a Western saloon and was amazed to see a large puppy playing poker with three men. He asked, "Can that pooch really play cards?" A bystander answered, "Yeah, but he ain't much of a player. Whenever he gets a good hand, he wags his tail!"
The disciples asked Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" His response poses a choice when Refusing To Live Small. Jesus "called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Mt. 18.1-4)
Jesus pointed out two powerful groups who thought they were the greatest. Jesus warned about the scribes and the Pharisees. The scribes and the Pharisees were interpreters of Moses' Law, and because they were, Jesus told his listeners to follow and obey their teaching. At the same time, the Lord cautioned, "but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach." (Mt. 23.3) Jesus castigated the Pharisees and scribes as phonies. "He said to them, ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.'" (Mark 7.6) While the scribes and the Pharisees paraded as ideal standards, Jesus said to avoid them. Disciples must look elsewhere for true role models.
Closer to our time, and nearer to us, lived a person named Solanus Casey, who struggled to find his role model. He took a job as a streetcar conductor. He had no idea his routine would bring a profound spiritual crisis changing his life.
One day, as Casey's streetcar rattled its way through a run down part of Milwaukee, he stopped because a crowd blocked the tracks ahead. Casey pushed his way to investigate. He saw the affects of a violent scene. A drunken sailor had raped and stabbed a young woman. The drunken sailor stood over his victim cursing her.
Casey felt he must do something. He prayed for the girl and the sailor. Thereafter, his praying for the needy became his mission. He decided to become a priest.
Casey discovered training to help a hurting world is a complex issue. He approached seminary in a childlike way. When you're Refusing To Live Small and challenged to adopt a childlike attitude, follow this way. First, ask, "How do I become like little children?" Then use this exercise:
When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard. Kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.
When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person probably wants money, and I look away. Kids see someone smiling at them, and they smile back.
When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm, so I sit self-consciously and listen. Kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words, and if they don't know them, they make up their own.
When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk. Kids close their eyes, spread their arms, and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.
When I see a mud puddle, I step around it. I see muddy shoes and clothes and dirty carpets. Kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.
When I pray, I say "thee" and "thou" and "grant me this" and "give me that." Kids say, ‘Hi, God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to heaven yet. I would miss Mommy and Daddy.' (David P. Barrett, ed., More Perfect Illustrations, pp. 32-33.)
The perfect model for adopting the childlikeness attitude above is Jesus. He shows the flawless picture for the life of "the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Near the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus and his disciples were walking for the last time to Jerusalem. The mother of James and John approached Jesus with her two sons. He asked her, "What do you want?" The mother said, "Declare that these sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." (Mt. 20.20-21) When the other disciples heard this, they became furious with James and John.
Jesus calmed the disciples and told them about their special relationship. "Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wished to be first among you must be slave of all." Next, Jesus presented the heart of his ministry: "For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10.41-45)
Jesus was born "to give his life as a ransom for many."
Our Solanus Casey yearned to serve others and give his life as a ransom. They said he must meet high standards. Casey enrolled in the seminary of the diocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Most of the professors taught in German. Casey knew little German. Casey floundered.
Casey was dismissed from the seminary. His advisors recommended he become a lay brother, and give up his goal of becoming a priest. Were you ever asked to give up on your dream? It hurts. Casey was not ready to abandon his dream!
He received special permission and enrolled at another seminary. Again his classes were taught in German. This time Casey managed to learn that language, but imperfectly. Seven years later, it was graduation time. But because of his poor grades, the seminary hesitated to grant ordination. He found a champion who convinced his colleagues to issue a limited ordination. Solanus was granted a standing of simplex priest. He couldn't formally preach or administer the sacraments of penance. Casey gracefully accepted the restrictions placed on his ordination.
Solanus Casey gave his life for the next forty years as a porter. He greeted visitors to the monasteries in New York City. His doorkeeper job enabled him to make contact with thousands of visitors. Visitors found him to be blessed with humility and patience. He listened to visitors and their problems. He gave wise advice. Soon people began coming solely to see Father Casey.
Reports began pouring in about Casey's work. Testimonies of spiritual and physical healings. Healings of all kinds of ailments: pneumonia, heart disease, memory loss, lameness, cataracts, alcoholism, blindness, and others. As a result of this overwhelming testimony, the authorities gave him permission to begin leading a weekly healing service. Official records show that thousands of healings took place.
Today, Father Solanus Casey is recognized as one of the effective miracle workers of his century. And he did it without television ministry, without holding healing crusades, or having written any best selling books. The Bible (I Cor. 1.27) says, "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." (Timothy J. Dailey, Ph.D., Healing Through the Power of Prayer, pp. 160-167.)
For me, the highlight of Casey's ministry is seen when a mother whose infant needed life saving surgery postponed it, because the surgeon said, "There's extreme danger to the procedure." After agonizing over what to do, she bundled up her critically ill infant and went to Father Casey.
Casey took her baby. Mother poured out her story. She cried, "Please help him!"
Casey asked for the baby's name and then prayed a simple prayer for healing. He told the mother to have faith in God and his unfailing promises. As she left with her infant, Casey assured her, "He will be better by morning-and don't worry. He won't need an operation." The baby was well by morning. The very next day, the baby was examined by doctors and pronounced healthy. Surgery was never necessary.
Which of the two roads have you taken in Refusing To Live Small? It makes "all the difference." The poet told us: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." (Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken, 1916.)