Halbrook.net » Quotables

Then and Now – Much the Same

Michael — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:41:12 +0000

Today's first reading, from the First Letter to Timothy, makes me think that the early Church and how many early Christians lived in their day-to-day, earthly lives were very similar to today - check it out:

Beloved:

Teach and urge these things.

Whoever teaches something different

and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ

and the religious teaching

is conceited, understanding nothing,

and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.

From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,

and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,

who are deprived of the truth,

supposing religion to be a means of gain.

Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.

For we brought nothing into the world,

just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.

If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.

Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap

and into many foolish and harmful desires,

which plunge them into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is the root of all evils,

and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith

and have pierced themselves with many pains.

But you, man of God, avoid all this.

Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,

faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

Compete well for the faith.

Lay hold of eternal life,

to which you were called when you made the noble confession

in the presence of many witnesses.

-1 Tm 6:2c-12

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Gladness, Meet Hunger

Michael — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:24:38 +0000

Yesterday, I posted the following quote to my Facebook status:

"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

- Frederick Buechner

I had run across it while at Borders yesterday, skimming through a book a friend suggested this week. In fact, I ran across a bunch of great quotes as I skimmed through the book. I've subsequently added the book to my wishlist, and resolved to writing reflections on some of these quotes over the coming months.

The observation that God steers - if we listen and follow - toward gaps in our world that need the attention of some skill or passion we possess is very personal to me. I have seen it be the case many times in my young life.

For example, right now, in my life, I can point to a few "missions" that God has placed in my path that are things that bring me deep gladness while simultaneously answering a hunger in our world. Two of these that are most obvious in my day-to-day life are Christian family life and music.

Christian Family Life

I believe that the world is very hungry for all the examples that we living Christian family life can give of the natural family in its strength and fullness. And I believe that Suzanne and I have been called to that vocation - the vocation of married and family life.

We try to do all that we can to live out our married vocation and our calling as parents, and to do so in the context of our parish community. It's nice to have the strength of seeing other like-minded parents and families... those our own age and those who have been married 50 or 60 or 70 years as examples of living our calling.

The funny thing is - in spite of all that our culture would say about the pitfalls of marriage or of having children, I can't imagine anything else in life that would make me happier. My family is my life, and I want us to be a "light on a hill" for others to see our happiness and fulfillment in our vocation.

Music

My work in music in the church is another area that brings me great happiness, and answers a longing in the world. Week after week, in the comments and feedback we get on the music that we help lead in our liturgies, I can tell that there are moments with our music that help God reach people in our parish. Being able to contribute my talents to allow the Holy Spirit to have those moments is humbling to me and brings me gladness.

What Brings You Happiness that the World Hungers For?

I think that's the question that we all face. And in the quite whisperings "deep within our hearts and spirits," God tries to point us toward those things that we could choose to do, those tasks or projects we could pick up or those organizations we could join to help make a difference.

Keep listening... stay open to His whispers in prayer... and be brave enough to pick up the Cross when it's handed to you and carry it with strength and grace. The hunger of the world demands this fullness of our true Christianity. And our gladness - here and hereafter - are directly impacted as a result.

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I’m Better at Saving the Day

Michael — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:08:55 +0000

Real life conversations with a 3 1/2 year old. From the Halbrook household this evening:

THOMAS: Daddy, can Ba [Grandpa] be good at bricks too?

DADDY: You mean, like Papa [the other Grandpa] is good at bricks?

THOMAS: Yeah, can Ba do bricks too?

DADDY: He probably can, but I think Papa is better at bricks - that's his job.

Do you know what Ba is better at?

THOMAS: What is Ba better at?

DADDY: I think Ba is better at cars. That's his job.

THOMAS: Yeah. Dad, you're better at computers.

DADDY: You think so? Thanks.

THOMAS: Dad, do you know what I'm better at?

DADDY: What are you better at?

THOMAS: I'm better at saving the day.

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Quote of the Day: Bill Gates

Michael — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:56:22 +0000

"Not only poor people should experience this."

- Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, unleashing a swarm of mosquitoes on his audience during a talk about malaria eradication at the TED conference today.

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G.K. Chesterton on Christmas

Michael — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:42:49 +0000

There fared a mother driven forth
Out of an inn to roam;
In the place where she was homeless
All men are at home.
The crazy stable close at hand,
With shaking timber and shifting sand,
Grew a stronger thing to abide and stand
Than the square stones of Rome.

For men are homesick in their homes,
And strangers under the sun,
And they lay their heads in a foreign land
Whenever the day is done.

Here we have battle and blazing eyes,
And chance and honour and high surprise,
But our homes are under miraculous skies
Where the yule tale was begun.

A child in a foul stable,
Where the beasts feed and foam;
Only where He was homeless
Are you and I at home;
We have hands that fashion and heads that know,
But our hearts we lost---how long ago!
In a place no chart nor ship can show
Under the sky's dome.

This world is wild as an old wife's tale,
And strange the plain things are,
The earth is enough and the air is enough
For our wonder and our war;
But our rest is as far as the fire-drake swings
And our peace is put in impossible things
Where clashed and thundered unthinkable wings
Round an incredible star.

To an open house in the evening
Home shall all men come,
To an older place than Eden
And a taller town than Rome.
To the end of the way of the wandering star,
To the things that cannot be and that are,
To the place where God was homeless
And all men are at home.

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Kids say the bestest things

Michael — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:25:28 +0000

"No, we don't leave Santa milk. We leave Santa coffee. Actually, mochas."
- Thomas (3) to Aunt Jenn as they bake cookies upstairs just now

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A Privilege to Die Tomorrow

Michael — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:22:21 +0000

I knew I liked Bishop Robert J. Hermann when Suzanne and I were present for a Mass and Confirmation at which he presided at SLU a few years ago. Yesterday, he made St. Louis proud with this bold statement of truth at the USCCB Fall General Assembly yesterday afternoon:

"We have lost 50 times as many children in the last 35 years as we have
lost soldiers in all the wars since the Revolution... I think any bishop
here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow to bring about an
end to abortion... If we are willing to die tomorrow, then we
should be willing to, until the end of our lives, to take all kinds of
criticism for opposing this horrible infanticide."
- Bishop Robert
J. Hermann of the Archdiocese of St. Louis

That's just the tip of the iceberg. The fruit of the Bishops' discussion was this statement this morning from Cardinal Francis George (of Chicago; the current president of the bishops' conference) on behalf of the bishops, on the hope of the Obama administration and possible obstacles to desired unity.

Thank God for our good and Holy bishops, unafraid of proclaiming the Truth.

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Beauty of the Seeker

Michael — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:18:33 +0000

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her." -Maya Angelou

Beautiful quote. And I relate 100%, as that's exactly how God led me to Suzanne.

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All Saints

Michael — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:34:47 +0000

Happy All Saints Day!

A very appropriate little quote popped up a couple of days ago over at Catholic Dads:, from Dr. Peter Kreef's "How to Win the Culture War":

"...what's at stake in this war: not just whether America will become a banana republic, or whether we'll forget Shakespeare, or even whether some nuclear terrorist will incinerate half of humanity, but rather whether our children, and our children's children will see God forever. That's what's at stake in Hollywood v. America."

True, no? But true not just in Hollywood v. America. It's true of the evil one altogether, and his desire to see us fall into desires of the flesh rather than ways of the Spirit.

But that's our role as parents, too... God entrusts the souls of these little ones to our care for these years, to form and guide in the ways of His Spirit, while we're busy guarding our own as well.

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Pastor’s Business Card

Michael — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:56:44 +0000

I think this is one of the oldest funnies on the Internet, but I had forgotten about it until Cheri sent it my way this morning. It certainly fits the theme here, so I'll share it...

A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door.

Therefore, he took out a business card and wrote 'Revelation 3:20' on the back of it and stuck it in the door.

When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, 'Genesis 3:10.'

Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock.' Genesis 3:10 reads, 'I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked.'

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