TOS050 Facing Finals Session 1: Bucket List & Forgiveness For audio TOS050: Facing Finals I – Bucket List & Forgiveness | Listen Notes
Join Patti Brunner and Truth of the Spirit guest Dc. John Pate for Facing Finals Session 1: Bucket List & Forgiveness. Do you have a “Bucket List” somewhere that needs to be refreshed? As weather seasons change, we can see the same rhythm take place in our lives. In the winter of our lives it may be more difficult to complete various tasks. Take up those challenges and chores and see how completing your own tasks can then benefit others. The steps you must take to prepare for “final days” are similar for everyone. Not to worry but to prepare.
Most people who are healthy plan to live forever—but they don’t really consider the eternal living in the Kingdom of God. Death can catch the unprepared ‘off guard’. People worry about earthly things. Yet most people on their death bed are concerned not concerned about money but about dying. This, if it is a fear, shows that the soul is unprepared, when time for ‘mending fences’ and forgiveness slips away. It is the survivors who focus on the material things. How does ‘everyone’ prepare for final days? Our guest speaker, Dc. John Pate, served as a chaplain to the dying for over ten years. Listen to his poignant stories from their bedsides to focus on your own bucket list. Patti Brunner will then help you in your bucket list quest to forgive others. More help for your “Bucket List and Forgiveness” is available on PatriarchMinistries.com.
Check out Dc. John Pate’s fascinating autobiography “Blest: From Preacher’s Kid to Catholic Deacon “and other books on Homilystarters.com
Blog:
Good afternoon, Welcome to Facing Finals. My name is Patti Brunner and I am a facilitator here at Patriarch House and of the Truth of the Spirit. We provide spiritual formation for Catholic adults through speakers and use podcasts on the internet to share the Good News throughout the world.
At this time of year the Church gives us a little tap on the shoulders and a “wake-up call” to remind us that this world, as we know it, is going to pass away. At mass recently we have heard the message to “get ready”, to look toward the final judgment.
A “Bucket List” is list of things you want –or need– to accomplish in this world before you enter the next. Facing Finals is your opportunity to take some time out of your day to contemplate just what those things might be. We are gathered here today because God created us for eternity with Him. As He placed us within time, He gave us each a vocation to know, love, and serve him in this life as we prepare to be with Him forever in the next. Sometimes we get bound by time. Our habits and routines allow us to forget that this world is quickly passing away for us.
Let me read you something from scripture. This is from 2 Peter Chapter 3. “1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; through them by way of reminder I am trying to stir up your sincere disposition … 8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.”
Peter then exhorts us to be prepared. As we recall that one day is like a thousand to the Lord (2 Peter 3:8) it is also true that a thousand is like one day! As we face our final days consider that today may be your last. If yesterday had been your final day, is there anything you would have done differently? You may not have a tomorrow. But this, this is the day the Lord has made.
In the winter of your life it will be more difficult to complete various tasks. Take up those challenges and chores and see how your own preparation can then benefit others. The steps you must take to prepare for “final days” are similar for everyone. Not to worry but to prepare. A school student prepares for classroom finals by reviewing the material taught during the semester then chooses the important items to focus on for their remaining time and effort. An eye on the prize of passing the course and to perhaps excel by receiving a high mark is a goal. In the finals time of your life it is important to realize that the difference between passing or failing the final test affects you for all eternity.
Review your life. Remember the times you failed to love God and others. Have you repented and been forgiven? Or, to follow the school analogy, did you miss class on the day that the “makeup” work was provided? Ignoring the Sacrament of Reconciliation is like ignoring medical treatment—life saving treatments.
As we close the liturgical year with the feast of Christ the King then begin a new year with Advent, we can see the same rhythm in our lives. Many of us are heading into the senior moments of our lives. Yet even as one season ends the new is upon us as we reach for eternal life. Do you have a bucket list somewhere that needs to be refreshed? After our speaker, we are going to spend a little time today refreshing that bucket list.
