Vincentians Read and Live Scripture – Vincentians Believe – Vincentians Serve Rooted in Christ – Peace Prayer for Vincentians

Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast

Vincentians Read and Live Scripture

We do this to connect with our Lord for better service to those in need. Today’s Gospel is on the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Year 1.  Matthew 3:13-15, 29-23. It is the Gospel on December 30th from Bishop Robert Barron.  Sometime we don’t think of Joseph by habit.  In this Gospel we see Joseph receiving the Lord’s direction for his care of Mary and Jesus. Joseph listens to God’s word in a dream. Dreams play a very interesting role in the Bible. In the Old Testament Joseph is an interpreter of dreams and successfully reads the dream of Pharaoh; the wise men in the New Testament are redirected to their homeland because an angel appeared to them in a dream. In one of the psalms, we find this line: “even at night, he directs my heart.”  Joseph is listening to the wisdom of God in a dream.  Have you ever had a dream in which God gives you a message?  I am sure you have.  Sometimes I know exactly what to do after a dream and other times I am confused.  One thing, I do not dream much or I don’t remember.  My recent dream was over Christmas.  Craft Beer Market adopts 10 of our families each year and gives a substantial hamper.  This year through my fault and of Vincentians anxious to give their families the best, we received 19 requests.  Craft decided to handle all the families.  Of these, five had no correct contact number, moving without leaving a new address and having a disconnected phone.  Tony and I prayed for these families to be found and he was on the phone using his police tracking skills.  It all came together after my dream.  Craft told us to find people in need to give these hampers to the ones we felt needed them.  In my dream God gave me advice on hampers and distribution.  It took me a day or two to act on it.  But it is all done and seems the right thing.  Never stop listening to God.  He journeys with us in our service to those in need.

Vincentians Believe

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves of the help Our Lord gives us.  He called us to serve His sheep and tend His lambs. When we get a message, we sometimes are confused.  We are thinking with our plans, not God’s, His are much greater.  Expect the impossible and follow Him.  We must be dependent on God.  Know His will and be not afraid.  Know the power of God.  Jesus becomes us to save us from our sins and to help us to serve.  We have been called and He will never abandon us.  We truly must believe. Sometimes the message is loud and clear, but we hesitate.  We question our call.  This cannot be.  I am just a humble servant.  He can’t mean me.  Pray daily for belief. Believe in your hearts and your mind.  Nothing is impossible with God.  We just have to BELIEVE!!!!

Vincentians Serve Rooted in Christ

When we are rooted in Christ, we are rooted in a long history of those who have gone before us.  Christ shows us the light to find our way, to know the truth and all the teachings of Scripture. We are supported by believers in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and our destiny is not failure.  We stand in His glow and know He is leading us and our Catholic Family is with us.  We stand firmly and solid in His wisdom always.  Being called to serve is one of the best things.  Be proud you are rooted in Christ.  He gives us wisdom and doesn’t leave us.  We should always be ready to adore Him and our work and service to His poor.

Peace Prayer for Vincentians

Sometimes with the simplest of acts we have given others a reason to go on.  I have a friend who sends messages throughout the day to remind us Christ is Peace and we must always pray for World Peace.  We pray for America and all first responders.  As Vincentians we always pray for those in poverty and the persecuted.  We are encouraged to pray for all our people in service who sometimes do not make it home to have Christmas with their families.  We need to include Aleppo and Syria and Berlin Germany.  We truly need to continually pray for World Peace.  Prayer is sometimes our only defense and the best always.  I believe we always have to pray for those we serve.  We pray before we go to their door, during the visit for wisdom and after we leave the home.  We pray and follow up.  They are our friends and we treat them so.  We ask our Lord to have mercy on us and the whole world!!  We pray for peace in our Vincentian Family and our Families.  We have to pray for all things good and recognize we are all sinners and rely on the presence of Our Lord and our ability to always pray.  Peace and Love for 2017.  Happy New Year.

Blessings,

Lynn