Handmaids of Mercy

Irony in Egypt: A Guy named Joseph, his brothers and God's Mercy

2009-07-11T00:03:39-04:00

Thursday June 9, 2009

This morning I woke up just before the Divine Mercy hour of 3:00am, I couldn't sleep, partially due to crazy dreams I was having and definitely because I believe that Jesus was calling me to prayer and contemplation. I looked up today's scripture readings and there before me was the story of the mercy of Joseph upon his seemingly unscrupulous and merciless brothers. I speak of the Old Testament Joseph, the coat of many colors Joseph. The same Joseph whose story has been made into the popular and entertaining musical entitled, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" and for good reason, not only was his dream coat amazing, his life was as well! This is the Joseph that was given the gift of interpreting dreams. Boy could I use his expertise about now!

Jealousy, Envy and Hatred

To refresh your memory, the story of Joseph goes like this. Joseph is the favored son of Jacob, the most beloved of all of his twelve sons. He is Jacob's eleventh son, but the first born son of Jacob's beloved Rachel, who was barren for many years. Rachel only has one other son with Jacob, Benjamin who is born after Joseph. At the age of sixteen, Joseph is helping his brothers tend sheep when he witnesses some of them commit a "most wicked crime" and informs his father of what his brothers have done. This does not sit well with his ten older brothers and when Jacob gives Joseph a beautiful coat made of many colors they become even more jealous of Jacob. God sends Jacob two dreams which he shares with his father and brothers which clearly predict a future where they will "bow down" to him. This certainly didn't help the situation as the brothers envied and despised Joseph all the more. Scripture states that the brothers "hated him and could not speak peaceably to him".

Jacob decides to send the young Joseph to check on his brothers who are tending the sheep. When the brothers see Joseph coming they remark mockingly, "Behold, the dreamer cometh!" They then suggest to one another that they should kill him, throw his body in a deep pit and tell everyone he was devoured by a wild beast, using a blood stained coat of many colors as proof. BUT WAIT! Brother Reuben sees an opportunity for some personal praise from Dad. He suggests that they not kill Joseph, but just throw him in the pit. He secretly schemes to be the hero in his father's eyes by planning to rescue Joseph from the pit later and undoubtedly with great pomp and circumstance present Joseph to their father as being rescued by the caring and wonderful Reuben himself!

As soon as poor, young, defenseless Joseph approaches his brothers, they strip him of his garments and throw him into the pit! The brothers then sit down to eat and as they are eating see a caravan of Ishmaelites in the distance. Brother Judah suggests that they not kill Joseph, but sell him into slavery. The brothers receive twenty pieces of silver in exchange for their innocent brother and return to their much grieved father with a bloody coat of many colors, which of course had been staged by the conniving brothers.

Temptation, Obedience and Grace

The Ishmaelites sold Joseph to Putiphar, a eunuch of the Pharaoh. Putiphar was good to Joseph and Joseph brought many blessings to Putiphar's house and estate by the grace of God. All was going well until Putiphar's wife took a liking to young Joseph and tried to seduce him. He refused her adulterous advances over and over again out of fidelity to his master and to God. This infuriates Putiphar's wife and she schemes to pay Joseph back for his rejection by telling her husband that Joseph tried to attack her. Putiphar becomes angry and throws poor Joseph into prison. "But the Lord was with Joseph, and having mercy upon him gave him favour in the sight of the chief keeper of the prison." (Genesis 29:31)

While in prison, it so happens that the Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker are also thrown into prison. They both have dreams and Jacob interprets the dreams for them. The butler fares well. Jacob tells him that in three days, the Pharaoh will reinstate him in his position. The baker, however does not get good news and is told by Joseph, that he will be executed in three days' time. When Joseph's predictions come true, the baker is killed and the butler goes on about his position with no further thought of Joseph!

TWO YEARS later, however; the Pharaoh's nights are disturbed by many unexplainable dreams. He summons all the interpreters, but none can explain his odd dreams. The chief butler recalls how Joseph had interpreted his dream several years ago and tells the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh summons Joseph and remarks to him "...I have dreamed dreams and there is no one that can expound them; now I have heard that thou art very wise at interpreting them." Joseph humbly replies, "WITHOUT ME, GOD will give Pharaoh a prosperous answer." I just love this line of scripture! Joseph fully realizes that he is not wise or great or wonderful but only accomplishes great, wise and wonderful things by the grace of God working through him in obedience to the plan God has for him.

