1 Thess 2:7 we were gentle among you, even as a nursing mother cares for her children…(NAB)
Isaiah 66:14 As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you (NAB)
At Mass one morning, there was a young mother in the pew in front of me with her little boy. He had thick blond hair, somewhat tousled, and was doing his best to be quiet and attentive. He looked to be about five or six, and was standing on the kneeler and squirming a bit when he slipped back and bumped his head on the pew bench. His mom instantly caught him, cradled his head in her hand, and bent low to hold him and comfort him. We had been singing one of the responses, and my voice caught, tears coming to my eyes as I envisioned Mother Mary so gently offering the same comfort to her little boy. I could see His thick black hair with her slender fingers cradling His head, drawing Him close to her heart and comforting Him. The scene from the Passion of the Christ played in my imagination, when Mary rushed to gather up her little boy and comfort Him after He had tripped and bruised His knee.
How our Father in Heaven longs to comfort us in our pain and sorrow, and how He has sent Mother Mary so often to our side when we need a mother’s gentle touch, a mother’s embrace and the assurance of her unconditional love. Watching the little scene played out before me in church spoke to my heart of God’s attentiveness to ourevery need, even the small bumps and bruises we incur on our earthly pilgrimage.
I attended an Advent Day of Reflection given by Liz Kelly where she shared some insights on the Anima Christi that speak to me of this heavenly comfort. The phrase “Passion of Christ, strengthen me” in Latin is “Passio Christi, conforta me.” Our natural desire is to be comforted, and with the translation we recognize that comfort does indeed strengthen us. It strengthens us to do what is right, what is pleasing to God. And with this strength and comfort come responsibility, to exercise the gifts given to us to be witnesses to the Good, the True and the Beautiful.
Receiving the loving and gentle tender care of Mary must have been part of the building of compassion that characterizes Jesus. When we receive such love, it transforms us to become more and more like Him, and to treat others with that same kindness and care.
Lord God, may my heart be attentive to others as we trip and stumble along this path of life, always ready to quickly offer compassion, to build each other up to be the authentic witnesses the Lord desires us to be. Passio Christi, conforta me…
Bubbles ~ Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God Matt 5:8
Meditating on the Scripture passage of the Beatitudes, I always think of Katie Culhane when I come to verse 8 – “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.” Katie is short for Katherine, which means pure or clean. And I know that little Katie now sees God, even as she saw Him while here on earth, in her simplicity and love as a Down Syndrome child.
The image that most often comes to my mind is that of her baptism, and the story her mom Muffy shared about how God’s grace became visible as Katie began to coo and gurgle for the first time as the holy water was poured over her head. This brought a sense of peace and assurance of God’s love and faithfulness, and became a springboard to the fortitude and courage the family needed to best love and parent a child with special needs. It was the image of little baby noises bubbling forth from Katie that most struck me in my meditation this day, as it tied in with a recent experience of making bubbles!
We were all at the cabin for family time, and I had brought some bubble wands to play with by the lake. They proved to be incredibly effective, and soon large and beautiful bubbles were bouncing and cavorting on the still water, and soaring high into the air, even above the tall pine trees! The delight and joy this brought to my heart made me almost giddy, and the family thought Aunt Ann was a little crazy as I exclaimed about the amazing bubbles and spent a good deal of the week on the dock blowing more bubbles and just watching them dance on the water and rise up into the air.
With this in mind, I pictured the water being poured over Katie’s head in baptism, and the little baby sounds rising up in the sanctuary of the church, just like the bubbles at the lake. It filled me again with joy and consolation, as the stirring of the Holy Spirit must have done in Elizabeth’s womb as John the Baptist leapt for joy at meeting Jesus in Mary’s womb. How the Holy Spirit does indeed enkindle joy in us, in the Sacraments and in one another, as we recognize God’s presence in the other.
