Reflection by Mark Gates
The feast days of St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita: I feel it may be impossible to care so very much about our neighbors, unless, you absolutely forget yourself. This may be the most heartfelt definition of Humility! Both of these saints protected the most vulnerable among us, children! **On October 1, 2000, Josephine Bakhita was canonized as Saint Josephine Bakhita. She is venerated as a modern African saint, and as the patron saint of modern Sudan and human trafficking survivors. ***St. Jerome Emiliani was canonized in 1767. In 1928, Pius Xl named him the patron of orphans and abandoned children.
Today, my spirit was completely overjoyed with the PSALM 112: 1,4,5,8,9 and the letter from Paul to the Corinthians 1Cor2: 1-5.
The Psalm begins: “Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in His commands! They shine through the darkness. A light shines, he is gracious and merciful and just. Descendants shall be mighty in the land, a generous generation upright and blessed, conducting their affairs with justice.” ***God promises to enrich and make comfortable, the sons & daughters who give freely of themselves, time, talent and treasure. Be the light. Be humble regarding all things, because all on earth, is ‘Gift’! While being very personal, Poverty never stands alone. Even among the poorest there are ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’. Be not afraid, give and it will be given unto you.
Our Psalm wraps up with: “His heart is steadfast, he shall not fear, lavishly he gives to the poor; his justice will endure forever, his horn shall be exalted in glory.” **I really enjoy praying and collecting my thoughts at my kitchen table with a warm cup of coffee. As I read this portion of the Psalm, my spirit allowed the Holy Spirit to join me, sit across from me. My humility hears this sentence and is assured, comforted. Although I’ve never asked God to bestow upon me with anything even close to glory, the greater lesson appears to be; God Provides.!! It may not be today & it may not be tomorrow, but God Provides. That is a comforting thought. So, Humbly Give.
Paul to the Corinthians 1Cor2: 1-5. ***For me these words were a total spirituality and humility health check-up, complete with the Lollipop for good behavior 🙂 . Am I wearing that humility.?? “When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with the sublimity of words, or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified… I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. ***My brothers & sisters, again as a Catholic Charismatic(s) we learn ‘discernment’. Because we know all gifts come from GOD!! Our discernment tries to keep our earthly ego in check. Discernment means asking the question “Is this gift from God or from the world? And if it’s from God, is it meant to remain personal or is it meant for my community?” Either way, when we use our gifts, In HUMILITY, we are building up the kingdom of God, Christ’s Church. **When Paul was Saul, he was absolutely sure about every aspect of his faith, Judaism. He was ‘deeply’ certain of what he knew, who he knew, and what to do with it all. But as Paul, he wasn’t sure of anything, only Christ, crucified. Paul teaches us as well, we can only know all that our minds and souls will allow us to hold… and then… there’s still more!! More Love, more Peace, more Joy!! SHALOM & May all of God’s Love and Joy be yours, Mark “G”.
