The Good Shepherd

This morning, on the way to work, I was praying and meditating.  All of a sudden,  the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd filled my mind and heart.  This kind of vision has never happened to me before.

What I saw was Jesus on a hillside, surrounded by many sheep.   All I could feel was love from him, and he was smiling, holding as many lambs as he possibly could.   Meanwhile, there were lambs and sheep at different places around him.  Some were at his feet, some grazing around him, and some were far away…actually turned away from him.

At first, I was filled with the love and mercy that The Good Shepherd has for me.  Then the realization of the immense love he has for all his sheep, especially the ones who were far away from him, filled my being.

This led me to the knowledge of why we must love and pray for our enemies, or those that we consider “evil.”  No matter what sins they have committed, no matter where they are spiritually, Jesus is continuously loving them and waiting for the conversion of their hearts.  He knows his sheep…he knows what sparked the actions and disbelief, and he loves them through all of it.  He is waiting for them to open their hearts to him.

We must do the same.  We must love everyone where they are at.  Even if we don’t feel it.  We must continue to pray for eyes to be opened, and for the conversion of hearts and souls.  For hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.

It does not matter where you  have been all these years, the things  you have done, or even that you have turned away from the Lord as you closed your eyes and heart to his mercy and love.

Know this…He loves you in a way you can not comprehend.  He is waiting for you to accept his saving love and grace, and will rejoice in your return to him!

 

Hatred stirs up strife,  But love covers all sins.    Proverbs 10:12

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.   John 10:11

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.  John 10:14

 

Advertisement

You Can’t Share What You Don’t Have

“You can’t share what you don’t have.”

Those words, spoken to me by my priest during the Sacrament of Reconciliation, pierced through the haze I had been experiencing, and truly touched my heart.  I had confessed that I  should be sharing Jesus and his merciful love with others; that I should be doing more.

I was at the point where I knew what I should be doing, but wasn’t so sure how to carry it out.

That’s when he enlightened me by saying “You can’t share what you don’t have.”  When the words found my heart, there was an immediate feeling of shamefulness and confusion.  “I believe in God…I have faith, and try to do the right things.  So what does he mean?”

When confession was over, and Father gave me absolution, my spirit felt at peace.  At the time, I had no idea that my faith life would change so drastically over the next two years.

Spiritual reading  started to become  a natural part of my life.  It seemed as though I would come across the exact book I needed at particular times of need.  There was so much to learn.  Through rosary meditations and prayers, my relationship with Jesus started to grow in an intimate way for the first time.  Now that our relationship was growing, he started to reveal my areas of weakness.  As I felt closer and closer to the Lord, you would think I would feel more righteous and sin free.  However, as I am sure you already know, things worked a different way.  More and more sins were being revealed to me.  There was a big difference in my acknowledgement of those weaknesses and sins.  Where before, I would feel hopeless and self accusing, now as I became aware of them, I confessed and repented of them.  I learned to turn all of myself…including my sins and weaknesses, over to the Lord.

My eyes and heart started opening to all of the people around me, who were experiencing darkness, pain, suffering, loneliness and were walking around in the  same  haze I was once in.

The Lord filled my heart with a comforting, deep, intense love that helps me to understand some of the needs of the people I interact with daily.  He is helping me to learn to listen for his voice…and to take a step in faith to share his love in some way, according to the need.

I have found that the more time I spend learning about Jesus, and just being with him, the more my heart overflows with love for those he places in my life.  And I have found that the love doesn’t come naturally for me…it flows through me from the one source of mercy and pure love.

That kind of love only comes from Jesus.  And you can’t help but share it!

 

1 John 4:8 – He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 Peter 4:8 – And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 – And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

 

 

 

How to Have a Magnetic Personality

In an article I was reading this morning, I came across some of the attributes of a magnetic personality.   “What this person does best is make everyone he or she interacts with feel empowered or validated.  The positive energy and the selfless interest in the other party makes the person very popular indeed.”

