Taking Time For God
“For it is in giving that we receive.” These words from the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi are beautiful and true. When our hearts and minds are set on Jesus, we understand how this message affects our lives. We can never surpass the generosity of God; but in trying, we are certainly blessed!
I received a phone call from the agent for bestselling author and Grammy/Dove Award winning artist John Michael Talbot. His ministry tour, “The Inner Room,” was offering concert opportunities in Indiana at Catholic parishes. Our parishioners at Sts. Francis and Clare Parish in Greenwood, Ind., enjoyed a concert at the church, and were also blessed as Talbot facilitated our Adult Formation Course the night before. He has performed in the Diocese of Evansville at several parishes and for the Source Summit Retreat. I personally met John Michael when he was invited to perform at the Red Skeleton Theater on the Vincennes University campus in 2013.
“The Inner Room”project is based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which is the teaching principal of the New Testament. John Michael says, “The world today is chaotic and unstable; many people are frightened, insecure, discouraged, and even angry about the future. This recording is a call to go to ‘The Inner Room’ with Jesus to find healing, hope and revival — and with these, then, to go forward in Christ believing that ‘All Things Are Possible With God!’" John Michael and Spiritual Director Father Gary Janak will be leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from March 6-18 in 2017, with a visit to the place of the Sermon on the Mount. If you are interested in joining please call 800-842-4842 or check out the website www.selectinternationaltours.com
We were fortunate to have John Michael, his wife Viola and their sound engineer in our home during their stay in Indianapolis. They called to make sure we had Internet access for his work and a television for the Cubs game. We assured them we had both. Well, the day after they arrived the Internet connection was compromised by construction in the area, but we did enjoy the ballgames. We took advantage of the cyberspace disconnect and shared stories about our faith, the Church, and a brief mention of politics. We agreed that having no Internet must have been a “God event,” and the problem was fixed 10 minutes before their departure.
Indiana played a role in nurturing Talbot’s spirituality and musical prowess. He was born in 1954 in Oklahoma City to a Methodist family that moved and lived in Indianapolis from 1962-1982. He attended Warren Central High School, but dropped out at age 15 to pursue a musical career with his brother, Terry. Their band, “Sounds Unlimited,” played occasionally at a teen center in Vincennes called the “World” on Old Decker Road in the late 60s. Their success led them into the rock and roll world with a group called Mason Proffit, which opened for many popular musicians and bands.
He shared that the Jesus Movement of the 70’s brought about a conversion for him. He began reading the life of St. Francis and studying at the Alverna Retreat Center in Indianapolis where he joined the Roman Catholic Church, and the Franciscan Secular Order, in 1978. He started a ‘house of prayer’ called “The Little Portion Hermitage”, which he moved to Berryville, Arkansas on land purchased during his Mason Proffit days. He founded his own community, the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, which is an "integrated monastic community" with celibate brothers and sisters, singles, and families that continue to thrive today.
In a culture that struggles to make time for a personal relationship with Jesus, it was a blessing to show hospitality to those who spend their lives inspiring others to understand that all things are possible with God. Lord, make us all an instrument of your peace! Amen!
