Give the Ball to Jesus and Get Out of the Way

They [ten lepers] stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed.  And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"  Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you." (Luke 17: 12-19)

There was a story told about Larry Bird, the former basket former basketball player the Boston Celtics.

During a retirement party for Larry Bird in Boston Garden, former Celtics coach K. C. Jones told of diagramming a play on the sidelines, only to have Bird dismiss it, saying: "Get the ball to me and get everyone out of my way."

Jones responded, "I'm the coach, and I will call the plays."

Then Jones turned to the other players and said, "Get the ball to Larry, and get out of his way."

The moral of this story is that we need to give the ball to Jesus, put our burdens in Jesus’ hands, and “get out of the way." Let Jesus doing His thing!

What kind of burdens are you carrying right now?

With trusting faith, raise your voice or in the silence of your heart saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on me!" Say it repeatedly throughout the day, especially when you are overwhelmed with burdens of anger, frustration, anxiety, fear, worry, depression, shame and guilt of addiction, or embarrassment…

Litany of Trust

From the belief that I have to earn Your love … Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that I am unlovable … Deliver me, Jesus.
From the false security that I have what it takes … Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute … Deliver me, Jesus.
From all suspicion of Your words and promises … Deliver me, Jesus.
From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You … Deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will … Deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future … Deliver me, Jesus.
From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past … Deliver me, Jesus.
From restless self-seeking in the present moment … Deliver me, Jesus.
From disbelief in Your love and presence … Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked to give more than I have … Deliver me, Jesus.
From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth … Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of what love demands … Deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement … Deliver me, Jesus.

That You are continually holding me sustaining me, loving me … Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings, and transforms me …Jesus, I trust in you.
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You … Jesus, I trust in you.
That you are with me in my suffering … Jesus, I trust in you.
That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next …Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present in Your Church
…Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your plan is better than anything else … Jesus, I trust in you.
That You always hear me, and in Your goodness always respond to me …Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others …Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked …Jesus, I trust in you.
That my life is a gift … Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will teach me to trust You … Jesus, I trust in you.
That You are my Lord and my God … Jesus, I trust in you.
That I am Your beloved one … Jesus, I trust in you.

O Blessed Mother Mary, Mother of Trust. Your maternal faith and trust moved Christ to act and He performed His first miracle for the family in crisis at Cana. I now turn to your maternal intercession. Hail Mary full of grace…

Peace in Christ,
Father Vincent-Vuong Nguyen

P.S.
Please Join us! At St. Clare, Houston
Prayer Service, In the Spirit of Taize
Friday, Nov. 16, 7:00 PM

Through Adoration, Prayer and Anointing, we will remember those who have died and pray for those in need of physical, mental, or spiritual healing or are grieving a loss.