The Value of Suffering — Vincentians are Merciful – See your Miracles in Prayer – Forgiveness and Trust God’s Plan

Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast – Tuesday, April 12. 2016

The Value of Suffering – Many of those we serve are suffering more than we know. Our job as Vincentians is to find out what the suffering is and what we can do to change the suffering.  I don’t think I have to tell you this means the home visit has to be a compassionate visit and we must listen.  We listen with our ears and hearts and we listen with compassion not sympathy.  It is hard not to feel sorry for some of our friends, but our job is to give them hope and we need to find out what is really needed.  There is a wonderful article on Charity and Justice this past week, I have shared it on my Facebook page, but you can also see it on Famvin.org by clicking here.  Or you can write me for the article.  We hear a lot about being a Good Samaritan and this article made me look at this more and read the story in Scripture.  The Good Samaritan stopped and didn’t throw coins at the man in need.  No, he gave his cloak and took him to shelter.  Pope John Paul II says, “Suffering is in the world to arouse charity and to make us more charitable as well as arousing others to the needs. Let us be united in our Faith and in providence and in deepening our charity.”  We should read the story of the Good Samaritan often and even at our SSVP meetings to get a discussion going.  When we suffer from pain, illness, distress or poverty, God hears us.  He hears those in need as well and sends us to their aid. Our job is to do God’s Will with love, justice, joy and zeal.  We are called to make a difference.  Maybe there is something else we can do to help lift those in need out of poverty.  Don’t give, also pray for all we serve.

Vincentians are Merciful – In this Jubilee of Mercy, we hear many prayers and read many articles on the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy.  I challenge you to commit these works to memory.  We need to reach out to all of humanity.  Pope John Paul II had one brother who died young.  His mother had plans for the boys.  She always wanted one to be a doctor and the other a priest.  She saw her son at the end of his medical studies, but did not live to see her son as a priest. Pope John Paul II was merciful, loving and forgiving of all things.  He truly lived his calling and spent much time showing Mercy to the sick, the poor and the confused. He touched many people with his mercy along with Mother Theresa.  Both were committed to the Gospels and bringing the message of hope and mercy.  We are challenged, like they were to pray and live the gospels.  Anything can happen with God.  Next we have Pope Francis who we should pray for daily.  Pope Francis loves the poor and even chose to change his living quarters to one more humble giving many things to those in need.   The best mercy is his touch of those who suffer.  We can learn so much from him and we are truly blessed.  In this Jubilee of Mercy be merciful and put those we serve front and center and do not be afraid to touch them.  God makes a difference.  We are called to be merciful as the Father is.

See your Miracles in Prayer – Miracles do happen.  Those we serve are often living in horror and have given up hope.  We need to pray more for them.  We could also ask them to pray.  We have to teach them how to rise up from the deep dark mud puddle they are in.  Sitting in the muck gets us nowhere.  We have to help them up, clean them up and start over.  We must journey with them as they begin anew and keep them out of the mud.  This does not always happen overnight.  Help them to not lose hope.  Pray for them always and if they want to pray with you, accommodate this.  We all pray to the same God.  He is the God of justice, mercy and love.  He loves everyone.  Loss of hope leads to despair.  Pray to help them remain calm and for you to remain calm.  We can’t promise to bring a solution, but we can work with them to build a solution.  It could be anything, from lifting them from despair, drugs, addictions and sometimes even the will to live. They need us and our prayers. They need miracles to happen and we must try to be the miracle workers.  You are not alone, God is with you and He is a miracle worker.

Forgiveness and Trust God’s Plan – We all know how hard it is to forgive and to trust others.  Sometimes we think God has moved and we no longer trust in His miracles.  I have been sick for several months now and cannot do much.  My husband is very worried and angry.  He says God should be helping more.  I say He is in a different way and it is okay to be angry with God, we all are sometimes and He understands.  Tony prays for me and blesses me and certainly looks after me. I am at peace, I feel the love and I have hope. Also Tony gives the best hugs.  I offered all my suffering to our Lord and sat and prayed before His image of death and I though my heart would explode.  Sometimes we do not forgive and hold on to things.  I’ve learned that it only hurts us and sometimes those we love.  Forgive always, especially the broken we visit.  God places those in need before us and He trusts us.  We must accept His will in the moment and trust in His plan.  We are qualified or He wouldn’t have called.  God loves you more than anything you can think of and understands the pain of those you visit and He understands when you do not have a cure.  So that is why we must trust in God’s hand.  Put your trust in Him so you will have the answers and the ability to love those you serve in the midst of their chaos. When they get the sense of your caring love, things will change.  We are there to make their “everything is wrong “attitude to one right thing at a time.  So spend time in prayer before the visit, over the groceries you are bringing and also pray silently during the visit and always after the visit.  Don’t forget to follow up and trust in God’s plan.  It is the best.

Blessing, Lynn