Communion of Saints – Are you Ready? – Always Rely on God – Accept One Another

Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast – Tuesday December 1, 2015

Greetings Vincentian Family:  Pray for peace, for each other and especially those in need.  While on Famvin keep in touch with the family and learn from each member.  Famvin is an amazing learning tool. Pray for our beloved Pope Francis, Bishops, priests, deacons and Seminarians.  Remember our youth.  This is the first week of Advent.  Make yourself ready to welcome our Lord. Pray for World peace.  Pray for those who have died at the hands of terrorists and those who live in fear.  Pray for the enemy that God may show them the light.   Have a great week filled with blessings.  Lynn

Communion of Saints – November is a month to honor saints.  We are called to sainthood.  I know I’ve said this before, but here I go repeating myself.  “Saints are the sinners who keep on trying.”  Each day we keep going on the way to sainthood. We pray the Apostles Creed and say, “    I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”  We pray this each Sunday and we believe.   The other side of us is challenged to recognize Sainthood in others.  We look at those we serve and see Jesus, but do we also see a certain saint.  Don’t be in a hurry to rush away from your visit.  Get to know those we serve in a personal way.  Be in communion with them as future saints or saints in waiting.  Pray always for sainthood and pray for others to experience this gift as well.

Are you Ready? – I’m not asking about Christmas, even though Advent has begun, I am asking are you ready in terms of the end of the world.  There are so many threats before us and some people are filled with terror.  This reminds me of the year 2000 when the end of the world was preached by so many and dates were given.  Scripture says we do not know when.  I believe Scripture.  Admittedly I am a little squeamish about flying and I almost hate watching the news.  If we become afraid and forget our place in life and know our God is with us, we could be doomed.  Terrorists create terror.  When they see terror, they have won.  We must pray always for peace and pray for terrorists to feel the love of God.  Peace always begins with us.  As we welcome the Refugees, we see their fear and uncertainty.  As I call and visit them to ask what they want in their Christmas hamper.  I first off see the fear in them.  “What do you mean?” they say.  We must journey with them to dispel their fear.  We must show them they are loved.  The end of the world is not now.  We do not know when.  So live and love everyone and celebrate life.

Always Rely on God – When a child is born, the mother and father are a bit like God. The child is fed, nourished, and given everything by their parents, even their existence.  I am loved, just as I am. This then is the treasure that Jesus wants to reveal, our deepest identity, that of the beloved. Being loved by God liberates us from our need to win, so that we can become artisans of peace in our world.  God loves us more than anyone, even our parents.  He gave us Jesus who is love.  “The easiest thing to be in the world is you.  God created you and said, “This is very good!”  The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be.”  This includes those we serve.  We visit and sometimes think, “I am going to make them better.”  Our job is to serve and love and rely on God to make them better.  We should pray for the grace of trusting God completely and above everything, even our own views.  We then will learn what love is.  Trust is a sign of genuine love — especially when the one we trust is God.

Accept One Another – If we try to see what is good in others and to accept what is broken in ourselves, we will come closer together, accepting one another as human beings created and loved by God. This spiritual growth is a double movement: growth in wonderment and growth in humility.  We don’t talk much about fasting but it can be a very successful part of achieving acceptance of others.  We could fast from food, using our cell phones and many things.  I like to fast from gossip, hurtful comments, judging and anger.  We need to think less about our own personal comforts and more about the pain of those who are suffering. We need to look into the face of the poor and see Christ there. Those in need are not a burden they are gifts given by God so we have opportunities to share and to serve.  Pray for one another and always pray for those we serve.  Don’t listen always to others regarding hate and prejudice, listen to God.   Be at peace in all things, because the enemy, who always fishes in troubled waters, takes advantage of our discouragement to achieve intentions more readily.  When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all. We all need some form of deeply rooted, powerful motivation. It empowers us to overcome obstacles so we can live our dreams, not our nightmares. Acceptance of others is easier when you see Jesus in them.

Enjoy your Advent.  Prepare the way of the Lord.

Blessings, Lynn

Lynn L’Heureux is Special needs co-coordinator & Advisor of the Society of St Vincent de Paul Calgary Alberta Canada.