Make time for God, rest, and each other

WINFIELD, Ill. (Catholic Explorer) - John Blumberg spent many years as a certified public accountant at Arthur Anderson and then moved to the human resources department where his responsibilities included worldwide recruiting. However, in 1996 he walked away from the safety of his job to follow a dream, a dream he shared Feb. 18 and 19 with parishioners of St. John the Baptist Parish in Winfield. The talk was the parish's mission with the same title as Blumberg's book, "Silent Alarm."

Blumberg "left behind a firm and career he loved to follow his dream to speak with organizations that want to build leaders of substance and cultures of genuine service," Maureen Brennan, director of religious education at the parish told the audience members. "While John spends most of his time speaking at corporate conferences and on university campuses across America, he is often called upon to speak in various faith communities."

In addition to his speaking engagements, Blumberg wrote the book, which is a parable that offers a message of inspiration, and perhaps a wake-up call, for busy professionals. The book follows the journey of a man so caught up in his job, even working on Sunday, that he forgets about the things that are really important in his life until God sends him an alarm.

"For some of us here tonight our alarms may be going off. All of us here only have 24 hours in a day that is 24 to the power of I. We work to rest, but God had a different rhythm worked out. He created us so we could work and rest in a regular rhythm."

An audience member then came forth to read a passage from the Bible. The reading from the book of Genesis focused on how God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh and how God told man to keep holy the Sabbath. After the reading Blumberg discussed the Blue Law, which was originally designed to enforce moral standards, stating that at one time most stores were closed on Sundays to observe the law.

Chicken fillets and the Lord's day

Case in point is S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A's, who has maintained that all stores be closed on Sundays since the first store opened in 1946. Today with over 1,300 locations throughout the United States, the company is the second largest chicken chain despite being open only six days a week.

"Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and directing our attention to things more important than our business." Cathy notes on the company's web site. "If it took seven days to make a living with a restaurant, then we needed to be in some other line of work."

"Annual sales (for Chick-Fil-A's) has increased because (taking Sundays off) gave Cathy a day to rest and to remember his faith," Blumberg explained. "I think it is OK for stores to operate on Sundays, because it gives us a chance to create our own Sabbath. Jesus said, 'Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.' "

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Time is one of the greatest gifts God gives us, he told the group, adding people need to come back to the place where they remember to love one another.

"The four most important letters, when we put them together, are I C N U," Blumberg said. "What do I see in you? I need to be interested in the people God has put into my life."

Another reading was from Corinthians 13 ending with "...Faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love."

He then spoke of how he was scheduled to talk in Missouri a few days after Sept. 11, 2001. Since planes weren't flying, he chose to drive down and noticed American flags everywhere. He said the horror of 9/11 brought out a love Americans had forgotten, adding the love was short-lived.

"Love comes to life in amazing kinds of ways," Blumberg said. "God used (9/11) to remind us of the love that we can have. We need to find a 9/11, a Virginia Tech or an NIU that doesn't have to happen, but we find the love anyway."

'Focused and recharged'

Jeff Thomas and Gina Olsen have plenty of love for each since they will be getting married soon. Thomas is in the RCIA program at St. John the Baptist Church and was asked to attend Blumberg's talks on both nights as a type of retreat.

"I thought what he had to say was fantastic," Thomas said. "It was very relevant to our lives. Now I feel very focused and recharged."

Lent seems to be a good time for a talk that recharges a Christian's batteries. Cathy Johnston said she showed up both nights because she felt the obligations she had committed to during Lent fell short.

"I intend to develop my faith and I feel I owed the Lenten season additional obligations," Johnston said. "I feel what John has been saying to me has given me fortification and backing."

The program also came at the right time for Sandy Saad and her friend, Pam Moore.

"I never go to these things but we were drawn here" both nights, Saad said. "I had a vertigo attack in May. That was God telling me to wake up but I didn't realize it until I heard him speak last night. He made me really stop and think" about the direction her life is taking.

Alarms may be going off all around you, Blumberg said, but they do no good unless you hear them and attempt to change your life and your relationships with those you love.

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This story was made available to Catholic Online by permission of the Catholic Explorer(www.catholicexplorer.com), official newspaper of the Diocese of Joliet, Ill.