Glory, Honor, and Praise used wisely

The Pharaoh was greatly pleased that Joseph could not only interpret his dreams but could also advise him wisely as to what to do for Egypt. In appreciation, he gives Joseph a ring, silky garments and the title of governor over the land of Egypt. Ironically, the Pharaoh announces to the entire country that they are to "bow down" before Joseph! Can you imagine, this lowly Hebrew shepherd boy, so unjustly treated by his own brothers and his own master rising to the position of second only to the Pharaoh?

I bet Putiphar's wife was shaking in her boots at the prospect of Joseph using his power in repaying her for her lies and adulterous schemes which led to his imprisonment! But, as you might suspect according to what you already have learned about Joseph's character, there is nothing in scripture that states that he took revenge on her in any way. I would imagine her fear at retribution was enough punishment.

Joseph had instructed the Pharaoh that there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He had the Egyptians store up food to meet the needs of the people during the years of famine. People came from all over seeking to buy food from the Egyptians....even TEN Hebrew brothers, the sons of Jacob.

Joseph has a few tricks up his tunic!

Yes, the wise old patriarch Jacob sent his ten oldest sons to Egypt for food, keeping the youngest, Benjamin at home because he worried greatly about something happening to him during the journey. The brothers arrive before Joseph, but do not recognize him although Joseph immediately knows them. Joseph quickly accuses them of being spies posing as sons of the same father. They assure him that they are all brothers of the same father and tell Joseph that they have a younger brother at home and one that is "no longer living". Joseph tells his brothers that he does not believe them, that they can take the food back to their father, but that one brother must stay in Egypt, imprisoned until the other brothers return with young Benjamin as proof to what they say.

The brothers leave to go tell their father and discover that their bags are full of food, but that their money has been left inside. This causes them even deeper concern as they wonder if they will now be accused of stealing the food without paying for it. The truth was that Joseph had instructed his servants to return the money to each bag before his brothers departed.

Their elderly father, Jacob does not want his sons to take Benjamin to Egypt but relents and swears that he will die if they do not return Benjamin safely to him. The brothers return to Joseph in Egypt with Benjamin in tow. They present Benjamin to Joseph. Joseph agrees to once again fill his brothers' sacks and let them return to their father, but there is a twist. Joseph instructs his servant to place a gold goblet in Benjamin's bag. Joseph then releases the brothers to go home without revealing his identity, but before they get too far, he sends his servants to cease them, inspect their bags and find the "stolen" goblet, which of course was not stolen but placed there at Joseph's direction. Joseph's servant tells the brothers that they must return to Joseph. Joseph is eager to see what his brothers will do.

Repentance, Mercy, Forgiveness and Peace

When the brothers return to the palace, Joseph informs them that Benjamin must stay to be punished for stealing from him. Brother Reuben explains to Joseph how their father, Jacob would be devastated to lose a second son after he had lost a son already. Reuben pleads with Joseph to take him in place of Benjamin and to let the boy return to his father. Joseph is overwhelmed with his brother's sacrificial offering and reveals to his brothers that he is Joseph, the brother sold into slavery.

So, after all these years of being separated from his brothers and suffering as a result of their schemes and decisions, what does Joseph do when he sees that his brothers are truly sorry, truly repentant and willing to do the right thing to save Benjamin? Does he pay them back for their injustice? Absolutely not. He lavishes them with riches, he brings them with honor before the Pharaoh and they are blessed abundantly by having all their needs met.

Do we make the best of second chances?

Joseph shows great mercy because when his brothers were given a second chance, they rose to the occasion by being heartily sorry for their actions and doing the right thing. Reuben, acted selfishly in the case of Joseph. Although he prevented Joseph from being killed by his brothers, his own self-interest was his motivation. He wanted to spare Joseph's life for a very selfish purpose, to be praised by his father for Joseph's safe return. But, years later when Benjamin is faced with imprisonment and slavery, Reuben makes a self-less decision and offers his own life in Benjamin's place.

