Ready to Suffer?

     As I begin thinking, pondering St. John the Baptist and his martyrdom, I wondered about the root of this word so I did a word search. (Love to do these, they can really open up the meaning of things so much more sometimes)  The word Martyr comes from the Greek μάρτυς – (martus) which means "witness" and witness means one who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced.  


     If we are experiencing, hearing and seeing Jesus' love, mercy, forgiveness, comfort, healing, joy, peace, hope, truth and many more, then should we not be a witness to it, no matter the cost?  What if the cost is anger from others, rejection, being made fun of, put down, ignored, or even being dismissed?  Are we willing to follow our conscience and let go of our reputations for Christ our Bridegroom and the truths he has taught us?


     If we heed Jesus' many words about "No servant is greater than his master", (John 15:20-21)   Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12), then we can expect anger from others, rejection, being made fun of, put down, ignored, or even being dismissed. The key is not to take any of it personally...easier said than done I know. But through prayer and taking these "battle wounds" so to speak to Jesus in prayer, he can heal them up so we can keep going.


     Let us pray for St. John the Baptist's intercession as we be witnesses for Christ!


     

Mrs. T, Naturally: You were made for greatness!

Mrs. T, Naturally: You were made for greatness!: I like to have some fun around here, but there are some issues that are near and dear to my heart. Abortion. I have spoken on the subject ...

The Last Second Jesus

     As I read and prayed through the parable of the Ten Virgins several things came to mind. We will not go to heaven on someone else's spirituality and walk with God.  Yes, we all need a John the Baptist to point us in the right direction, but just like Andrew and James, after following Jesus, came back to John and asked the question,  "Is this the one whom you said you were not worthy to untie the strap on his sandal?  John said, "Go ask him yourself." He re-directed them out of love because he knew they needed to hear it for themselves from Jesus in order to have their faith strengthened.

      We have to be responsible for what we need in our faith journey and know where to go for it.  The key word, "Faith" which comes only from the Holy Spirit.  The extra oil that the five wise virgins brought spoke to me that when we know Jesus intimately we know that there will be times when it seems he may be slow in coming to us or a need we have, so what do we do?  It isn't running to someone else like the five virgins who did not come prepared, rather, it is like the five wise virgins, we get filled with more faith from the Source.  We ask for a "re-fill" if you will from the Holy Spirit to keep us going until Jesus comes. Their oil was about to run out but they re-filled their lamps and when Jesus came they were ready for the party and celebration that was going to last awhile!  They had gotten their "second wind."

     It was almost midnight in this parable and sometimes it seems as though Jesus is waiting to the last second in our lives and our situations but just like in this parable he did come as promised, so too will he in our lives.  It may not be in our timing, but he will come. The five wise virgins had brought extra oil.  This tells me these five not only knew who Jesus was, but they knew him intimately because they came prepared. It is up to us to be prepared. To keep ourselves filled with the burning oil of the Holy spirit in faith at all times and in every situation.

    In my own prayer,  I found myself asking, "What kind of oil do I have?"  "Is it enough?"  "Do I need an oil change?"  "Am I dependent upon anyone else other than Jesus in my faith journey?"  If so, why?"  Where in my faith do I not trust Jesus enough and why?"  "I know who Jesus is, but how well do I really "know" him?"
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Waiting for the Return

In light of today's Gospel I decided this is too beautiful not to share. I did some research about the traditional Jewish wedding in the time of Jesus and I was so touched.

     The perspective Bridegroom would travel to the perspective Bride's house and discuss with her father a dowry.  Once they can to an agreement, the perspective Bride would come out and the Bridegroom would fill a chalice with wine.  He would then pray a "Bethrothal Blessing" over this chalice of wine and he and the Bride would share it.  This, according to Law of Moses, was the official wedding.
     The Bridegroom would then leave his Bride and go back to his fathers house to prepare a "Bridal Suite" and this usually would take up to one year.  Meanwhile, the Bride would be preparing her Bridal Trousseau (Hope Chest).  She would go out during the day, with a veil on, so others would know she was married. She would stay home during the night because this was traditionally when the Bridegroom would come. Neither she or her Bridegroom knew when that would be. The Bridegroom's father would be the one to tell his son when it was time to go and get his Bride.
     When the time came for this, the Bridegroom would gather his wedding party and carrying forms of light, would proceed to his Bride's house.  When they were still a little ways off they would make noise to alert her the Bridegroom was on his way. The Bride would then gather her wedding party and await his arrival.  Custom was that her family and friends would turn their heads to allow the Bride groom to "sneak in and steal her."
     The party would then process back to the Bridegroom's father's house and the couple would enter the Bridal Suite.  Once the consummation had taken place, the Bridegroom would either come to the door or give some kind of signal to his best man letting him know. The couple remained in the Bridal Suite for seven days.  The Bridegroom had previously prepare it with all of their needs. The wedding party and the rest of the guest would go to the other part of the house and they too would party for seven days.
    After seven days the Bridegroom and Bride would come out of the Bridal Suite, the Bridegroom presenting his new Bride to everyone.  Then everyone would join the festivities.
     Does it all sound familiar?  John 14:2-3, " ...I go to my Father's house to prepare you a place..."  Matthew 25:36, " But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father alone."  Matthew 24:42-43, "Jesus said to his disciples: "Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.  The Bride was prepared!
     I don't know about you, but this stirred up some really deep emotions in my heart.  And with yesterday's readings, the first one in Revelation 21:9, "Come here and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb", I begin to feel the deep longing that the Bride, while waiting up to a year, must feel about her Bridegroom!
     It made me realize and look at how, as the Bride, am I preparing for the return of my Bridegroom?  What am I placing in my Bridal Trousseau? Am I being faithful to my Bridegroom while he is not physically with me? Am I living in such a way that others know I am the Bride of the Lamb?
     Isn't it so beautiful how we know theologically the Church is the Bride, but yet, on a spiritual level, it also is each one of us individually. We not only have to look at ourselves as the Bride, but the Church as a whole, as Bride and what are we doing for our Bridegroom?  I love Scared Scripture!  It is so deep, rich and living.
     This also has so much more meaning to me.  Most of you know my situation of being a Religious Sister in a community that was suppressed. It has been very hard to let go of that life.  God has asked me to make this a "year" of discernment as He is preparing that special place for me to be with Him, whatever and wherever that may be.
     I thank all of you for your past support in prayers for me and ask for your continued prayers as I wait upon the Lord in this year of discernment.