Search the Scriptures, and Seek and you shall find.

4d (edited) • Challenge

Over the past two weeks I have been faced with a difficult situation with a volunteer organization. I had my reservations given some of the changes in the organization but believe this is still the best character and skill development program for youth, as it was for my brothers and me growing up. We advertised that two of the Immaculate Conception School (ICS) fathers (myself and another awesome dad) would lead the Lion Den (what the program is called for grade K) and nine of the boys in his class families were interested in joining. Wow! We showed up at the first Pack night to meet a mom of a boy who was not in his class announce she was the leader, had already set a schedule, and that we would be meeting with the 1st grade group called the Tiger Den for the year. This was a surprise but we were open to working with her. We scheduled a call to meet and long story short it did not go well. This person had issues with "duty to God" in the scout oath, a scout being "reverent" in the scout law, and even pointed out that it was excluding of atheists and people of other belief systems to say God in the pledge of allegiance and that in no way would there be prayer at the den meetings as that excludes people and makes them uncomfortable.

Praying on this, I was willing to meet with Pack leadership as our request to them was allow us to run our schools group separately from the other person and still be part of the Pack. Sacrificing an evening with my kids, I agreed to meet the Cubmaster at a local coffee shop, let me say this, it was an ambush, not a meeting. 4 people showed up, not one like I was told, I was lectured about Martin Luther, how right he was, and the bad things priests & Catholics did, that we could not hold a Scout Sunday at our Parish and had to attend the Lutheran Scout Sunday since they were the host of this cub scout pack, I could go on but wont (this is already probably too long of a story).

Keeping my mouth shut was one of the most challenging things I have had to do in recent memory. My only response to any of their lecturing was how is it that we could not say a prayer, even a non denominational one to start and end a den meeting if we would be asked to sit through a Lutheran service? I couldn't hold back a little laugh as I asked that. I thanked them all for their volunteering and commitment to the program, smiled, shook hands, and kindly let them know I had to get home to make lunches for tomorrow.

Earlier in my spiritual life I would have not handled that well, I would have fought, argued, and got angry. It would have caused me to lose sleep, mind racing, pacing around, furious. But not any more, thank you Jesus, I left feeling great clothed in the armor of Christ, and joyful in the opportunity to have this encounter. After finishing my household duties, completed my evening prayer routine offering up all those folks names in prayer and slept great.

This did not solve my, and the other dads very real problem of having given our word to our sons, and the ICS K community of families. Do I go scorched earth and call in all my high level connections involved in scouting to force this situation? No, that just isn't me anymore, you have changed me. 'Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.' Still that thought was in my mind. The temptation is very real.

This morning I wake up and do my morning prayer routine, which includes praying on the readings for today, 1st time I read the Gospel for the day. 'Lord guide me, speak to me...' Then after dropping my children off, I went to Mass (which I do every day my work schedule allows), 2nd time I read the Gospel. 'Lord I trust you, help me trust you more...' After Mass, I spent a half hour in quiet Adoration hoping to hear God's voice speak to me on what to do in this situation, nothing comes, but oh man oh man, am I refreshed and feeling fantastic after my most important meeting of the day with Jesus (you all know that feeling too). Get in the car to drive home, 'Lord, I believe in you, help my unbelief...' I play the daily reflection from Jeff Cavins on the Hallow App on my drive home, 3rd time hearing the Gospel.

BAM, BINGO, BOOM it hits me! "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?" Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village"

A quick call to the local scouting representative, and he says there is a great Pack at St. Ann's Catholic Church 5 minutes from our School in the next town, and can easily transfer our registrations there. Right away the rep got us connected to those leaders and I have full confidence in God's Providence this will be a success.

Asking all of you to say a quick prayer for me and the success of our journey to the other village.

...ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome, pray for us!

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