Build it – Bread and Wine – Sensitive God – Open Our Eyes

Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast – May 6, 2014

Dear Vincentian Brothers and Sisters: In reading stories of our 2 new Saints, I just feel we have to lighten up.  We need to pray more to the saints for intervention and just trust in God more.  My favorite saying to my husband is:  “It’s not about you.”  He laughs.  He teases me about many things especially in my health – we laugh.  These are not insults it is coping with bad things and putting trust in God.  If I get angry at him and am not reasoning, he suggests I read the Bible or daily reflection.  I do not feel good, but I know he is right.  The best gift we receive from God is our family.  Sometimes we can’t mend marriages as it takes two people and we have to forgive and forget and remember it is not about me.  God is the partner in marriage.  We cannot be smug about it if we have a good marriage it is God’s fault and we must pray for all who do not experience this.  There are many broken marriages with suffering on both sides.  Pray for the marriage and pray for those in a separation or divorce.  They need our prayers.  Pray for youth and children everywhere.  Amen.

Build It– I always feel we need to build with God what is important and keep the building in good repair.  It is His will and His plan we should follow.  It means we must surrender to His will.  We cannot use inferior products to build our life.  We will soon learn survival counts on following the plan; difficulties will surely come if we try it alone.  We are building ourselves as servants to those in need.  We follow the teachings of St Vincent and we totally surrender to the plan.  This enables us to give wholeheartedly to those in need within our communities, on our streets, in prison and wherever else God’s plan leads us.   If you can lie down at night knowing you made someone else’s day a little better, you know you have built it strong and kept to the plan.

Bread and Wine –   Each time we go to Mass we can open our hearts to Jesus.  We become part of the entire miracle of prayer and transformation of bread and wine into Jesus. I know I’ve said it before, but we always need reminders, “Make each Eucharist as special as your first.”  Receive the Body and Blood of Christ and truly make a difference.  Know he is there.

Acts 2:25 “I saw the Lord ever before me, with Him at my right hand, I shall not be disturbed.  Therefore, my heart has been glad.”  We can at will take refuge in the Lord, always.

Ps. 16: 11a:  “Lord you will show us the path of life.”  The path is the body and blood of Jesus.  There is no better path.  The Lord Himself took the bread blessed it and broke it saying, “This is my body”; He then took the wine and blessing it he said, “This is my blood”.  He did this for us.  This bread and wine at the Eucharist is the living Christ in each one of us. Remember the Eucharist when Christ seems far from you.  If you have a difficult grace, recall His body and blood.  Try to remember and re-live the first Eucharist in your life.  Is it easy for you to see Jesus in the Eucharist?  Transubstantiation is changing the bread and wine into the body and blood continuing to keep its original form.  We too, must be transformed and bring this to all we serve.  Christ is in those we serve and everyone we meet and serve with.

Sensitive God – God does not cause death.  He chose to send His Son to die for us and our sins.  Jesus had a choice and he chose us.  People are questioning if there is a God in the tornadoes, floods and other storms and fires.  Where is God?  Why is He killing so many people?  He is with us, weeping for the pain.  Jesus weeps as well.  The trinity is sensitive to our pain.  We have pain in cancer and nerve damage and many other conditions we don’t even know.  We could wake up each day with pain and we feel sorry for ourselves.  However, I believe those who wake every morning on the street would trade places with us.  Those who do not have enough food for themselves and their children will take your place.  Most of us would shatter if we have to call for help and it is no different from the ones who do call us.  Are we sensitive to them?  They don’t look good, they have no jobs and they beg.  Do we believe?  Be sensitive to Christ who comes to your door or gives you a call for help.

Open Our Eyes – We definitely have all the signs.  Each day gives us an opportunity to make great things happy.  One hug, one smile, one gift of kindness and friendship, one understanding ear and two eyes open wide to see Christ before us.  Sometimes we have to move from our comfort zone for lives to change including our own.  Saint John Paul 11 said,”Believe!  Do not be afraid to believe”, after being elected Pope.  I remember him saying many times, “Be not afraid.” And this carried me through many tough cases and detours in life.  Saint John XX111 had a great sense of humour and I remember some of his clips, especially from Vatican 11.  Father James Martin SJ of USA wrote some beautiful things on his blog.  We cannot take ourselves seriously. St. John XXX111 found out the Holy Spirit was in charge of looking after things, so he should just go to sleep.  Jesus had a sense of humour and laughed with his disciples and friends.  We need a sense of humour to be human and present to others.  Laugh often and love often.  Open your eyes to the humour, love and needs around you

Blessings,

Lynn