The bubbles at the lake had prompted me to google the Bible for bubble verses, and several had popped up, one of which seemed perfect for the joy I was experiencing. Romans 15:13 reads, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be bubbling over with hope.” Such a simple thing, but a reflection of God’s grace again at work to bring us joy and delight. The Scriptures assure us that God delights in us, even as we delight in the wonders of His creation. I believe He must be pleased with our simple joy and gratitude as we acknowledge Him as the Giver of all good gifts, even of bubbles
Thank You Lord, for the gift of Creation and for the simple joys of playing in it! May we be always grateful for the many ways You make manifest Your love for us, and grace us with purity of heart to rejoice at seeing You in the midst of everything, filling us with joy and hope…
It’s been a different Lent this year, with many ups and downs, and woeful failures in my attempts to stick to my Lenten resolutions. In the first few weeks blessings abounded as I was swept from glory to glory with lots of good time in reflection, and a mini-retreat at home in Shawano. There I was able to make many connections with friends, visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, and make a trip up to the cabin with a friend where we were blessed with blue blue skies and fresh snow fall. Consolations were everywhere, and I was embracing them with all my heart 🙂
The return trip to MN led me to a place of loneliness, bombarded with memories of loss that were stealing the joy I had experienced. I recognized it as a lack of intimate human friendship in my MN environment. The remedy I had learned from Linda Schubert was a five step process which I sought to implement as an antidote to discouragement.
First step was to acknowledge the pain of loneliness that I was experiencing – to embrace it and lean into it gently. Step two was to really allow myself to feel the pain. It was deep, and I found my self recognizing it as a sacrifice I could offer to the Lord, and I leaned hard into it, not just gently, but pressing my very inner self into this emptiness and desolation, to console the heart of Jesus. I remembered the prayers of St. Bridget, the fifth prayer where she witnessed the sadness of the Lord’s own heart from the cross as He looked at humanity and saw all those who turned away and rejected His gifts of love and mercy.
A prayer rose in my heart, that somehow my little pain might be as a drop of balm to Christ’s own immeasurable thirst for souls. One tiny drop was all I could offer, but I gave it to the Lord from the bottom of my heart, in profound gratitude for the life I had been given. The desire to live the remaining days of Lent at a very deep level, not passing by the gift I was being offered, but rather to unite my little sacrifice to the fathomless sacrifice of the Cross, in reparation for my sins, for those of the ones I hold in my heart, for my church, for my village, for my country…. This was step three in the process, uniting my suffering with that of Jesus on the Cross. I recognized that this gift I could offer, though small, is precious to my Lord, and is a gift that only I can give…
Step four is to extend blessing to any who may have been a part of the pain or suffering I was experiencing. Offering a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s grace in leading me through this process and seeking His blessing to those I may have felt hurt by, always with the desire for sincere forgiveness, was another step toward bringing me back to a place of peace and joy.
I determined to bring this all to Jesus in Adoration, in prayer, and to carry it in my heart throughout the up-coming Holy Week. I would bring it to Stations, and beg the grace to enter in to the deeper intimate relationship to which the Lord was calling me. I wanted to gladly receive the invitation, the gift ~ not to leave it on the shelf to admire, but to fully unwrap it and allow it to consume me…
The last step was one of gratitude, to leave the process at the foot of the cross and enter in to the new spiritual freedom the Lord desired for me. Acknowledge the hurt, feel the pain, lean in to it gently, unite it to Christ’s sacrifice, extend blessing and forgiveness, and leave it all at the foot of the cross with gratitude to Jesus for His healing grace. This process has been a blessing for me over and over again as an antidote to discouragement and desolation. How grateful I am for the many ways the Lord draws us back to Himself, to restore our peace and fill us once again with His Light!
Lord God, thank You for Your gift of Redemption! When we come to You in our brokenness with repentant hearts, You never fail to offer us the free healing gifts of Love and Mercy. May I never forget to turn to You, that You may restore Your peace within me so that I may extend that peace to others. Peace in our hearts, one by one, to bring Your peace to the world…
Galatians 4:6. “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit Who calls out ‘Abba, Father.’”
