Nine Fruit of The Holy Spirit Picture by Sandy Swartz
(Look closely and you will see the Nine Fruit of The Holy Spirit)
Our Blog is Inspired by The Holy Spirit
Optional Memorial of Saint Pontian, Pope and Martyr, and Saint Hippolytus, Priest and Martyr
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white-robed army of martyrs praise you
Emphasis mine. Alleluia: See Te Deum
Many years ago, at Daily Mass, I learned about White Martyrdom.
We all have heard of Red Martyrs, and if I were to be Martyred, I know that I will be with Jesus. It’s interesting that the Catholic and Christian Churches were built by Martyrs.
Jesus was Martyred on the Cross, so we should expect no less, and yet we are blessed to live in a society where physical Martyrdom doesn’t for the most part exist. We are talking for the most part, because I read a news story years back about a gay man who was crucified. I believe he was Christian because they Crucified him. If he didn’t have some Christian sign or symbol on himself, why not just kill him?
There is a second Martyrdom which WE are called to live. It’s called a “White Martyr.
Part of a Google definition on White Martyrdom is “White martyrdom is a way for believers to strive for holiness and union with Christ by embracing suffering and sacrificing their own desires for the sake of God’s will.”
Suffering is further defined as: those who live with chronic illnesses or disabilities and offer their suffering to God. Even daily acts of self-denial, like a parent sacrificing their own needs for their children’s, can be considered a form of white martyrdom.
Why are we writing about this? We have talked a lot in the past three years about Thanking God for the DIFFICULITIES God the Father has allowed in our lives.
Many people we have met have spent most of their lives complaining, and complaining takes away Love, Joy, and Peace. Taking away Love, Joy, and Peace, puts out the light we are asked to be in a very dark world.
Before this blog I, yes, I, was an unconscious Competent, in that I always thanked God my Father for the DIFFICULTIES God has ALLOWED in my, or should I say, our life. I didn’t realize that by doing this I was living a Martyrs life, and this lifestyle I , yes I fully Embrace.
Why?
Love, Joy, and Peace!
Never forget Jesus died on the Cross filled with Love, for His Father and you and me, Joy, that He was doing the will of His Father and taking on our sins and nailing them to the Cross so that we might be Justified, and, Peace knowing that All who imitate Jesus and try to do the will of God the Father by listening to the whisper of the Holy Spirit will be with them in Heaven.
Prayer:
If you want to grow in Love, Joy, and Peace this is a result of growth in Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
Sidebar:
We were celebrating a Communion Service at the Veterans Administration Nursing Home in Scarborough, and the Holy Spirit encouraged me two weeks prior to start talking about a facet of our religion, which may not be covered by the readings.
As a reminder, I go into the service with no preconceived ideas of what WE are going to talk about in the Homily and now this extra talk.
As a side note, the first talk was about Our Father, in today’s service, was about Jesus being fully present in the Eucharist,which was easy. As for the Homily, I didn’t have a clue what we were going to talk about. I said a quick prayer before I was finished with the Gospel reading, and the last line jumped out at me and I laughed, explained to all who were there what had just happened, and we then went and gave our Homily.
The first talk was about Jesus being fully present in the Eucharist, and because we are in a Nursing Home we also talked about death.
We said when Mom, and Gail’s Mother died, I was there and they were in Peace, and after Mom’s death, I asked the Nurse, “I suppose everyone dies in Peace?” She responded, “Oh no some go out kicking and screaming.”
I have thought a lot about this and came to the conclusion, that those who die in Peace are going to Heaven, how could they go to hell?
Are you saying that someone who doesn’t die in Peace is going to Hell?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
I met a man after Mass today that said his sister died angry with God because of the death of her son. I also believe she is in Heaven.
Why?
She obviously has a relationship with God, which is what God wants. The worst relationship is Indifference, and she is NOT Indifferent.
At the end of the Communion Service, I was asked if I would go and say a prayer for a person who was about to jump on The Hallajula Train Home.
We went down to her room, and seven family members were there and the room was filled with Peace. The Holy Spirit told me to have all of us say The Our Father, by holding hands in a circle, with two people on the ends touching Mom. We did, and I left filled with Joy that we could be a small part of this important time in her and their lives.
To me it is fascinating how God works in our lives.
When I walked out of the door of the condo that morning I had no idea of all that would happen that morning, and I, yes, I, was filled with Joy to be in a position to bring Jesus to the many people at The Veterans Home.
Picture:
Fred, This is a plaque I ordered back in the early 1980’s. I was a young teacher and working on my master’s degree in Special Education. I am now retired after 40 years of teaching. This still hangs on my wall 45 years later. It has always been an inspiration for me.
Picture by Sandy Swartz
Please keep Snapping!
And if you want the ten calling cards shown above, email me and I will send you my address, send me a STAMPED self-addressed envelope and I will send you ten cards.
Email me if you want a copy of the prayers we discussed.
fprince101@gmail.com
Remember, if you want to submit a picture, please do not include people. We have to get permission from that person to use their photograph.
