At a time in human history when the hearts of mankind are in great need of becoming smaller, this post addresses our everyday heroes and encourages them with great love.
We live in a world that has, in general, become very good
at caring for anything other than people. 
One day months ago, I took this issue straight to the confessional. Suffice it to say that I was suffering in a colossal way. The systems I had turned to and needed had failed to help me and either took advantage of me, ignored me, never even
saw me, and/or tried to use me instead.
Somehow, everyone got paid for their services while I and/or my family got very little of what we needed.
Somehow, everyone got paid for their services while I and/or my family got very little of what we needed.
That pivotal morning in the confessional, the extent of the suffering and frustration of a soul that had dragged its suffering self to church in need of encouragement was very clearly presented. I did not focus on the serious problems caused by selfish and greedy people which have cost my family dearly.
Instead, I repeated my frustration at being too sick to properly care for people (caused by decades of medical malpractice/neglect).
Why was the Lord keeping me so incapacitated when we need more people who are willing to serve others unselfishly, not less?
Instead, I repeated my frustration at being too sick to properly care for people (caused by decades of medical malpractice/neglect).
Why was the Lord keeping me so incapacitated when we need more people who are willing to serve others unselfishly, not less?
Someone will finally hear me, I thought to
myself. If I say it enough, someone will finally hear me.
I had been saying “I need you; help me!” to so many
people for so long. It was impossible to
get any more clear. Yet it was as if so many people heard me say something
totally different.
How can so many people including doctors, the family court system, lawyers, clergy, the school, the catechism program, the basketball coach, the Catholic school principal, teachers…not understand something so simple? I wondered. And why won’t they help me/my family? Why won’t they listen, and why are they so willing to use us and other people instead?
Let me be perfectly clear. I am not saying that no one cares and that everyone is selfish. What I am saying is that society in general and many individuals in particular are suffering in a major way from neglect. I live it personally, see it regularly, and hear about it constantly.
And so in the confessional that day I had finished
pleading once again, this time to God on Calvary at the foot of the Cross, and said the same thing over and over again since saying it once or twice or three times had not sufficed in the past.
Someone please hear me. Please, please hear me! Lord, I can’t function and am unable to do even basic things…my health is keeping me from fulfilling my many responsibilities to care for others, and the physical suffering is so tremendous…
Someone please hear me. Please, please hear me! Lord, I can’t function and am unable to do even basic things…my health is keeping me from fulfilling my many responsibilities to care for others, and the physical suffering is so tremendous…
Know that I was not asking God to take the Cross from me, having already accepted It. A request had already been made to the Lord in the confessional to help me carry It, and certainly He does.
"Lord, I am too sick to do much of anything...I am so sick...I can't do all these things you want me to because I'm still so sick." Since the demands of life weren't disappearing and the work kept coming and piling up unattended, and as others in need of things didn't disappear, either, I desperately needed someone, anyone, to tell me that I was being heard.
The well meaning, holy young visiting priest said, “You don’t
have to keep telling Him, He already knows.”
I absolutely could not believe it, and would have
preferred that he come around the screen and punch me in the face with
all of his might instead.
My privately held thought in response, directed to God through His channel, was, Yes, I know that He knows that I know that He knows that I know that He knows.
More incredible sorrow. What does it take in our society to get even just a little compassion from someone. From anyone.
This is precisely why so many people are addicted to fundraisers and acquiring money or even more money. It's so much easier to get money from people than to get love from people, and the devil has manipulated many well intended people into thinking that acquiring more money is love. Instead, good people in need of compassion are solicited everywhere they turn for every possible cause under the sun, often in the name of the Lord.
This is not love at all.
Some people would rather give money than love; many people have more money than love to give, and find money more valuable. As a result, there are many unhappy people, including those who are not loving properly and those who are suffering and being neglected, even used.
That's why I am so glad I am not burdened with or blinded by money. All I can give you is love, which is worth so much more. God's love is free, and there is an unlimited supply.
I am not saying that the good Father lacked compassion that morning. Clearly his being there was an act of compassion and mercy. The point is by not expressing it overtly he failed to provide me with the compassion I desperately needed. The confessional is a great place to show people compassion. In fact, any place is a great place to show people compassion.
