 Yeah, why are you here? You know, I know that some of you because you already came up and said to me that like you've just been so excited to be here And this is like the highlight of your year and that's just phenomenal. And then there's another few people. They're like, what? What am I doing? Amen Okay, those of you who are first-timers here when I say amen you respond Amen. Amen It's not that complicated. I do that to keep you awake Amen So it's not bad. So some of you come here and it's like your bucket list Who is like your bucket list is to come to a conference at Francis University? Amen. It's mine. It's mine All right, so I was just thinking about that this this sense of bucket lists When my younger brother and I Tom where we're younger We had this this whole plan that that we were gonna live together and then our we'd get married and our spouses would all live together and But one of the things we always talked about was going skydiving We just thought there to be cool to go skydiving kind of a bucket list thing I remember I was in seminary and my brother calls me and he goes Dave. I just went skydiving. I said like I thought I thought we're gonna do that together What kind of brother are you you go off and you get married and I thought we're gonna do that together and And I decided to go skydiving and my mom must have heard about this because my mom calls me a couple of days later And the new catechism had just come out and she goes I was actually I was talking about Tom and going skydiving and I was frustrated and And my mom says Dave, you know, it's a mortal sin to go skydiving Like who's in seminary mom is that you or me, right? I said it's not she goes. No, it's in the new catechism Have you seen the new catechism? Yeah, I've seen it. She goes. It's a mortal sin I said mom, you don't want me to go skydiving. Please don't So I didn't For a while So I'm back here at the university fairly newly ordained awfully young and foolish And I remember I was preaching at Christ the king and it was massing It was one of my favorite texts of the scriptures is the canicle of simian where he says now Lord You may dismiss your servant in peace for I've seen just a beautiful beautiful text I was preaching about that and I said to the to the students You know, what's that thing that that you want to be able to do and once you do it you can say now Lord You may dismiss your servant in peace with this one student. She raises her hand. I said, yeah, what is it? She goes, I want to go skydiving and I said so do I So literally in the middle of mass. It's like, okay, let's make a deal. So this is what we're gonna do All right, so I invited a bunch of students to go skydiving. It was myself and nine girls Really, seriously, no guys would go. It's like bunch of babies that right there is what's wrong with this country. All right So so myself and nine girls we go up to a place We didn't think this through the name of the place was Rick's skydiving, right? Like this person who was crutches walks out and says, you know, you know, yeah So it's it's crazy. How many people just for the record have gone skydiving before? Okay, just so you know what that's a free time activity tomorrow. So And if you wouldn't mind for your life insurance to sign that over to the university would greatly appreciate that Right. Here's the thing though If you're gonna go skydiving you sign like 50 documents saying I will not sue you, right? If anything goes bad the first ones is kind of like nothing ever bad happens In fact, they give you this one statistic more people die driving to go skydiving than actually die diving Wallace guy diving and say, oh, that's comforting. All right. So that's at the beginning, right? Nothing's gonna happen But each time is each sheet you literally four different times as you're getting closer and closer to the plane You have to sign these things. It's like nothing bad's gonna happen And then it's like well something could happen, you know the plane here and then the last one It's you're probably gonna die. Just don't blame us, right? So there are a couple of things that went through. I remember the guy who was Teaching us I guess One of the lines he said it was it's important. He says a Fierce temporary regret is forever Fierce temporary Regrets is forever. He said if you go up and you chicken out your whole life You're just gonna regret that right this and there's something to that There's some not necessarily I don't want to talk about but there's something to that sense of regret, right? That I wished I would have or or perhaps I wish I wouldn't have but Fierce temporary regret is forever. The other thing that they said is you are paying To go for a ride in a plane You are not paying to go skydiving So their point was if you go up and you don't jump you're not getting your money back, right? Right, so we decided I decided I wanted to go tandem Which allows you to free fall so the scariest part of this whole thing was actually the plane It was this little plane that held Five people so the pilot myself Person I was jumping with one of the students and the person she was jumping with so if you've not done it before You've got this little you've got the parachute. You've got somebody behind you They've got the parachute on them they let you so they go through this whole thing about what it's gonna look like and how it's gonna Happen and right before we get on the plane I said I would love to do a summer salt and they said what and he said I think just be cool If I'm gonna do this might as well do this right and do a summer salt and he said are you serious? I said absolutely said okay forget everything that we just said all right. I didn't remember it anyway, right? So so they said so when you jump what you need to do is you need to jump and just move your head like push your head Your butt is hard as you can and then you'll start to spin and then we'll take care of it so so So I'm standing so you kind of get up in the plane and just kind of like shuttle because you're connected to this guy Please Lord. Let me be connected to this guy, right? So so like it is something else again if you skydive, you know that but when you sit and you look there and it's like 13,000 feet. Do you know what imperfect contrition is? This is imperfect contrition right this is contrition that