Category: Saint Ben
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‘Time to get the news out’
Jonathan convinces his parents to allow him to stay all night in the hospital, and in the middle of the night, with his mom and Ben’s parents asleep in the waiting room, Jonathan slips quietly into Ben’s room and climbs into his bed. Ben is expecting him. The dreaded moment has arrived, but Ben is…
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Truth-teller
“Yeah, but the message was true. It was really the right thing to do. It was the most right thing we did all summer. We didn’t mess up anything; the mess was already there. All I want, for just once in my life, is to make a success of doing the wrong thing.” – Ben…
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Ben hears from God
“No, Ben’s joy this morning was more than the anticipation of another prank. It was because something had happened to him that we all long for — something saints have lived and died for without ever finding — and Ben received it last night at the ripe old age of ten. Ben heard from God.”…
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Getting all wet
“Imagine John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in fishing waders! We can’t let him get away with baptizing people without getting wet himself.” – Ben Beamering p. 219 The last trick Ben and Jonathan played on his dad was indeed their best. He had devised it from the hospital and solicited Jonathan from his hospital bed…
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‘A car only certain people can love’
“As far as the real Edsel is concerned,” Ben said, “I must say I love it and hate it at the same time. Love it because not everyone likes it. It’s a car that stands out in a crowd — a car that only certain people can love. I want everyone to like the Edsel,…
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No shame; no blame
“I suppose life is your fault, too. While you’re at it, why don’t you blame yourself for that? Saint Ben p. 178 When Jonathan blames himself for a bike accident that puts Ben in the hospital, Ben comes up with this sarcastic comment — sarcastic, but appropriate. Blame never helps even when you use it…
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You are official
Today’s quote comes from Ben Beamering reading the newspaper out loud to Jonathan where Seth Wilson, the mayor of Pasadena, explains why he rode in a 1958 Edsel in the 1959 Tournament of Roses Parade: “‘Mr. Milner seems to favor either a new car or a classic car as worthy of this parade. To that…
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When God gets in the way of believing
We are in the middle of a very important campaign, our first since pre-pandemic days, to raise $20,000 for the Catch Ministry. To help us focus, we have chosen the GO LIVE theme anchored in the story of Ben Beamering from the novel Saint Ben. Join us, as often as you can, for a live reading of…
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Make-believe Christians
“I don’t like pretending.” – Ben Beamering p. 117 Ben Beamering is a realist. He isn’t much into make-believe. We especially find this out when it comes to faith. At least we know that if Ben ever believes, it won’t be because he’s pretending. I have spent a lot of time in Christian colleges where…
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‘It’s only a car …’
“What do you mean, ‘it’s only a car?’” Ben interrupted with a look of angry desperation. “It’s only my life! What do you think about that?” P. 112 We are in the middle of a very important campaign, our first since pre-pandemic days, to raise $20,000 for the Catch Ministry. To help us focus, we…
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Light me up
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:9-14…
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Trouble with Sunday school songs
Ben has a problem with Sunday school songs. No wonder. If you start to think about some of them, you would too. Deep and wide; deep and wide There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide Deep and wide; deep and wide There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide What? Where? What is this? That’s the…
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A letter from Ben Beamering
Hi, I’m Ben Beamering and I am a fictitious character out of the mind of John Fischer who created me for his novel, Saint Ben. What he may not tell you is that I am him, though realistically, I am the part of him that not too many people know about. That’s why it took…
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An unorthodox instrument of God
by Marti Fischer When wanting to get away with something without her husband knowing, my Mother-in-law often used to quote an old saying, “When the cats away,” she would say, “The mice will play.” Well … while John is away from his desk, let me tell you a story about an orthodox instrument of God,…
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Blessed are the weird
[Warning: This smile has been known to light candles, so be sure and check before you leave the room that you’re not leaving a candle burning somewhere, unless it’s in your heart!] We’ve had some wonderful responses to the idea of unorthodox “Ben”s among us. John sent us this by Jacob Nordby: “Blessed are the…
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‘Time to Get the News Out’
[If you are wondering what this Catch is all about, you have most likely missed the recent Catches that summarize the story behind my novel, Saint Ben. If so, go to www.catchjohnfischer.com and scroll down to the Catch for June 1, “Why Saint Ben?” and “Catch up” on the next four Catches.] Getting the news…
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Hole in the heart of God
This is the final piece of our story of Saint Ben — the closing scenes following Ben’s death. It contains Jonathan’s great grief, but ends in delight with profound implications for us all. Following Ben’s death, Jonathan refuses to speak to anyone. The next time he is at church, he retreats to their secret place…
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Saving the Edsel
We left our story yesterday with the boys having lunch in the rain under dripping juniper bushes having just been to the showroom to see the new 1959 Edsels over which Ben is supremely disappointed. And it is at this time that the connection between Ben and the Edsel takes on new significance as Ben…
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Forced out of hiding
This is a seriously abbreviated version of the Saint Ben story condensed into only three Catches. Next week I may pull a few short sections for reflection once you have a basic idea of the story. But if you get hooked (and I hope you do), we will have a couple of ways of getting…
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‘Awake thou that sleepest’
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Ephesians 5:14 (King James Version – that’s all they had in 1958) [A summary of the first few chapters of Saint Ben …] It’s a bright Sunday in March, 1958, when the new pastor, Jeffery T. Beamering and…