How blessed I have been to have had a good father who loved me and took good care of me! Not perfect of course, as no human father can be, but I knew that he loved me and would be there for me whenever I needed help. Three specific memories of my Dad come to mind that have helped me to grow in confidence in my relationship with God the Father. I’ll begin with one that reminds me of God’s guidance through the journey of life ~
When I reached 16 and began having some travel adventures on my own, Dad took care to offer very specific and detailed directions for any up-coming trip. They always included plan B, and plan C, in the event of unexpected complications that might affect the original route. I remember one in particular when I was to make my first solo plane trip. The directions were lengthy, taking several pages, and included so many possible alternatives in case things went awry! The best, however, came at the end of the epistle, when Dad left his phone number with the assurance that a call home at any time of the day or night would be received and help would be provided.
Growing in my relationship and subsequent dependence on God the Father’s care and provision for me, I came to recognize His Word as those detailed instructions for navigation, always with the reminder that He is on call, 24/7, ready at every moment to hear and respond to my call for Help!My GPS may fail with mis-guided directions or internet disruption, but that turning to God always gets me back on the right track! In remembering my Dad’s written directions, they’re saturated with his care and concern for my safety and well being; God’s directions come from the heart of the very best Father’s love for His daughter.
Abundant generosity is the second attribute that comes to mind as I remember an almost comical shopping adventure with my mom and sis-in-law. We would have a fun shopping day together once or twice a year, and mom would often treat us to some special item that caught our eye.
This particular trip was at a time when Dad had been gradually moving into the fog of Alzheimer’s memory loss. He had always enjoyed giving gifts, and he would give my mom a special extra dollar amount beyond the usual budget for her shopping excursions. On this occasion, mom was in a particularly happy mood, almost giddy, and was encouraging my sister-in-law and me to buy this and to buy that, and she would cheerfully pick up the tab for all of it. The strain of caring for my Dad in these days was tremendously difficult, and we attributed her delight as a combination of relief at a day off from care-giving and the pain of slowly losing the one she loved to this disease. We had a wonderful day together, our shopping bags loaded with goodies, and at the end of the day mom could no longer keep her secret: Dad had put an extra $10,000 dollars into her checking account! This was in the 1950’s and that was a small fortune for us! We certainly didn’t spend it all, but it brought laughter and smiles at a time when that was so much needed for all of us.
God the Father’s generosity is above and beyond all that we could ever ask for or imagine. (Eph 3:20) Whenever I come across that verse, the shopping trip comes to mind, and with it the joy it gave my own Dad to give an extravagant gift (although he probably didn’t realize how extravagant it was!). It also warms my heart at the memory of the three of us, savoring a moment of closeness and merriment in the midst of a very difficult time of passage. Gods’ own generosity can never be outdone, He truly delights in showering His children with abundant gifts and surprises!
The third memory came just today, with a text from my daughter. I had asked her to check a cabinet in my bedroom to look for something, and she spied a note from my Dad that I had tucked on the shelf. It read, “My Darling, you are 16. I love you. Dad.” I had re-discovered that note among my memorabilia at a time when my relationship with God the Father was being deepened, and it so resonated with me that I kept it in a place where I saw it often. Zeph 3:17 states that God delights in me, and rejoices over me with singing! As the youngest of 4 children, with 3 older brothers, I was my Daddy’s Darling, and it has helped me to know the deeper love that God the Father has for me.