Who ever said the bible is boring? The stories are timeless and purposeful and there is so much we can learn from its contents when we delve into it. I think it is very likely that this one story would touch a nerve in just about anyone that read it! The bible is the LIVING WORD, it is not dead, it is not outdated, it is NOT irrelevant, but rather God's words to us. When we pray for grace, wisdom and understanding before approaching God's word, He feeds us spiritually and emotionally from what we read. As the scripture says, "For man does not live by bread alone, but on every WORD that comes from the mouth of God" Matthew 4:4

How many times are we given a second chance to redeem ourselves for our past mistakes. When given a second chance to step up and do the right thing and make a self-less sacrifice, do we react as Joseph's brothers did or do we continue to make the same selfish decisions? God's mercy is infinite and that is definitely bigger than any of our mistakes, past or present. We must know how to respond when we feel the urge to change our hearts and our actions, in order to know how to respond, we must learn how to respond. We learn how to respond through prayerful consumption of the Word of God. We just have to go to Him with a humble and contrite heart and offer him our pain, our suffering, our misgivings, our mistakes and our sins. You will hear His voice, He will speak to you in His time and according to His plan. Then you will be able to bathe in the ocean of His infinite mercies and know what He asks of you in order to fulfill His plan. Joseph had this closeness to God.

Just think how differently this story would have turned out, had Joseph plotted to escape from his captors and seek revenge on his brothers! What gifts they would have all missed out on.

Mary Kidd Flemming blogs for The Handmaids of Mercy which is dedicated to spreading the Divine Mercy Message while documenting her spiritual journey as the wife of John and mother to six blessings, three of which have serious health issues including Ewing's Sarcoma Bone Cancer, Diabetes Type I and Auto-Immune Liver Disease.

Prepare for Pentecost: Novena to the Holy Spirit May 22- May 30 2009

2009-05-22T15:42:44-04:00

Please join me in praying this novena (nine day prayer) for our family's special intentions and add any of your own as well. Thank-you, Mary

Pentecost Novena

May 22 - 30

A novena is made up of nine days of prayers for a special cause. The Novena in honor of the Holy Spirit is the most ancient of all Novenas. It was the first one ever prayed. It recalls the period of nine days where Jesus sent his apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This wonderful Novena is addressed to the Holy Spirit and can be a powerful way for us to prepare to receive the light, strength and courage we need.

Come Holy Spirit, Come!

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Amen.

(To be recited daily during the Novena)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

(To be recited daily during the Novena)

FIRST DAY

Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming radiance give!

The Holy Spirit

Only one thing is important -- eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared -- sin. Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for "The Spirit helps our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asks for us."

Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us your sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

SECOND DAY

Come, Father of the poor; Come, treasures which endure; Come, Light of all that live!

The Gift of Fear

The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin. It is a fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence and filial submission to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us from God. "They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls."

Prayer

Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God, before my face forever, help me to shun all things that can offend You, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of Your Divine Majesty in heaven, where You live and reign in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God world without end. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

THIRD DAY

Thou, of all consolers best, Visiting the troubled breast, Dost refreshing peace bestow.

The Gift of Piety

The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect for His sake persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labor.

Prayer

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein such a love for God, that I may find satisfaction only in His service, and for His sake lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

FOURTH DAY

Thou in toil art comfort sweet, Pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe.

The Gift of Fortitude

By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy which move it to undertake without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved."

Prayer

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from you, my God and greatest good. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

FIFTH DAY

Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit Thou these hearts of Thine, And our inmost being fill!

The Gift of Knowledge

The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth -- in their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out their only true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. "Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesses it."

Prayer

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for your glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to You, and Thy eternal rewards. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

SIXTH DAY

If Thou take Thy grace away, nothing pure in man will stay, All his good is turned to ill.

The Gift of Understanding

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. By faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to "walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

SEVENTH DAY

Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour Thy dew, Wash the stains of guilt away.

The Gift of Counsel

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duties as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. "Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct your way in truth."

Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

EIGHTH DAY

Bend the stubborn heart and will, melt the frozen, warm the chill. Guide the steps that go astray!

The Gift of Wisdom

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written "all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Savior: "Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light."

Prayer

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for ever. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

NINTH DAY

Thou, on those who evermore Thee confess and Thee Adore, in Thy sevenfold gifts descend; Give them comfort when they die; Give them life with Thee on high; Give them joys which never end. Amen.

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign.

Prayer

Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits, Thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

How do we know God's will for us? A faith journey towards a living faith.

