“But the souls of the righteous are
in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them… Having been
disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and
found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like
a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
In the time of their visitation
they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble.” Wisdom 3:1, 5-7
I never would have thought a year
ago that God would call me to be doing what I’m doing today. It started with some new friends that joined
our parish, and who attended the Women’s ACTS (Adoration, Community, Theology, Service) retreat. I did not attend the retreat this time, but I
was blessed to get to know several of the women who experienced it.
I was used to being involved with
ministries inside our parish, like being a member of the choir, being a lector,
and being a catechist for RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). I was comfortable with the people I already
knew, and the ways in which we ministered to one another in the Name of our
Lord Jesus. I wasn’t looking for a
change, but my Lord showed me that it was time for me to step out in faith.
One of my new friends invited me to
a Catholic Charismatic Mass at the CCCR (Catholic Center for Charismatic
Renewal.) I just about jumped out of my
skin! I had not been to a Catholic
Charismatic Mass for fifteen years, even though I grew up going to weekly
Catholic Charismatic prayer meetings with my mom, since 8th grade,
and continued to go to them in college, and after I got married.
I grew up praying out loud, singing
praise and worship music, and using the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In God’s holy wisdom, for the past fifteen
years, He took me out of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. I missed the weekly meetings terribly, but
there were many areas of my life that I needed to pay attention to, and offer
up to God for healing, so that I could grow closer to Him.
Some of the things I learned during this time were humility; growing in
my relationship with Mary, my holy Mother of God; learning to pray the rosary
and the Divine Mercy Chaplet; to love and adore my Lord at Eucharistic
Adoration; to meditate on God’s Word through Lectio Divina; and to work hard at
loving my husband, communicating better with him, and having a better
relationship with him.
This past year my Lord has brought
me back into the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
I have been so blessed and blown away!
I wanted so badly to start a prayer meeting at our parish, but the
timing wasn’t right yet. Instead, the
Lord has been sending me and my new friends into people’s homes to start little
prayer meetings, and spread the fire of His Love.
Jesus said to his disciples, “All power
in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
At first, going into people’s homes felt
out of my comfort zone, and definitely out of my shell. I had to learn to rely completely upon Jesus
and Mary, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I constantly wondered what my husband would
think. I was worried that I would
neglect my family if I spent too much time ministering away from home.
One night I was praying about this, and
Mary spoke to my heart. She said, “Say
YES! to God, like I did.” Later, Jesus
spoke to my heart. He said, “I make a
way!” Encouraged, I said yes to God, and
I trusted in Jesus to make a way for me to do His Will. I placed my faith in their beautiful words to
me. I stopped worrying about how I was
going to get everything done. God is in
control of my life. I will accomplish
everything He has planned for me to do.
Lord, I want, “…to do what your hand and
[your] will long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord…enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness,
as you stretch forth [your] hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Acts 4:28-30
“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts
of Your faithful and enkindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Send forth Your Spirit, and we shall be
created. And You shall renew the face of
the earth!” The Holy Spirit is
represented by fire, and fills us with an unquenchable, burning love.
Is God calling you to be a fire
starter? Is God asking you to spread the
Fire of His Love? Jesus is our Light,
and my new friends and I truly feel like sparks running through the
stubble. My prayer is that you allow
Jesus to ignite you with the Fire of His Love and Light, and come
run with Him! Praise God!