Father God, thank You for blessing me with my own good father, who helped to lead me to the knowledge of Your own Goodness and Love for me. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual Light shine upon him. May the soul of my Dad, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace…
Ezekiel 4:17 ff… Son of man, I have appointed you a sentinel for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, you shall warn them for me. …if you do not warn them or speak out, I will hold you responsible for their blood…
Written April 7, 2022 at 4:30 AM after Adoration
To those close to my heart,
This letter has been playing in my mind for many years. Should I send it out now? Should I share it at Christmas or Easter? On a birthday, or special anniversary? Leave it with my last will and testament? Or now, after the celebration of Easter and in anticipation of Divine Mercy Sunday April 24 …. I’ve been praying about this, and feel like the time is Now…
I’ll keep it short You all have received copies of reflections I’ve written over the years, and so you know where my heart is. I love you all dearly, and most desire your happiness, in this life, but even more so in the life of the world to come. My belief in God has only grown stronger through the years, and it’s in that belief, and in the conviction that I will be held accountable if I’m not really clear in sharing what the Lord has put on my heart to speak to you. There really is a heaven, there really is a hell, and woe to me if I don’t warn you before it’s too late.
Put simply, I pray that you will come to know that there is a good God, that He is the source of all that is good in this world, and that He has created you to be with Him for eternity. He’s created you free to accept or reject Him. There’s lots of factors that come into play here ~ but the bottom line is that each one of us is called to live a holy life and to be obedient to what the Lord commands. He doesn’t condemn us when we mess up or turn away; He keeps calling us right up to our last breath. And at the hour of our own death, He is still willing to receive us in His mercy.
My prayer is that each one of you will turn to Him now, and not wait until that last hour when you meet Him face to face. Will a lifetime of turning away prepare you to receive His love then? I can only pray that at that moment, if you haven’t yet begun to live the Christian life, you will remember these words I’ve written, and know that He is a God of Mercy Who has been waiting for you all your life, and Who will receive you with mercy if You only ask Him. I’ll be praying for you, for I long to meet you in Heaven!
I’ve thanked God all my life for the gift He’s blessed me with to be your mother, and to have had the joy of spending time with each of you in this life. I thank God for all the ways you live your lives in service to others, and how you’ve looked out for each other. May we all be family again in the world to come.
Before returning to the Cenacle to help out with the January session, I was re-reading the story written by Diane Brown about the beginning of the House of Prayer, published in “New Covenant” magazine. One part that always caused me to pause was her recounting of the death of their son Graham in a boating accident. He was only 15, and was being towed on an inner tube behind a boat, when the driver turned too close to the dock. Graham was slammed into a piling, and died instantly. This tragedy became the hinge of Diane’s own conversion, and now almost 35 years later to the continuing expansion of the Marian Servants, the School of Spiritual Direction and Retreat Ministry.
My reason for being drawn to this accident is the similarity it shares with an incident in our own family’s life. Our son Steve, about 7 years old, was being towed on an inner tube behind a boat being driven by his dad, which also came too close to the dock and Steve was slammed into that dock. He was wearing a life vest, and struck the dock square on his chest, actually hitting it so hard that the dock, set on wooden horses, was moved. I was standing in the water close by, and quickly scooped him into my arms and prayed fervently in the spirit for him. As it turned out, he only had the wind knocked out of him, and he suffered no serious injury. Had he hit the dock any other way, he could easily have been killed or at least very badly injured.
These memories were often on my mind during the school session, and I thought if the opportunity presented itself, I would like to share this story with Diane. The two weeks passed however with no convenient time to speak with her, so I had pretty much put the thought aside as we prepared for the closing graduation Mass. During the Mass however, I began re-living that experience again, and my heart was moved to tears. Somehow it became clear to me that in some hidden way there was a spiritual connection between the two accidents, and that Diane’s grief and sorrow, along with the prayers of her son, had somehow been instrumental in sparing Steve’s life. This was a very strong impression, and it was reinforced by recalling other events of the school session.
During one of the practice demonstration sessions, one of the students mentioned the communion of saints in regard to Ron’s passing. This struck a chord for many of us, and for me this was like another piece of my puzzle falling into place. The communion of saints – interceding for us, and helping us on the journey. Many saints have stated before their deaths that indeed they can be of more help to us from the other side – when their plan and purpose is accomplished here on earth, they can readily go to heaven to continue providing help and blessing for those remaining.