2009-05-19T00:11:44-04:00

How do we know God's will for us? Discernment is not an easy road to travel. Somewhere between the path God has set for us and the path we rationalize in our minds as our "own" steps to get from A to B, we must have the desire to move closer to His will. Imagine two paths, one straight and narrow and the other ascending, descending and moving in horizontal and even diagonal directions at times. The first path, the one chosen by God. The second the path of nearly every human being that has walked the face of the earth. Even some of the greatest saints, St. Augustine and St. Francis of Assisi wrestled with their own will and the will of God. Due to original sin, our paths are no longer straight and narrow, but characterized by not only straying off of God's path but sometimes even turning our backs completely on it and going in the opposite direction for years, even decades.

So how do we know God's will for us?

In order to know God's will, we must know God.

Nowadays, I find it remarkable how many people profess to "know" God. Yet, the God they know is one they often create in their own minds, based on what ever suits their current situation. They've invested absolutely no time in finding Him, yet they profess to know him in their hearts. For example, "Well, the God I know is love. I love my boyfriend more than any guy I've ever been with. I know we belong together, that is why we chose to live together." They justify their behavior and find a God in their minds that accepts and even endorses that behavior. As a side note, I even had someone suggest to someone I know that I was no different than they were, because I "lived" with my husband BEFORE marriage just as they are living with their own boyfriend before "possible" marriage. The fact that I was invited to move in with my in-laws because of a better job market in the area where they lived and that I shared a room and a bed with my husband's sister for goodness sake, made no difference in this person's rationale! I suppose the fact that we both technically lived together with our boyfriends somehow made her feel better about herself. The fact is there is no difference in God's love for her and for me. The difference is in our choices, which is more pleasing to God is the question. Another example might be someone saying, "The God I know loves unconditionally, that means that I can do ANYTHING I want and God will love me no matter what so everyone else should do the same. That is all that really matters. Whose to tell me that anything I chose to do is morally right or wrong?"

There are absolute truths in the universe. There is right and there is wrong. There is good and there is bad. Everything in the course of salvation history shows us what God deems good and what he deems evil. He lets us know, precisely because He loves us enough to sacrifice His only son for us. The scriptures convey the story of God's people from before any human being was even created. They also tell the story of God's great love and mercy in the stories of the Old Testament figures. The New Testament tells of the new covenant God has with his people through Jesus, his son, God himself come to earth. The words and actions of Jesus, tell us how to recognize and know God.

The saints take the scriptures and feed upon them in order to model their own lives from them. The saints also spent time reflecting on the events of their lives and striving to surrender their will to God. The great church fathers provide us with additional information on how to know God. The Magisterium of the Catholic Church has given us the Catechism and the Compendium (both reference scriptures and the works of church fathers and saints). Then, we have the Pope, who is infallible on issues of faith who gives us wonderful, timely encyclicals to further guide us.

So, if you want to know God, it looks like you have to spend some time reading his word. You don't have to attempt to interpret it, the Magisterium gives you guidance in the catechism through the wisdom of generations of scriptural and theological scholars.

In order to know God, we must participate daily in the process of getting to know Him.

The Catholic church teaches that prayer and the sacraments are God given gifts that aid us in knowing God personally.

A daily prayer life is one of the best things to draw you closer to God. Conversing with God may seem at first, a one-sided process, with you doing all the talking, but sooner or later, you will begin to hear God. It might not be an audible voice, but you may hear him in some other way. It could be in your experiences with others, something you hear during mass or in the words of a loved one. He will speak to your heart if you give him a chance. If you have difficulty praying, as many people do, there are many beautiful prayers that are easily accessible through the internet as a starting point. The important thing is to give it a try and then stick with it.

The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church include, baptism, penance (confession), First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick. Each of these sacraments prepare us to know God better. Baptism cleanses us from original sin. Penance allows us to review the daily choices that we are making, confess our faults and be forgiven of them. Our slate is wiped clean so we can begin again with a new heart. First Communion allows us to receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, to tell you the truth, there is no more personal relationship than that! The Eucharist transforms us body, mind and soul to be like Christ. Confirmation (one of my favorites, because I am a confirmation teacher), is when we confirm our faith in the Holy Catholic Church. It is a time when a young person, or adult chooses the Catholic Church for him/herself. At Baptism, your parents chose the church for you. At Confirmation, you chose it for yourself. You receivethe Holy Spirit at Confirmation which is an invaluable gift that sets your heart on fire for God. Marriage and Holy Orders are both vocations which lead to a closer knowledge of God. And finally Anointing of the Sick is an invaluable sacrament, I know its remarkable benefits, because two of my six children have received this sacrament due to grave illness. What a gift all the sacraments are to us, if you haven't received all you are eligible for, it is time to look into that.

