(Apologies for the late posting of Lynn’s weekly post. Ed.)
Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast – Tuesday, April 22, 2014
He is in the Darkness – Christ is Risen! – The Ultimate Gift – Bring it to the Cross.
Dear Vincentian Family: Easter blessings to you and all you encounter. We are still in the Season and I hope your Holy week was filled with peace and joy. I’m sure many tears have been shed and they are a gift from God. Abraham Lincoln always read things out loud. He said it helped him to understand things better. I encourage you to read the Passion of Christ and the gospels of Easter out loud and let them take control of your life. Keep the tingly feeling of Lent alive in you and let others see the glow. May you always feel God’s presence. Amen
He is in the Darkness – God knows you and loves you. He is always there and He really cares. He is the one who weeps when you are sad, confused and hurting. God hears us cry out in our darkness. He has made us in His likeness and knows every hair on our head. He is always present, if he seems far away, He didn’t move – you did. He has called you and made you an instrument, finely tuned and making beautiful music. You are called to serve His Son in those in need. God works through you and He provides you with everything you need. Just call Him. He is there. Allow him to help you seek forgiveness of your enemy. Let Him light the darkness.
Christ is Risen! – Has your life changed since Holy Week? Have you eaten from the great banquet placed before you? Lent was a time to break any chains on you and those who you have forgotten to forgive. We had a terrible tragedy in our city during Holy Week. The largest mass murder in our history took place at a special Bermuda Short’s day party of university students. The young man who was responsible for the deaths of 5 university students is the son of a high ranking policeman. Of course he is concerned for his son, but his first statement was to ask the families of those other young people to forgive. This one is pretty big, but sometimes we have things eating at us and we just have to let go. We follow Christ and we are created to love one another and sometimes it is not simple to love one another. We must love and forgive and eat of the love banquet He gives us. He loves us and died to prove it. Eat and be fed and nourish every aspect of your life. Christ is Risen!
The Ultimate Gift – We have been given many gifts and they are all ultimate. My heart beats and I know it is a tiny, hidden tabernacle. It is a little home for the Trinity. It comes alive at certain times, none more so than at Easter, and of course each time I take the Eucharist. I pray I never stop loving my friends and my family who are ultimate gifts. May they never feel un-loved. Sometimes we have to make double sure we do not neglect loving one another. Our friends and family are gifts of Holy Love forever. Do not focus on the emptiness of the tomb or the taunting, “Crucify Him”. He did this for us. He has changed our lives. As the living temple of God, we will do His will. We are on duty for Him on earth to love, to forgive. We accomplish this through prayer and reading Holy Scripture.
Bring it to the Cross – Has Jesus changed your life? Does your suffering bring you closer to God? We all hear, “We must carry our cross.” Each lent our lives change and we can continue by bringing our suffering and pain to the cross each year. Lord knows I am not perfect – I am a sinner, just like everyone else. I have had cancer 3 times and am going through things now that could be cancer. One thing I have always felt is God’s presence. Interesting, I have had cancer twice through Lent, once through Advent and now whatever I have now started the new concern 2 weeks before Lent and it continues. God is good. I feel Him looking after me. Some of my symbols of hope are they empty tomb, which tells me He is not somewhere else but always with me no matter what. He fills my emptiness. Good Friday we have a wonderful passion play in our Church which is always filled with tears, venerating the Cross is tearful but filled with hope and affirmation. When we bring things to the cross, not just at Lent, but always we say our yes as Mary did. We make more room for God, by getting rid of our shortcomings and other junk. We empty ourselves and become a little humble. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” C.S. Lewis. So by being humble enough to forgive those who hurt you and by refusing to compromise your moral stand, the cross brings you close to His heart. Bring to the cross any time someone criticizes you for spending too much time with those in poverty. Let the love of the cross help you through the journey. When your good works are criticized and misunderstood, take it to the cross. Remember the cry of the crowd, many who followed Jesus; Crucify Him! Crucify Him! He is Risen! Hosanna in the Highest! He has Risen, Alleluia!
Have a very blessed week filled with prayer. The Church feels so empty, but it is not. Live the joy of Christ, continue to keep Him near and pray for each other and all those we serve.
Blessings,
Lynn
Tags: Calgary, Canada, Cross, Easter, L'Heureux, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, SVDP