I’m currently taking a class on the Catechism, and the required reading last night included a passage from Lumen Gentium 50 which focused again on the communion of saints, and specifically how we are especially united with them in the sacred liturgy. It was during the Mass that I received this strong impression of spiritual connection.
It was also tied to the power and value of Diane’s deep grief, united with the Passion of Christ, that can provide precious grace to others. John Cardinal O’Connor wrote a reflection on “Serving Through Suffering” that has always been meaningful for me. He speaks of the pain we all experience as human beings, and of its incredible value when united with Christ on the Cross. An excerpt reads, “when (Christ) was crying out, ‘My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ He was filling billions of hearts yet to come with comfort, with peace. I unite a headache, a backache, a heartache with Christ on the Cross, and wondrous graces flow into the heart of a widow who has lost her only son in Nigeria… My pain, trifling or overwhelming, has not gone wasted.”
My thought is that somehow Diane’s pain, and Graham’s prayers, reached beyond time to touch our son Steve’s life. Steve is 33 now, and has many struggles, and many gifts. It’s always been on my heart that God has His hand on him in a special way, and my many prayers continue that he will come to know God’s love and fulfill the purpose he’s been designed for. The gift of the experience of spiritual connection gives me renewed hope, gratitude and trust that God’s plan will come to fulfillment in Steve’s life. Diane’s article closed with Romans 8:28, a very favorite verse of mine, as she wrote, “I have learned a great deal… that all things – even tragic things – work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purposes.” I don’t know how this story will continue to unfold, but I trust that the Good God is at work to accomplish His purposes, and I thank Him for the blessing of Diane’s yes that has brought so much healing, hope and grace! The communion of saints, both living and dead, supporting and interceding for each other, is very much alive in the Marian Servant community, and I’m grateful to be an associate member of this community!
How often I used to kick myself for the foolish word spoken, for the proverbial foot in the mouth! My intentions would be good, but the words just didn’t come out right. One such incidence remains in my mind as a blessing, and has helped me stop the chain of regret…
My husband’s uncle was dying of cancer, and I had been blessed to be assigned as his hospice volunteer. We had a fond relationship, but not a close one, so I was grateful for the opportunity to see him more often than I would have had I not been a volunteer. Uncle Clem was a very faithful Catholic, and spent much of his last days sitting quietly in his room praying the rosary. I thankfully don’t even remember what it was that I said, but I do remember that as soon as I said it, I knew the words had been poorly chosen, and I would have liked to have been able to retract them. It was time for me to leave however, and the opportunity was gone. As I left the house, I consoled myself with the thought that when I saw him next, I would have a chance to set things right.
That very night Clem died. The blessing comes in that instead of lamenting my lost chance to correct my failure, now I knew that Clem knew my heart, and he would know the true intention of my words and would not be hurt by the way they came out. Previously I may have been haunted by my lost opportunity, and reminded of all the things I wish I had said, all the deeds I wish I had done, all the foolish errors I had made. The enemy would have been delighted to continue to bring to mind all those “if only” memories! God in His mercy gave me a different perspective, and how grateful I am! Knowing that my intention had been good, and that Clem now knew this, brought a great sense of consolation and peace, as I truly loved him and had desired only to offer a blessing to him.
I find two beautiful truths coming to me from this experience. One is the lesson about the importance of guarding my heart, with the desire that what dwells there is only to extend love and blessing to others. I want my heart to be clean. I know that the Lord knows my heart always; may He continue to convict me when the thoughts that dwell there are displeasing to Him, and exchange them for a purity of intention that I would never be ashamed to have exposed.