The Faith Journey: Surrendering your free will, reading scripture, using the Magisterium's Guidance, reflecting on the lives of the Saints, Praying throughout each day and participating in the Sacraments... a plan for salvation....but you must have a living faith.

These are my suggestions based on my own personal faith journey, yet I realize that we can do all these things and still place our souls in jeopardy. We must guard against being a good student of all of these things the church offers without having a living faith. A living faith to me, means striving daily to not only know all this information but to try to live it out.

Loving your neighbor as yourself, for example, sometimes requires doing the very difficult, enraging and even in extreme circumstances, separating you from those you are called to love. We must chose God above all else. God does not expect us, in my opinion, to continue to beat our heads against brick walls if others do not accept us along with our desire to serve God.

We are called to forgive, because God tells us that He has forgiven us, so therefore we, as Christians, must forgive others for wrongdoings. If we forgive, it does not mean that the other person was right, it just means that God has given us the grace to do what we feel in our hearts is impossible, forgiving our trespasses. When we forgive, we are given freedom from the chains of resentment and anger and we have a peace that surpasses all others, we also are merciful towards the other party because we are not binding their sins.

Loving our enemies, which sometimes may seem like our very own families or friends, means praying for them daily and harboring no resentment towards them. When those feelings start to bubble up, then it is time to search once again for God's will by accepting His amazing grace in both discerning and doing His will. His mercy is greater than our sins. We can come back to Him, begging forgiveness and mercy over and over again. That is my God. That is a living faith, and that, I believe is God's will for us all.

"The world with its seductions is passing away but the man who does God's will endures forever" (1 Jn 2:17).

Mary Kidd Flemming blogs for The Handmaids of Mercy , The Splendor of Truth and The Compass Rose (Parenting and Family Life Issues). You may also enjoy her husband's website: Crossroads Family Center The Flemming Family is facing the greatest challenge of their lives as three of their six kids have health issues and were all diagnosed within an eighth month period. The children's illnesses include: Auto-Immune Liver Disease, Type I Diabetes (insulin dependent), and Ewing's Sarcoma (a form of bone cancer). This has been an incredible journey of faith for the Flemming Family. While they don't fully understand why any of this happened to their children, they place their trust and faith totally in God's goodness. By sharing their faith journey, their hope is that other people will be drawn closer to The Holy Trinity (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit). It is Mary's great hope that the sufferings of her children and family will be received by God for the conversion of souls. JESUS, WE TRUST in YOU!

The Feast of The Annunciation 2009

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Answering God's Call with a YES or a NO

Today is the Feast Day of the Annunciation in the Catholic Church. It celebrates the Virgin Mary's perfect YES to God.

As I was reading my meditations today, I was struck by the following quote and the idea of the significance of our response to the “visitors” often masked but purposeful that God places before us. Tertullian writes, “As Eve had believed the serpent, so Mary believed the angel. The delinquency which the one occasioned by believing, the other by believing effaced.”

Both Eve and Mary were “visited” and an announcement was made to each of them. Eve and Mary were visited by the perfect visual personifications of evil and goodness. Eve was visited by the serpent and Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel. As Tertullian notes, Eve was “delinquent” in her belief, believing what was announced to her, that she could defy God’s command…and it led her to unbelief or in other words, faithLESSness.

What exactly does the word delinquent mean? According to Merriam-Webster, delinquent is a Latin derivative meaning “ to fail, to offend or to neglect one’s duty or the law “. Eve failed God. She offended his infinite goodness in doubting his never ending love and care for her. Eve neglected her duty to serve God by obeying his laws. She was faithless in believing that God’s laws were NOT for her own protection. She was enticed by the serpent who assured her that she could eat from the tree and it would be to her benefit to do so, for she would become “like a God”, in charge of her destiny, making her own decisions, securing a magnificent future full of the very “knowledge” she’d been denied….or so she thought.

Mary on the other hand was not delinquent in her faithful response. She did not desire anything but to be faithful to her God. Unlike her ancestor Eve, Mary humbly and without delay, answers the Angel Gabriel announcement of God’s will with, "I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to thy word." Mary was victorious in answering God’s call. She pleased Him with her answer. She fulfilled her duty and the law given to Moses by God, to have no other God’s before Him……choosing not to place herself above God’s call.