Through the years, I have read countless self help books, many that supposedly served as a guide toward helping a person  acquire that elusive  magnetic personality.  I must admit, I learned a lot  from some of those books, but one thing always troubled me.

You see, I have watched the so called leaders who were developed through using the tools from the books.  They did everything “right” and acted as though they truly cared about the people they wanted to lead.  They learned how to give “warm fuzzies” and also perfected their own body language.  They learned to say all the right things to get the results they desired.  Some people allowed themselves to be drawn in to them, however, it was always apparent to me that the “leader” was shallow, and just playing a part.  Sooner or later, the true character of that person was revealed.  What did that leave?  It left many disillusioned, wounded “believers” who vowed not to be duped again.

When I was reading about what constituted a magnetic personality, my thoughts turned to Jesus.  His perfect, loving, selfless soul drew sinners toward him.  They couldn’t help themselves…when they looked into his eyes or heard him speak, they encountered the Truth.

They saw themselves through his eyes, and were filled with a love they had never before experienced.

Jesus spoke the Truth in love.  For the hearts that were open to love, they were drawn into Jesus’ mercy and love like steel is drawn to a magnet.  For those that refused to open their hearts, they were repelled.

Jesus did not change His Truth to draw them in. 

When Jesus’ love touches a soul, and there is conversion, a beautiful thing happens.  There is a union between that soul and the heart of Christ that occurs through conversion, and ultimately an intimate relationship with Him.

As our relationship and friendship with Jesus matures, the love and mercy of Christ flows into our hearts.   As we pray, meditate, align ourselves with the Lord, and place our trust in Him,  we will notice a change gradually happening in our hearts.  We will start to think differently about certain issues, and look at “sinners” (including ourselves) in a different, more compassionate way.  We may even  have a complete change of mind and heart regarding issues that we felt very  strongly about.  What is happening, is that we are starting to view the world through the heart of Christ, which is filled with tenderness, mercy and love.  We can’t help but change!

As we Christians grow closer to the heart of Jesus,  true magnetism is forming in our beings.  You see, it is not us personally that draw people…it is the pure love of Jesus that is touching people through us.

Each time that a soul is converted and united with the pure heart of Christ, it works like a magnet, drawing those with open hearts toward the Body of Christ.

Now THAT is what I call a magnetic personality!

What Are You Giving Up?

For me, the Lenten Season has always been a little intimidating.  It seemed as though I could not absorb the true poverty of spirit needed to open hearts (including my own) to the fullness of the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.  There were times when it felt like I was just “going through the motions”, giving up this, saying this prayer, going to Lenten Services.  In other words, to be perfectly honest, many times I was trying to worship with my “head” instead of my heart and soul.

This year I feel the Lord physically drawing me toward Him.  What ways can I deny myself in order to depend more fully on Jesus?  How can I open my heart in faith and trust, to help those in need around me?  In what ways can I throw myself at the feet of my Lord and worship Him more fully?

On Ash Wednesday, I came across this post on the St. Jude Facebook page.  The words touched my heart and opened my eyes to some “freeing” ways of giving things up, so as to be filled with the love, peace and joy of Christ.  I wanted to share with you…maybe there will be something you can “give up” that will bring you closer to Jesus.

Looking for something to give up for Lent?

Give up resentment and become more forgiving.

Give up hatred and return good for evil.

Give up complaining and be more grateful.

Give up pessimism and become more hopeful

Give up worry and become more trusting.

Give up anger and become more patient.

Give up pettiness and become more noble.

Give up gloom and become more joyful.

Give up doubt and turn to God.

Starting with this Lenten Season,  allow yourself the freedom to let go of the things that are keeping you from the mercy and love of Jesus.  He is right there…right with you…right now.

And he is waiting for you to invite him in, so he can fill you with Himself.  How long will you make him wait?

Pope Francis’ Lenten Message 2014