Our speaker today is John Pate, a deacon of the Diocese of Little Rock who serves St. Vincent de Paul parish in Rogers, AR. Dc. John Pate was ordained a deacon on December 14, 2002. He moved to Rogers while completing those studies. Recently he served as a hospice chaplain. Married to Sandra Pate, he has led a fascinating life: including being a drummer in Memphis, his drum set is in a Rock N Roll museum in Newport AR. He has recently published his story in “Blest: From Preacher’s Kid to Catholic Deacon”. John Pate, received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and his Bachelor of Science degree from Lipscomb University. He spent 10 years serving as a part-time volunteer prison ministry chaplain and has been a full-time staff hospice chaplain for the past 10 years. Before his diaconate ordination, John received extensive training in the areas of servant leadership and hospital ministry. Deacon Pate’s service in the Church and the community spans three decades. Dc. John Pate’s fascinating autobiography “Blest: From Preacher’s Kid to Catholic Deacon “ and other books to provide research meditations for preparation of homilies are available on Homilystarters.com and Amazon.
Dc. Pate shared numerous stories of what was important to people as they faced death. Please listen to the podcast for his presentation.
Reflection: Consider Your Own Bucket List
List Your Bucket List Priorities
Most people who are healthy plan to live forever—but they don’t really consider the eternal living in the Kingdom of God. Death can catch the unprepared ‘off guard’. They worry about earthly things: financial, resources, living arrangements, ‘stuff’, health, daily living decisions. Yet most people on their death bed are concerned about dying. This, if it is a fear, shows that the soul is unprepared, when time for ‘mending fences’ and forgiveness slips away. It is the survivors who focus on the material things. How can you prepare for final days?
List 5 ways you can prepare for your final days.
List Your Friends and Family
Consider what is undone or unsaid in your relationship with them that needs to be said or done to bring healing to your relationships?
Note that this will also help heal your relationship with God. Relationship with God is the most important item on a ‘Bucket’ list.
List 5 Bucket List items.
Simplify
As you focus on eternity, remove the busy items that have little impact on your own eternity or that of others. Travel for the sake of travel to see one more thing or visit one more state or country is a wasted effort. “Dust bunnies” can accumulate for longer periods of time. Let go of ‘stuff’ that steals your time to protect, maintain and store. What can you simplify?
List 5 things you can simplify.
Forgiveness
I want to spend just a few minutes to remind you of a prayer you are all familiar with: The “Our Father”. There is a phrase in it that is very important as we face finals: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Have you ever stopped to consider what that means? If someone has offended you, hurt you in some way, or hurt someone that you care for and you refuse to forgive them, you are asking God to remember all the things you have done that offends him, hurts him or someone that He loves—and since He loves everyone you are asking God to not forgive you! As we face finals today you can still choose to forgive.
After death you cannot undo the lack of unforgiveness of others. Forgive now. Choose to forgive right now. You can even Enter into eternity and forgive those who have died without your forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice. Judgment belongs to the Lord. Stop and think who you need to forgive… You may think you don’t have anyone to forgive. We’ve included website link to the Forgiveness Prayer written by Fr. Robert De Grandes that helps you to allow God to remind you of people to forgive. Pray this prayer every day during Advent or for 30 days and jot down whoever comes to mind and choose to forgive them. This will be a wonderful preparation for Christmas and for eternal life!
Forgiveness Prayer
Forgiveness Prayer – From the book by Father Robert DeGrandis S.S.J. and Betty Tapscott: Forgiveness & Inner Healing; Twenty-fourth Printing September 2001. Permission to copy is granted by Father DeGrandis. (copyright info must remain intact.)
Available at: http://mp3pray.com/forgivenessprayer/
Tips on Forgiveness
- Forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling. Forgiveness does not mean we accept wrong doing.
- If we can pray for a person’s salvation, we can be assured that we have forgiven that person.
- To help accept an individual and open ourselves to a particular person more, picture him with the Lord Jesus and say to the Lord, “I love him because You love him. I forgive him because You forgive him.”
- Forgiveness is a life-long obligation.
- Daily we need to forgive those who hurt or injure us
- Take unforgiveness issues to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for healing.