says if I die forgive me in my sins Perfect contrition is out of love imperfect contrition is looking down 13,000 feet That says Lord if I die forgive me of all my sins That first like that jump is just and then it was fantastic It was exhilarating the funny thing is is I literally I was done landing in my father called me My dad didn't call me very often And he said so where are you and I decided that I wasn't gonna tell them Because I thought it'd be a good idea one of the things I did and I looked for the video But I couldn't find it is I videoed this whole thing and the first thing I said in the video is mom dad You're gonna be seeing this one way or the other I'm a realist folks. I said I said, I really hope I'm sitting next to you watching this I'm awful. I am awful I'm awful That first step the Lord is inviting each of us To jump tonight Or to make a step The question we have to ask ourselves is is what does that look like? Because the reality is is it looks different for everybody here What it what is it gonna look like for you to to jump into the weekend to jump in tonight What is it gonna look like for you to make this step as Ralph was saying tonight this step of faith That this this step that the next step you're not positive what it's gonna happen or what it's gonna look like But the sense that God wants you to make some step And I think that the Lord has in this is why I began with we're all coming in from different places But I think the Lord wants each one of us To make some kind of a step this weekend I don't I don't think he wants us to stay. I don't think he wants you to stay where you are This is one of the beautiful things about our faith is is the Lord is continually inviting us To something new something different and the reality is for some people That's really frightening Because we have this area that we call faith and it's comfortable and it's familiar And we know how God works and we never want to get outside of that But I want to suggest that maybe this weekend the Lord is in fact inviting you to take a step outside of that And what does that look like? We're gonna take a look at two characters in the scriptures that were invited to make steps of faith The first one comes from the 10th chapter of Mark Jesus is in Jericho Anyone been in Jericho if you have and let's do this in Jericho next year. All right as he was setting out on the journey a man runs up Ran up and knelt down before Jesus and asked him Okay, so just for a second imagine the scene Jesus is he's been in Jericho for a couple of days It's time for him to leave in this guy like books up Scripture says he runs up and he kneels down before and that's something quite beautiful, right? So the he understands that there's something about Jesus, but he's also there's a sense of urgency Jesus is on his way out This guy I just imagine he was wrestling with this. It's like I'd love to talk to that guy Ah, I don't know and then his scripture says Jesus is ready to leave so he's like, okay I've got to talk to him so he runs up scripture says he runs up and he kneels down before him and asks him good teacher What must I do to inherit eternal life as a side note? If you can't answer that question We have a problem There are a few questions that are absolutely essential that everybody has the answer to you need to be able to answer that question What do I have to do to inherit eternal life? But as I was praying over this I was wrestling with this because any good you would know what they have to do to inherit eternal life I mean, why is he asking this question? I mean, there's there are some that are complicated questions in his priests. We get complicated questions all the time It's like my aunt told me. It's like, I don't know. It's amazing how much I don't know, right? I just feel like I don't know But this guy should know this this isn't that hard for the Jew. What does it you have to do to inherit eternal life? Follow the law and don't sin That was it That was it and what we're gonna find is Jesus says what do you call me good? And then he says follow the commandments and he goes through all the commandments and the guy says I followed all those since my since I was young. I mean who of us can say that I followed all of that since I was young He says this right so why what's going on here that that this was a guy who was virtuous He was faithful. He was following the law He wasn't sinning and still there's something that's just gnawing inside of him that causes him to run up and says What do I have to do to inherit eternal life? Perhaps there's something just inside deep inside that recognizes it has to be more than just being good It has to be something more than just following the rules Or being orthodox Or we're praying the right way. There has to be something more than that and he just runs up to Jesus He says Jesus. What do I need to do? And honestly you guys I think this is one of the saddest scriptures in the Bible Jesus tells him you follow the laws. I've done all that check check check and then he says, okay You're lacking in just one thing. I Mean if the Lord were to look at me and say, you know Dave, you're just lacking one thing. It's like only one thing Seriously, I know people like you're lacking in a dozen things, right? You're lacking in one thing. It's nice. This guy's like Go sell what you have and give to the poor Love treasure in heaven and then come and follow me and at that his face fell and he went away sad For he had many possessions. I mean, that's it That's a sad story I mean something's gnawing in this guy's heart. He knows that there's something more He goes to Jesus because he wants the answer And Jesus says you just have to do one thing And that one thing is is your possessions are keeping you away from me And if you want to inherit eternal life if you want to go to heaven Ultimately what you need to do is you need to follow me and this stuff Is stopping you from doing that So the step you need to take Is to get rid of it Get rid of whatever it is that's between me and you get rid of whatever it is That's keeping me away from you get whatever we make more important than him and as a side note Recently in the culture I've heard people say that Jesus wouldn't ask hard things, right? Where do we hear that? Why do we think that? I mean when Jesus doesn't say