My Mission of Mercy: God takes me to Cyber-Nigeria

For years, I have struggled through life more with as many Eve moments as Mary moments. I’ve had periods of fear and doubt that have crippled me. I’ve also had periods of self reliance that have nearly done me in. I realized a few years ago, that I most definitely had TRUST issues as a result of circumstances beyond my control. I also came to the personal revelation that I had a choice to make, to stubbornly be delinquent to God’s call or to meet Him right where I am, as I am, with a big, humble YES to whatever He asked of me, completely abandoning myself to complete TRUST in HIM alone. It wasn’t an instantaneous revelation, oh no, I’m much too stubborn for that! This has been a gradual revelation for me over the course of many years.

“I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.” was the inspiration for this blog, The Handmaids of Mercy, which I actually began working on in the spring of 2007, months before any of our children were diagnosed with health issues. The purpose was to spread the Divine Mercy Message, “Jesus, I TRUST in YOU” while chronicling our journey of faith with all its events and “visitors” (little did I know we would have to TRUST such visitors as Diabetes, Liver Disease and Cancer) as a family on the Handmaid’s blog.

I prayed fervently that God would use me, in any way He saw fit to spread His message….be careful what you ask for, as God will always be faithful to your requests if your requests are in accordance with His will. I was simply hoping to one day offer events , seminars and publications to assist families in their own faith journeys. I was just asking for a “little material, a little inspiration” to write about on my blog at the time!

I was blessed to make the cyber-acquaintance of a Nigerian Seminarian, Brother Patrick Omeh, almost two years ago when he visited my website. He is also devoted to Divine Mercy and my husband, John and I have been able to send him supplies for evangelization. My hope was to one day have other handmaids join me in my efforts and serve others with acts of mercy.

This is Brother Patrick actually passing out the DM supplies that I sent him.

Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the rustic church.

My Hope for the Future

My hope remains the same today, in spite of the upcoming demands of our daughter's impending radiation and physical therapy and our son's potential surgery to receive a diabetic pump, coupled with the demands of motherhood. I pray often, asking God for wisdom, discernment and direction as to how I can better serve Him. This morning while reading my meditations, I was completely surprised that today was the Feast of the Annunciation! I’ve not been paying very close attention to details these days, at least not details unassociated with medical jargon. I was overwhelmed with what I believe to be a call from the Holy Spirit.

It seemed clear to me, after prayer that God had chosen the Feast Day of the Annunciation to call me back to my goals for Handmaids. I’ve been waiting for some direction and was certainly not expecting anything regarding an answer to my prayers this particular morning. That is the way God speaks to me….it always seems to be either tiny nudges that won’t go away or an unexpected turn of my head, like a parent stating, “Look at me when I’m talking to you” turning my face towards “the light” during prayer. I believe that the Feast of the Annunciation is the appropriate time to “announce” my need for other women to join me as founding members of Handmaids of Mercy. So, as you log in today, to visit this blog, we have both an announcement and a request.

I recently received an email from Br. Patrick requesting more materials to be distributed to the sick and the poor, as he and other seminarians will be visiting remote villages spreading the message of God’s love and mercy. God’s visitors and heralds, indeed!

Women of all faiths are invited to join Handmaids and families, wishing to be Families of Mercy are welcome as well. You certainly do not have to be Catholic to become a member. Membership is simple. You just have to be dedicated to knowing, loving and serving the Lord in your daily interactions with others. Fortunately for me, I’m married to a very special guy who has agreed to form a partnership between Handmaids of Mercy and his business, Crossroads Professional Counseling and Family Life Center to let me use his conference room for special events. I have no planned meetings, agendas or events at this time in 2009 and I assure you it is highly unlikely anything would be offered before the Fall of this year. He also has the capability of doing e-seminars and podcasts for our blog audiences!

I’m not a “meeting” kinda gal… WE, (John and I) hope to instead offer seminars, book discussions , podcasts, an e-newsletter and special events concentrating on specialized areas of interest for women and men of faith, and living faith for families, once our lives return to some normalcy. Handmaids members and their families will also receive any information about any parenting or family related seminars being offered by Crossroads. We truly want our faith journey to help others and it is our goal to continue to offer as much as we can FREE to the public, as we have in the past.

If you would like to become a member, please visit scroll down on the left of the homepage, you will see a Paypal Donation button. I am asking that anyone interested in becoming a member of The Handmaids of Mercy, donate a small fee of $10.00 and you will be enrolled as a Founding Member or Family. This membership fee will be used exclusively for the purchase of religious materials to be sent to Brother Patrick in Nigeria as his need is quite urgent. The great blessing is that Nigerians can read English, the great burden is that shipping to Nigeria is quite expensive as I’ve learned in the past. In the “note” area provided, please include your name and email and/or physical address so that I can place you on our mailing list.

