"God's corrections are acts of LOVE.." Discipline to be a disciple

My thoughts are finding their way to France and the Community of the Lamb these days.  Four years ago we were in France and at Lourdes for the first time.  There was no doubt that we needed to get John to Lourdes with so much hope that he could find healing from this sudden giant - brain cancer - that was calling him out across the battle field.  Surrounded by so many prayers and all that our amazing Church has to offer - he stood there like the strong youth, David, with the sling shot.  He was so brave and filled with youthful strength and HOPE and Faith... and his aim was perfect and the giant was defeated, yet he is now the new John as a result of the battle!  I am sure that David too was no longer looked upon as a fuzzy faced youth after he had defeated the Philistines.  John had found this HOPE and FAITH after he half-heartedly asked God for them... the words from the Magnificat in evening prayer last night ring true - "God's corrections are acts of LOVE."  I read this to John this morning and he knew so well just what this means.  I shared at much more length about this on the page I devoted to John's cancer stories - http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html   I also talked to John about how the words disciple and discipline come from the same Latin word meaning "to learn."  It was my impression that discipline is painful, but I was surprised that John did not feel this way.  We definitely live in a world that encourages us to live for the moment and with thoughts of ourselves and our enjoyment of LIFE and comfort while doing it.  This is not really in keeping with disciplining our selfishness in our striving to be Disciples of Jesus! 

John in Lourdes - broken and humbled by the Lord's answer to his prayer for Faith... knowing fully and truly that "God's corrections are acts of LOVE."  I have always felt that John using his sisters on  either side to walk when he is unable to walk alone... it appears that he is hanging on the Cross and truly he is - on the Most Cherished Cross - Brain Cancer/Surrounded by thousands of prayer warriors and all that The Catholic Church has to offer for healing - and that is so much!  John has found his path to discipleship and it is The Cross!  So true for all of us on our individual journies!

Jesus, we know that sometimes each day we need to be corrected, in case we might go off on a destructive path.  "God's corrections are acts of LOVE, for he does not ever want to lose us."  see www.magnificat.com  We are asked to accept and embrace all that the Church holds out to us!  We are called not to judge those who are misled and pick and choose what suits them.  Yet, it hurts so badly to see them misled and hurting themselves and their journey with YOU when they turn away and listen to the lies of the world.  May our joyful embracing of the Truth show your light to those that are struggling with the blindness brought on by the darkness.  Yes, we are limping and weak as a wounded Lamb, but that is so powerful as we go forward down the narrow path as we pass through the narrow gate in the shape of Your Cross!  It is through that gate that we find LIFE and LIGHT and LOVE unconditional! Being sinners does not permanently separate us from Christ, although we need to be aware of our weaknesses and turn to HIM.   “No,” Pope Francis said in the Sunday Angelus, “you are not excluded! Precisely for that reason you are preferred, because Jesus prefers the sinner, always, in order to pardon him, to love him. Jesus is waiting for you, to embrace you, to pardon you.”  Jesus, we look to YOU, and Trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barb

"Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not!  Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you."  Isaiah 35:3-4

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-you-are-not-excluded  The entire address by our new Pope Francis

Words of wisdom by Pat Verly this morning - "We are called to love unconditionally all those that disagree with us as we would and do love our children no matter what they do." 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlh6_5znn7U 

Francesca Batisttelli - Lead me to the Cross