okay? Here's what you need to do a sell everything and follow me. It's like, ah, I can't do that Okay, well then how about this that it doesn't become this bargain. It's like sell two-thirds of it keep like half of it for yourself Follow me if you feel like but if you find another offer out there. No, no, and he doesn't and he walks away sad I mean that that just if you think about it just breaks your heart He just walks away sad because he can't do that. There's another story In the scripture and this one comes from the 14th chapter of Matthew Again, another somebody else being asked to take a step Jesus has just multiplied the loaves. He's fed the five thousand And he's the scripture is Matthew 14 verse 22 Scripture says then he made the disciples get into the boat and proceed him to the other side while he was dismissing the crowd I just like that first off. He made them get in the boat. I just love that image. It's like get in the boat I don't want to get get in the boat now. All right Jesus makes them get in the boat. Have you ever been in the sea of galley anyone sea of galley? Let's go to do this in the sea of galley next time And we know the story right that the storm comes up I had an experience recently when I was just went to Jerusalem to the holy land in january And we were on the sea of galley, which is honestly I've traveled a lot people asked me what's her favorite place in the world watching the sea the sun rise above the sea of galley Is one of the most amazing things, right? So we're out on the sea of galley. We're just putting her along in our little boat And the engine stops And they're trying to start it and it won't start it won't start the name of our boat was and I thought this was beautiful for me The name of our boat was king david I appreciated that Except the engine couldn't start and literally this sounds like I'm making it up But I'm not there's a storm that's coming right We're so we're literally on this edge of the sea on the middle of the sea of galley Engine won't start the storm is coming. It's so we all start to pray It's like lord you just like you need to take care and literally I kid you not out of nowhere Another boat comes we we pray like five seconds another boat comes next to us. What is the name of that boat? Noah Fantastic, right? I'm not making this up. I'm not making this up, right? And it's a bunch of Protestants from houston singing Singing days of elysia, right? It's oh my gosh Right, so they tow us back in it's amazing. What was wrong, right? We're out of gas so So meanwhile I digress meanwhile, so the storm comes they ran out of gas the storm comes in the fourth watch of the night Jesus is coming towards them walking on the sea and when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified It's a ghost they said and they cried out in fear at once Jesus spoke to them take courage. It is I do not be afraid I love peter, right? I just love peter peter says to him and replied lord If it is you command me to come out on the water and the lord said to him come And peter thought I knew I shouldn't have said that, right? I knew I shouldn't have said that it's like this is what I love about peter Peter's like one of those he shoots and then he asks questions, okay In their midst of their fear Jesus says take courage it is I Lord if it really is you command me to come He says come peter got out of the boat he took a step And he began to walk on water towards Jesus And we know the story Do you notice like to walk on water? God wants you to know God wants you to be in a position Where if he doesn't come through you're gonna sink And you guys there's nothing like that To be at that place where you are so utterly dependent on God That if he doesn't do something you're literally gonna sink And this is this is what happens on peter. I mean he makes that that next step And he begins to I'm in those first couple of steps must have been so cool And it's probably why he sank because peter's like wait a minute And he's like to the other guys And I love that all right again. I love peter and he immediately begins to sink And he yells save me and the scripture says immediately Immediately jesus reaches out And he saves him The reason I chose these two stories Is because they represent two different people Peter had already left everything like peter if we go back in the scriptures peter had already had this encounter And jesus said it differently, but he in essence says peter follow me And he follows jesus he leaves everything and he follows now the rich young man wasn't able to do that He wasn't able to do that the rich young man's step that he needed to take was to be able to leave everything in a follow him Peter had always done already done that So then the lord asked peter to make a step To get out of the boat And I picked these two stories because they may represent us and the people that are gathered here today I want to be clear Jesus is not asking you to sell everything you have and give it to the poor What he is asking Is whatever it is that keeps you away from him To get rid of that And the question is Do you know what that is? That's something I think we need to be able to figure out What what is that thing that doesn't allow us to make that step? And for the rich young man, it was a very simple step It was just that first step that first choice the first decision to follow jesus But peter's was different peter had already made that choice Peter wasn't being asked to sell everything because he'd already done that Peter was being asked to walk on water Peter was being asked to get out of the boat that that place that in his mind was safe and everything was comfortable and Jesus is saying are you willing to get and take a step out of that? This journey that the lord is inviting us to and I don't know. I don't know where you are I know some of you you're here and this is new and you've never quite done anything like this You've never seen anything you may be The young man that just needs to make one step and says that i'm gonna follow jesus And there are other people here that the lord is asking you to walk on water But what I know that he's asking you to do something And what I would hope is through the evening and the weekend We're able to try to figure out what that is So there are a couple of things that I think that are