John and I have both had the desire to work together once our youngest child goes off to school. Very soon our life will again return to the “managed chaos” (as our friend Mary McPhillips has loving referred to it), that it once was. Your assistance in growing the Handmaids of Mercy through membership will only help our family move forward in what we feel is God’s call for us as a family, to share our journey as a living example of God’s presence in our lives, and our struggle to know Him, love Him and serve Him above all else.

My next blog entry will be dedicated to the continuation of the discussion of the nos and yeses to God, as well as the schemes and plots found in the bible.

The Grand Scheme of Things

2009-03-20T00:29:38-04:00

The Grand Scheme of Things

Ecclesiastes 7:29 "Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes."

"The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man." - Introduction to the Book of Job, G.K. Chesterton

The Theme of Scheme

The “theme of scheme” has become a reoccurring theme during the course of the last year as our normal routine has become all but normal and our children have struggled with trying to find their way in the midst of difficult uncertainties. Each of our children definitely takes their turn trying their hand at scheming to get what they want , when they want it.

I know that it is developmentally appropriate behavior for children to experiment with diverse methods for getting what they want, but it can become very complicated when there are six children taking their turn at the scheming. The normal dilemmas include getting more of some special food than another, springing social events on us at the last minute , and getting something from one parent when the other parent already told you “no”. Recently, we’ve even been dealing with not telling the truth about a glucometer reading in order to get a desired outcome… extra carbs or going home “sick” from school!

A good portion of my interaction with my six children is spent unraveling their interwoven schemes… whose being truthful and who is not, who has an ulterior motive and who does not and who is manipulating the situation and who is not. Coming to the realization that your child is “manipulating” a situation or “scheming” for a desired outcome, can be troublesome.

Walking the Tightrope

As a parent, I liken it to leading your little ducklings on a tightrope that leads to the height of your aspirations for them, when suddenly the tightrope goes from a taut straight line ascending to the heights of good behavior to a sudden limp and unstable fall to the depths of shaky or even bad behavior. Sometimes as parents, we have to even allow them to fall from the tightrope, when they are dangling perilously close to the bottom, yet be prepared to be the netting that keeps them from hitting the ground. When this undesired behavior happens, I often have a physical reaction---my heart sinks—I recall learning a few lessons as a teenager about making “sneaky” ,“dishonest” or “manipulative” choices in life, and admittedly, when my kids are sneaky, dishonest or manipulative, it brings to the forefront those uneasy feelings once again. Pondering how we want to approach this behavior with our children is a healthy thing, and remembering our own falls from grace makes us more merciful in giving consequence.

We know that teaching our children to evaluate their mistakes or poor choices, and most importantly, to take ownership of them is not only a rite of passage leading to better decision making abilities, but it is also an opportunity for our family to grow closer together. Teaching our kids that we all make mistakes and we all have to evaluate them and accept responsibility for them naturally leads to making reparations for our mistakes as well. Taking responsibility for your actions, builds an environment of trust….trust that you will be forgiven when you ask for forgiveness and that you will forgive when asked for forgiveness.

The Element of Trust

There is one thing I know for certain, we don’t want manipulative behavior and half-baked schemes to continue into adulthood. It is so sad to encounter an adult that has never learned any other way of dealing with the events of their life than falsehoods and manipulation of people or situations.

We want our children to learn to be truthful, straight-forward, honest, civil , and respectful in their dealings with others while imploring a certain assertiveness if necessary. We want them to understand that strategy is acceptable behavior, “scheming” however; at the cost of virtue or at the cost of someone else’s human dignity is not acceptable, in our book. We want them to realize that God has a personal plan for each of them, and that the sooner they learn to TRUST in His goodness and plans for them, the sooner they will achieve true freedom of choice, which is the freedom to choose to accept God ‘s plan for us over any desires of our own.

Trust is a timeless issue for humanity. There are countless stories of promises and covenants in the bible, all requiring the element of trust. There are also countless stories of the consequences of breeches of trust, manipulation and ill contrived schemes.

In my next blog, I will explore some of the schemes, manipulations and breeches of trust found in the bible. These stories are a great treasury for parents needing examples of bad behavior, poor choices and their consequences.