The Challenge

'No one comes to the Father except though me'--John 14:6

Come To the Water

by John Foley, S.J.

Listen Here

Let all who thirst,

let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing,

let them come to the Lord...

And let all who seek,

let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing,

let them come to the Lord...

And let all who toil,

let them come to the water.

And let all who are weary,

let them come to the Lord...

And let all the poor,

let them come to the water,

Bring the ones who are laden,

bring them all to the Lord:

bring the children without might.

Easy the load and light:

come to the Lord.

While initially the bible verse, 'no one comes to the Father except though me' John 14:6; John 35-37 may be perplexing, daunting or even received with open doubt-- it may be also regarded as a stop sign for some; recalling the general commandment of the Lord God 'to love your neighbor as yourself,' then its significance becomes more clear.

The Christ wishes to make it known that the commandment to love isn't talk, it isn't a pretty phrase; instead it is the teaching to all growing in faith; faith is given in measures by the One Lord, by God the Creator of all. The Christ is saying that if you earnestly follow the teachings, follow the commandments, then you too will like me, ascend to paradise.

Even so many with rational, scientific minds will question, will doubt or reject this saying out of hand. Is this the only way? No. Is it the Christian way? Yes.
May the peace and grace of God's love for mankind be with you and yours. Always. Amen.

My Father's Eyes

My Father's Eyes

lyrics by Eric Clapton

        Sailing down behind the sun,Waiting for my prince to come. Praying for the healing       rain  To restore my soul again. Just a toerag on the run. How did I get here? What have I done? When will all my hopes arise? How will I know him?


Refrain:
When I look in my father's eyes.
          My father's eyes.
         When I look in my father's eyes.
         My father's eyes.


Verses:
Then the light begins to shine And I hear those ancient lullabies. And as I watch this seedling grow, Feel my heart start to overflow.Where do I find the words to say? How do I teach him?
What do we play? Bit by bit, I've realized That's when I need them, That's when I need my father's eyes. My father's eyes.
That's when I need my father's eyes. My father's eyes.


Then the jagged edge appears Through the distant clouds of tears. I'm like a bridge that was washed away; My foundations were made of clay.


As my soul slides down to die. How could I lose him? What did I try?
Bit by bit, I've realized That he was here with me; I looked into my father's eyes.
My father's eyes. I looked into my father's eyes.
My father's eyes. My father's eyes. My father's eyes.
I looked into my father's eyes.
My father's eyes.

Looking into a 'father's' eyes, how often do we see that we really didn't see at all; like a "toerag on the run. how did I get here?" we wonder. In a simple way Clapton through his music and his lyrics answers the question which has occupied multitudes for eons. "Bit by bit I've realized that he was here with me." as we go about our daily activities, do we make time for what matters to us, for the possibility to hear "those ancient lullabies," as Clapton calls them? In a simple and direct way this can make our seedlings grow.