Knowing that my thoughts are not always as pure as I would hope them to be, the Lord also offers the beautiful gift of Reconciliation. Again and again I’m reminded that we have a God of Redemption, Who can bring blessing from what the enemy would have promote evil. Our pastor often reminds us that God always has the last word, and I take great comfort in that! I believe He can take my meager efforts and correct what I may have messed up, and supply what I may have failed to provide. Every day, when I come to Him and review our time together, I can offer to Him those parts of the day where I recognize that I was off track, and not living within His will, as well as profound gratitude for the times when I was one with Him. The Sacrament of Reconciliation provides the grace of peace knowing I’m forgiven when I bring these sins of omission or commission to the Lord.
The second truth is in the reality of the communion of the saints! By God’s grace I knew that when Clem had died, he would know the intention of my heart. He would be able to see beyond the clumsy words, know the love which I had for him, and my desire to offer blessing with my words. The peace I experienced when this thought came to me gave me a sense of assurance that this was true, for I know the previous thoughts of self-condemnation and recrimination were not of God, but from the enemy. The bottom line lesson I return to is the desire that my thoughts and intentions be pure and clean, leaving no room for shame at being caught in an act of unkindness.
I had received the lesson of Reconciliation from the book by Brother Lawrence, PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD. He shared how of course he often failed to live a faultless Christian life, but wasn’t surprised at that. He knew his own weakness, and quickly turned to the Lord for forgiveness, and then went on his way, undisturbed by his weaknesses. It’s the second lesson that I learned from the experience with Clem that was new and beautiful for me; that when one crosses the veil and begins life anew on the other side, there comes a clarity to know truth in relation to others. How could I ever want anything other than a pure and clean heart? “Breathe on me O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy…. “
Lord God, thank You for continually calling me to holiness, and for the desire to be purified in heart and mind. May I grow in sensitivity to Your convicting grace, and cooperate fully with the gift of Reconciliation. Thank You for Your mercy and patience in leading me closer to Your own Heart that knows me perfectly…
On my friend Muffy’s refrigerator one day I spied a new idea for a frig magnet – buttons! What a great idea, I thought ~ my mom has a whole box of old buttons that I could use to make magnets, and they’d be fun to tack the photos on the frig with – so I sorted through her box of old buttons and began to assemble magnets. As I did so, the following button thoughts began to come to mind…
Panic button ~ when panic strikes, remember God’s provision for
peace: Phil 4:6-7 “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, make your requests known to God. Then the
peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your
hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
When someone pushes your buttons, hear God’s Voice saying,
“Testing, testing…” and pray for patience and acceptance with
joy! Ps 37:9 “Give up your anger, abandon your wrath; do not be
provoked; it brings only harm.”
Button, button, who’s got the button? Pray for those who are lost ~
Ezk 34:16. “The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back…”
Button up your overcoat, when the wind is cold ~stay close to Jesus
and He’ll keep you warm! Luke 12:49. “I have come to set the
earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” And wrap
yourself in Mary’s Mantle of Love to discourage the enemy.
Missing buttons DIN ~ One of Mom’s favorite phrases meaning: “Do It
Now!” Ps 119:59-60. “I am prompt. I do not hesitate in keeping
Your commands.”
Button up your lip and your mind if any unkind thought or word may
enter and seek to be spoken. Ps 19:15. “May the words of my
mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing and acceptable
in Thy sight.
Help! Button ~ always the best place to go to first when we need help…
Ps. 121:1-2. “I lift my eyes unto the hills, from where will my help
come? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth.”
Mute button ~ on the TV or radio or any of the noise in our lives ~
Ps 46:11. “Be still and know that I am God.”
May this button on your frig remind you of God’s Goodness and Love,
(Memory button?) and inspire many button thoughts of your own!