helpful for us Is what is it that allows us to make these steps? And the first one Is is the ability that each one or the invitation that each one of us is get is being given to put jesus In the center of our life and and for some of you you're like peter you've done that a hundred times and for others You honestly you don't even know quite what that means But it means jesus i'm gonna follow you it means jesus i'm gonna put you in the center of my life not myself Not my spouse not my job not my work not my family not my reputation, but i'm gonna follow you I'm gonna put you in the center of my life For some it's as simple you've done it a million times for others. You're just not sure what that means The other is the ability to be able to figure out What it is that's keeping you away from him? And that's what I want to take a look at it a couple of the things that but I think the lord would want us to know This invitation that each one of us has to be able to make this step with him First off god is with us Say that after me god is with us For st. francis the greatest feast is christmas Not easter It's christmas immanuel God is with us The feast of the visitation the other day we had the reading from zephaniah And I love it. It's uh zephaniah. He says shout for joy Rejoice, oh holy one why For god is in your midst That the fear that we have about Whatever it is that the lord is asking us to where he's inviting us to whether it's to step out of the boat Whether it's to be able to just make that first step and say that i'm gonna follow you I'm gonna get rid of everything that keeps me away from you The fundamental thing that we must keep in mind guys is that god Is with us and I think it's something that we forgot or maybe didn't even know My suspicion is if we really understood that god is with us That he dwells in us One of the things that I had hoped for I this sounded where I was gonna say what I hoped for during covid What I hoped for is that it would end right? But this invitation that I think the lord was offering us to be able to find the lord within You know so much of our faith is it's about going it's this i'm glad you're here It's about going to a conference. It's about going to a prayer meeting. It's about going to a pilgrimage It's about going to mass But our faith is a god who comes to us God is with us I think he wants to stir in our hearts that deeper understanding that god is with you That you are not alone That the world is great because of the infer incarnation the world is graced amen Do me a favor just close your eyes for a second take a deep breath God is with us amen God is faithful I think one of the concerns we have is that we're concerned about if I make this step what's gonna happen I mean I remember the first literally stepping out of that plane. It's like this better work Right But the thing with the lord is I know and you know that you can make this step because god is faithful That he is present That no matter what happens no matter where god is loving you That there's not something you can do that can cause god to love you more There's not something you can do that could cause god to love you less That god Is faithful if he's going to invite you to make a step If he's going to invite you to leave something behind he will care for you God is faithful That he is always forgiving No matter what you've done and the reality is no matter what you do If we come before the lord and seek him That he is merciful That he is forgiving that he is kind God is with us God is faithful and third God is good. I think one of the greatest lies of the evil one Is that he doesn't want us to believe that god is good And he evidenced that by bad things happen The evil one causes us to look at the difficulties of our life And the struggles of our life And pain and suffering and difficulty and divorce and dementia and cancer and bankruptcy and fill in the blank infertility Whatever fill in the blank see god isn't good Because this happened And what the evil one wants us to do is to take our eyes off of this that That the goodness of god is again for st. Francis revealed here It's it's remarkable that we have a god who is with us But that the same god who is with us would take upon himself the sufferings And the brokenness and the sinfulness of humanity And transform that It reminds us that he is good Remind us that that in the midst of our brokenness That he is He is good Because I think it's difficult for us to be able to make this step of faith If we don't believe that god is trustworthy If we don't believe that he's faithful if we don't believe that he's there if we don't believe that he's good But if we can't believe those things This invitation that the lord gives us to be able to step in faith to be able to step out and trust him And that's what I want to do amen Do me a favor Just close your eyes for a second And open your hands on your lap Really really simple thing of just being able to receive You repeat after me lord jesus Come with your holy spirit The scriptures provided us two images The image of the rich young man and jesus is saying If you want to follow me Leave behind Everything that keeps you from me Make that step And follow me And peter Inviting him to get out of the boat Just for a moment Which of those people do you most resonate with Kind of having everything together But but just something is gnawing in your heart that says that there has to be something more even though i'm doing what i'm supposed to do They're just There has to be something more The rich young man that approaches and is excited and And then walks away sad or or peter in the midst of the storm and a difficulty and a struggle That says lord if it's you just tell me and i'll do whatever and In stepping out of that boat i'm holy spirit jesus i pray that your holy spirit would come in light Again repeat after me lord jesus Come with your holy spirit And be light Be fire Help me to see What's the thing That jesus is asking you To give him For the rich young man it was his possessions What is it for you? Is it your past? The shame What is it that the lord is asking you to lay down before him? Just be able to lay it down before him for some it's fear for some it feels like You're not worthy. What is it that he's asking you to give him anything that keeps you away from him?