The Unprofitable Servant: Shaken, But Not Deterred

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Shaken, But Not Deterred

Sometimes, it's hard to see that line that separates doing what's right from crossing a boundary reserved for God alone. Admittedly, I am often fumbling along, hoping that I'm doing and saying the right thing. If I do all for the Glory of God and not for the sake of winning accolades for myself, I feel certain I'm on the right path. The rub is making sure what I'm doing really is for God's glory and not my own.

I have been struggling with the things I say to those who think I should just keep my mouth shut about abortion. I can never, ever stand in judgment of someone else. Nor can I abdicate what the church teaches about the sanctity of life for fear of offending someone. Sometimes the accusations are painful and at others, they're personal attacks that make me angry. If I respond in kind, I am no longer acting on behalf of the truth but on my own agenda. That can't happen, ever.

I have also been struggling with the prayers and novenas that I am asked to offer for others. Someone said to me the other day, in an almost accusatory tone: "Why does God always give you what you ask for?"

First off, that's misleading. My prayers are always answered, but they're not always answered in the way that I had hoped they would be. I simply don't ask God why. First off, He's probably not going to answer, at least not in this life and secondly, to ask would mean I did not have faith that He knows best. Once we surrender our will to His, it no longer matters why.

I was thinking today that I should not talk about praying for others, at the risk of sounding like a braggart of sorts. Some of the favors I have been granted made the hair on my neck to stand up and goosebumps to break out on my arms. This frightens me, not because I doubt the power of God, but because I might lose sight of the fact that I am a nothing, a shameless beggar standing with cap in hand, pleading with God to grant a favor. This was on my mind when I went to bed last night, as well as this morning at Mass. Then I heard today's Gospel from St. Mark and I thought how amazing it is when Scripture seems to speak so loudly, just when we need it.

Mark 9: 38 - 40
	John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us."
	But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.
	For he that is not against us is for us.

11 comments:

MannyFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:38 PM
God's will is complicated. We almost never get our way. I almost never pray for things or change the direction of events. I pray to glorify God and thank Him for his many blessings and no matter what may happen to continue to recieve His blessings.

I will never tolerate anyone that openingly supports abortion. Abortion is so wrong in every way. It feels so degrading just to hear about it.
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MannyFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:43 PM
Oh by the way. "Shaken, but not deterred"? What are you the James Bond of Catholic blogging. :-P
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KeystoneFebruary 23, 2011 at 11:47 PM
Her name is Emily. She is a teen with two younger siblings. Emily was born with Spina Bulfida.
The surgeries have been countless.
The pain worse.

Emily's mom, Shannon, proceeds through life always on duty for a child in pain, and working outside the home as well. Shannon and her spouse kept this child, raised her in pain, and now, go to surgery anew on Friday, February 25th, 2011.

Shannon said goodbye to her coworkers for the next several weeks. One coworker, who knows nothing of prayer, knows enough to blog and ask anyone who does know how to pray, please do so.
For Emily and Shannon and husband.
For the doctors and staff, and therapists.
And that Emily be released from this prison during this new surgery.....forever.

Given this post, I thought this would be a good spot to ask prayer for the above folks, and all their needs now, and needs to come, that coworkers and friends and doctors come to God in awe of what He will do.....because you asked Him.
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TLWFebruary 24, 2011 at 5:15 AM
Manny, that's why I aded the "but", because it struck me too after I posted it. I'm not that creative, believe me :-)

Keystone, certainly I will remember this family, and I'm sure those who read your comment will do so as well.
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Kathy Felsted UsherFebruary 24, 2011 at 5:32 AM
I'll add this to my prayers too.
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KellyFebruary 24, 2011 at 6:07 AM
I know the feeling of responsibility that cones with talking about such weighty issues, and doing so as a wanting/struggling/hoping/striving to be faithful Catholic. Prayer can't ever be a bad thing. Even the "worst" prayers are cries to God and count for something! Telling us about your answers to prayers is a WONDERFUL thing. (Rejoice with those that rejoice...) I'm sure if you told us about all the prayers you have no idea how they turned out, or didn't go ask requested, we would see the balance.

That said, Keystone--count mine in as well.

The name's Joyce. That's all, just Joyce. "Vodka martini. Plenty of ice, if you can spare it." lol
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Mary ChristineFebruary 24, 2011 at 6:19 AM
Sometimes I have gotten my way so much that it actually frightens me.

And Keystone, I will pray for this family too.
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KeystoneFebruary 24, 2011 at 6:54 PM
The ten lepers were healed after washing themselves.
One went back to see Jesus Christ and he said:
"Hey, I really wanna thank you for what you did for me".

But Jesus said:
"Were not ten of you healed?
Where are the other nine?"

I always love that story of Christ doing healing.
I asked prayers for healing too and many respond this day. But the above story reminds me to always be a "ten", never one of the "nine".

"So, I really wanna thank all of you for what you did for Emily and Shannon and family, by praying."
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TLWFebruary 24, 2011 at 7:03 PM
There is no point in having a Catholic blog if you don't put it to good use for the sake of others. Keystone, I prayed that if God does not see fit to take some of this family's pain away, that He will continue to give them the strength to bear whatever He sends them. I think He must love little Emily very much to allow her to have a share in His suffering.
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KeystoneFebruary 24, 2011 at 7:49 PM
Amen Amen Amen to what you say Joyce.
Though I specified the prayer, who and why, the spectrum of all of your prayers is hitting a much wider array of people than I have noted. God is at work on a soul involved.

There is much more to the story, but I can not break a confidence to tell it. We will all one day know precisely what happened as a result of these prayers, just not yet.

And I remain thankful that you and your audience responded to be a part of it.
One person in this event does not understand, nor believe, total strangers would pray for them.
The Holy Spirit is now on center stage in their life, working to tranform and renew, a fully grown child of God.

The person has no clue to the existence of this blog, or post, or prayers.
God will tell them.
Not me.
This is a good ending to a long day.
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TLWFebruary 24, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Thank you, Keystone, you are way too kind to me. I thank you for your honesty and for acting on behalf of this child and her family.
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Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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God Bless You!

The Unprofitable Servant

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Shaken, But Not Deterred

11 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross