When I come upon a few words that make me stop and think and hopefully consider again, I make Notes on my smartphone. Here are some of my recent Notes —
Jesus always wants mercy before judgement, compassion before condemnation and reaching out before digging in.
Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. St. Francis of Assisi
I screamed at God because of all the starving children in the world until I discovered that the starving child was God screaming at me.
God is still writing your story. Quit trying to steal the pen. Trust the author!
How many Romans or Jews in the days of Tiberius could have anticipated that a splinter Jewish sect would eventually take over the Roman Empire and that the emperors would abandon Rome’s old gods to worship an executed Jewish rabbi?
Today we are witnessing the separation of the sheep and the goats in real time.
When you have no capacity for shame, then you cannot learn anything.
I’m at that point of my life where BEFORE the days were slipping by. NOW the people I love are slipping away.
Service is the rent you pay for the privilege of living on this earth.
If you say 2 & 2 = 5 loud enough and long enough, many people will start believing that 2 & 2 = 5.
The funeral director asked the widow making arrangements for her deceased husband how old he was. “Ninety-eight,” she responded, “two years older than me.” “ So you’re 96?” the funeral director asked. “Hardly worth going home, is it?” she said.
My Commentary:
Mercy Before Judgment
“Jesus always wants mercy before judgment, compassion before condemnation, and reaching out before digging in.”
This first line captures the very heart of the Gospel. It reminds us that Christ’s mission was not to draw battle lines, but to build bridges. Before He corrected, He cared. Before He judged, He forgave. In our polarized world, we often “dig in” to defend our opinions — but Jesus models the opposite: to reach out in love, especially toward those with whom we disagree. Mercy opens doors that judgment slams shut.
Preaching Without Words
“Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” — St. Francis of Assisi
This quote calls us to live our faith so authentically that words become secondary. The most powerful sermon we ever deliver may be the life we lead — the quiet act of patience, the unheralded kindness, the refusal to retaliate. True evangelization is not about eloquence but embodiment: being the Gospel in flesh and action.
The Cry of God
“I screamed at God because of all the starving children in the world until I discovered that the starving child was God screaming at me.”
This is a profound turning point from accusation to awareness. God does not remain distant from suffering — He inhabits it. The cry of the poor, the lonely, the hungry, is the voice of God calling to our conscience. Faith, then, becomes less about asking “Why doesn’t God do something?” and more about asking “Why don’t I?”
Trusting the Author
“God is still writing your story. Quit trying to steal the pen. Trust the author.”
This line speaks to our impatience with mystery. We want to know the ending; we want control. Yet faith is letting God write at His pace, in His handwriting, on pages we haven’t yet turned. Every detour, every delay, may be a necessary plot twist in the greater story of grace.
A Kingdom Nobody Saw Coming
“How many Romans or Jews in the days of Tiberius could have anticipated that a splinter Jewish sect would eventually take over the Roman Empire…?”
This rhetorical question reminds us that God’s plans often unfold invisibly, subverting worldly power and logic. The crucified rabbi became the world’s Redeemer. History belongs not to the mighty, but to the merciful. What looks small in human eyes may be the seed of something eternal.
The Wisdom of Perspective
Finally, the quote from the 96-year-old widow — “Hardly worth going home, is it?” — adds a touch of humor and perspective. After nearly a century, she sees life with a clarity that only comes from having loved deeply and let go gracefully. Her words, though witty, hint at a profound truth: when our hearts are fixed on heaven, even death loses its sting.
Closing Reflection
Each of these quotes reminds us that holiness isn’t an abstraction — it’s a way of seeing. Mercy over judgment, action over words, trust over control, and love over fear. The thread connecting them all is humility: the willingness to let God’s truth, not our ego, have the final word.
What is YOUR Commentary on each of the above quotes?
GOD IS STILL WRITING YOUR STORY. QUIT TRYING TO STEAL THE PEN. TRUST THE AUTHOR!
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