Helping Others as Jesus Would – God Does Not Make Mistakes – Vincentian Mission – Thirsting for God

Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast

Helping Others as Jesus Would

We are called not only to see Jesus in others, but also to be Jesus to others.  Helping others and serving others as Jesus should be embedded in our hearts. Our actions should reflect on His love for all.  We call on God often because we know His plan is good.  Our actions always begin with prayer, being in prayer during our visit and always ending in prayer and following up to make sure everything is good. When you decide to try on your own without God’s love know you will not see His Mercy and love.  Remember it is always there.  He never moves from us.  If you are discouraged, always come back to Him. He loves you always and gives His love and Mercy when you ask. When in doubt always pray.  He gave us His Son to teach us how to love and serve the poor or as we say “Our friends in Need.”  I do know the difficulties serving our friends sometimes.  Then we pray harder and love them.  They see our smile, our caring face and they feel our love.  Sometimes it is hard to see Jesus in them, but try and pray for them, so their hurts will heal.  Talk to them and listen to know the pit of their pain. Follow God’s plan to serve Jesus in others and ask Him to tell you in that plan.  Open your heart to God’s plan because it is usually better than our plan.  He not only has plans for us but those we serve.  Spend time in prayer to ask Him for revelation.  We need to be patient like Jesus.  Don’t forget God feels our pain and the pain of those we serve.  Sometimes the friend does not pray, so we must pray for them and with them, if they ask.  One thing we should never do is say, “Why me?”  Remember Jesus died on the cross and we have never been asked to do this, nor will we ever be asked.  God will always be with us when we pray. He says, “Yes my child I am with you.  Feel my presence, I am with you faithful servant.”

God Does Not Make Mistakes

We know from Holy Scripture, God formed us even before we were born.  We are not a mistake.  You are here to serve His poor because He wants you to do so.  He deliberately chose all of us, no matter our color, creed or education.  You are chosen.  He knows our thoughts, actions and our needs.  We are not accidents even those we serve, the imprisoned, addicts, abused and those who lost hope due to lack of finances to help themselves. He loves all!  We are called to show His love to all.  He is with us, so we can work together to make a change.  Know we are not a food bank, but to show God’s love.  Often food is the first thing as they make the call for help.  Our ultimate goal is to lift them from their poverty. We need to find the way and we need to work together to create this systemic change.  We work together with the Trinity one God in three persons to help us make change.  They truly need us and God in their lives. We preach the Gospel by our actions, not our words. This is important to remember.  Ensure God’s love and the Gospel is always with us.  We are never alone.  Everything in our life is in God’s hands when we keep Him close to us. When things go wrong and we call out “Why are you not here, Lord?”  I know I say this often, but it is very important to know if God seems distant guess who moved.  We have to always remember this and pray more.  God is always with us, talk to Him often.

Vincentian Mission

We are made for and called to our Mission of loving and serving those in need.  It is not always what we want or expect, but it is God’s want and wish.  He will mold us so we can live our mission with Him. When we know and accept, it is God’s plan, we should be motivated with passion.  It prepares us for eternity once we know and accept God’s will.  We do not work to earn money, awards or legacy.  We work to please God and respond to our mission of love and service to the poor.  When we obey HIS WILL, “God has planted eternity in the human heart. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)  Life on earth is like our dress rehearsal, before our true reward.  I believe the Vincentian Mission is, “Thy will be done.”  Not that this is too hard but to do the right thing, God’s will, which is our mission to serve.  We can also pray to our Saints and Blessed in the Vincentian Family.  When Vincent was born in 1813 infant mortality was high. “How many times I have seen my father and mother weep, since out of fourteen children, heaven left them only three.” (Blessed Frederic Ozanam)  He had a beloved sister who along with his mother taught him life lessons.  He took these lessons to complete his mission to form the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.  He loved Vincent and his work.  His parents were already helping the poor climbing up many steps to serve them.  Because of his determination and God’s plan we now have conferences around the globe.  We are on a mission to serve as Vincentians and we have many that paved the way. We can ask them to pray for us.  Our mission is good and is overseen by God.  Call on Him often.

Thirsting for God

“I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) I can understand the greatness of God but I cannot understand His humility. It becomes so clear in Him being in love with each one of us separately and completely. It is as if there is no one but me in the world. He loves me so much. Each one of us can say this with great conviction. Mother Teresa is known for her radiant smile and the joy of Christ that she brought to all she met, even in the most challenging circumstances. These daily stories and meditations in her own words point to the secret of living in that joy: simplicity, humble surrender to Jesus, thankfulness, and, above all, a heart filled with God’s love. These keys will unlock the gift of joy in every thirsting heart.  God never abandons us. We need to abandon what is ungodly and thirst for Godliness. Struggle can build character or wrestle it down a dark and dingy road, but I believe that faith and the warmth of good people around us…and good choices…strengthen us. It is the one God designed the person He wants us to be.  Communion with others is what ministry and mission are all about. Ministry is entering with our human brokenness into communion with others giving hope.. Our thirst for God and intervention is what keeps me going.  We must call on Him and listen and then act.  This is what thirsting for God is all about.  Keep Him near always.

Blessings,
Lynn