Name of Grace, Inheritance Scripture, Unilateral Forgiveness…. 1/29/22
In the School of Spiritual Direction we were encouraged to discover our Name of Grace in prayer. This is the intimate name the Lord has given to each of us, which is a reflection of our identity in Him, and our personal vocation, or mission. I received my Name, Peaceful River, during a Mass at the Cenacle. It just popped into my head, and it resonates with me, and is tied to a vision I had received in prayer previously.
For ten years we lived in house on the river, and in my vision I saw myself floating down the river in an inner tube, just relaxing and enjoying the warm water and the glory of Creation that surrounded me. Then I was prompted to dive down to the river bed, where I found small gold crosses. They were heavy, but I gathered them and brought them to the surface, where they were very beautiful in the sunlight.
The cross I was carrying at that time was the breakup of our marriage. In a continuation of the river vision, when at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help I saw my gold wedding ring transformed into a small gold cross. I had recently placed my wedding ring at an outdoor altar to Our Lady of Lourdes, as a sign of deeper surrender and total consecration to Jesus, uniting my pain and struggle with His own suffering and death. This new vision of my ring being transformed into a cross was bringing healing to my heart. It was also helping me to move forward to a deeper forgiveness and blessing for my spouse, and for myself.
During the recent healing session of the School, Janet mentioned the phrase “inheritance Scripture.” I took this to mean a Scripture verse that is tied to our mission. John 7:38 had come to my mind as she talked about this: “whoever believes in me, as scripture says, ‘rivers of living water will flow from within him.’” This same verse was referenced later in her presentation, as she reminded us that we are all called to be vessels of living water, bringing God’s healing and grace to others.
Reflecting on this today, with the thought of mission in mind, I remembered when at a retreat this past year the Lord was helping me to identity my mission as associated with the gift of unilateral forgiveness. As a spiritual director, it is my desire to help my directees enter into the dynamics of unilateral forgiveness, and move toward embracing the reality that indeed “all things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28). Giving thanks in all circumstances, the good and the bad, has been a focus for me for many years after reading PRISON TO PRAISE by Merlin Carothers.
Tying all these threads together, I’m seeing my mission as being this vessel of living water, in the manner of the peaceful river, gently helping others to enter their own healing by bringing their crosses up from the depths of their inner being into the Sonlight where they can be transformed into blessings, united with the Cross of Christ. My hope is that they will be able to be thankful for these crosses as they receive God’s healing and peace, and to see them as gifts to extend God’s grace in the world.
Pope Francis in a talk given on Dec 26, 2020 spoke of the power that was released when St Stephen offered forgiveness for those who were stoning him. In our world, Pope Frances says, it is normal to question “what good does it do” to pray and forgive others. Then he notes that it was St Paul who was present at St Stephen’s stoning, and he states, “Paul was born by God’s grace, but through Stephen’s forgiveness. That was the seed of his conversion.” He goes on to say that “loving actions change history: even ones that are small, hidden, everyday.”
In our natural human nature, we often feel unable to forgive, or even to want to. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are enabled to forgive deep hurts, and to even begin to see them as gifts for which to be thankful.
Circle back to my inheritance Scripture, John 7:38. In verse 39, we read, “He (Jesus) said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive.” It is the Spirit Who is the “living water” that will flow from within us.
I’ll conclude here with a word that I received at the Cenacle that has remained with me. It speaks of the power of Baptism, the power at work in the life of every Christian. “Christian, know your dignity. I anoint you and appoint you as agents of My mercy, to bring My peace and healing to a fearful and hurting world. Arise, and go…” Tying this all together with my Name of Grace, I recognize the call to be that Peaceful River, allowing the living waters of the Holy Spirit to work through me to lead others to unilateral forgiveness, and to live in accord with 2 These 5:18 ~ “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
Lord God, may I be true to the Name You have given me, and embrace the mission to bring Your peace and mercy to this fearful and hurting world. May I always remain connected to the Source of Living Water, the Sacraments and Your Word. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of God, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, be with me on this journey…. Hail Mary, full of grace…..
Spiritual Sun Pennies 