“We become real priests when we empty ourselves and no longer seek our own identity, and where we are lifted up to the cross, not going ‘down to people.’ Too many of us today feel we have to be loved; thinking the young will not love us unless we talk like them, eat like them, drink like them, clothe ourselves like them. No! They will not love us simply because we go down; they will love us when we lift them up. Else, the world will drag them down.” ~ Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Don't ever leave someone the Lord sent to you for love and compassion feeling even more unloved and uncared for, or even worse. Don't add to their sorrow by making them feel foolish or a bother for having approached you for care and compassion.
It is our job to love one another. It's our obligation, our mission, and we have only one lifetime to fulfill it.
"We shall die as we have lived." ~ Servant of God, Father John A. Hardon, S.J.
Someone wrote to me just the other day and she said it feels like we are living in hell. Her point is well taken; our hearts are in tremendous need of restoration, and it is going to take an act of God to accomplish it.
What have we become, Lord Jesus. How few truly stand at the foot of your Cross and see You. How many don't see You, and therefore don’t see those who are suffering and are in need of love and compassion.
THOSE SUFFERING AND IN NEED OF COMPASSION HAVE LARGELY BECOME INVISIBLE
How many stayed home the day mankind was Redeemed
by an innocent Man, and how many in our time also ignore Jesus Christ at the foot of the Cross.
The foot of the Cross is, metaphorically speaking, everywhere there are people. The Cross is in our homes, doctor's offices, churches, schools, businesses, hospitals, courthouses, arenas, teams, organizations, clubs, hotels...anywhere and everywhere there are people.
The foot of the Cross is, metaphorically speaking, everywhere there are people. The Cross is in our homes, doctor's offices, churches, schools, businesses, hospitals, courthouses, arenas, teams, organizations, clubs, hotels...anywhere and everywhere there are people.
There are so many people who are right out in the open, obviously in tremendous need of kindness, and they are invisible! Who sees their needs? Their humanity? Their dignity? Who is seeing Jesus.
Those who live in imitation of Christ and Blessed Mother see so differently that those who do not. If someone does or does not do something Jesus and His most holy Mother would or would not do, respectively, that will tell you everything about how well that person can see.
So many people have trouble with their vision. What have we become.
Some will argue that we are all imperfect people and while that argument is valid to some degree, it has become their rationale for remaining the way they are and is a powerful manipulation the devil uses to keep us from hearing the pleas of our brothers and sisters in need of nurturing.
It is every person's God-given right to be loved and valued.
What is being addressed here is a pick-and-choose mentality of people who disregard the legitimate needs, pleas, and concerns of good people who are suffering in imitation of Christ and Blessed Mother and need their compassion.
"The forces of evil are united; the forces of good are divided.
We may
not be able to meet in the same pew-
would to God we could-
but we can
meet on our knees."
~ Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
If you are one of the people whose supplications and whose basic needs have been ignored, this post was written for you.
HUMAN GARBAGE
How often people are treated like human garbage in our culture. It always amazes me when I see someone who ignores the needs of others wearing a pro-life shirt or sweatshirt, as the pro-life community solicits to death Catholics in need of compassion. The two are incompatible; we cannot be pro-life until we make the choice to respect the dignity of every person.
The pro-life community is among the worst at accomplishing this. Their manipulative, excessive, intrusive and never ending marketing campaigns that use every possible avenue to solicit funds from every possible person leads the world by example that people have no rights. Their work contributes to keeping abortion legal. Wise advice for pro-life groups: chuck all the fundraising and love the people around you instead. How much more good you can accomplish this way; we cannot respect the dignity of people when we focus on emptying their wallets instead.
This destructive behavior is absolutely rampant within the Catholic Church. Why are so many Catholics allowed to contact anyone they want to market/self promote whatever they want without having any concern or showing any care for the people they are using for personal gain? Don't scoff too loud, the state of your soul is the concern here. To say this abuse is being accomplished for the Lord is to commit blasphemy, and that is a very serious offense. Who is teaching, preaching, and reaching the people with these issues of morality? We can't when we endorse and even celebrate what is causing our Church to bleed internally.
Saint John Vianney, please pray for us.
Why are some people allowed to turn Calvary into a marketplace as the basic needs, and rights, of so many good people are ignored? Why do we care so little about preserving human dignity.
Why are good people who go to church for the right reasons expected to pay for all these endless causes?
How did Christianity flourish when there wasn't all this fundraising (wink)?
Some may no longer believe that it is possible to love people without asking others to fund our charity.
How often the devil is our only teacher: "The Devil's Great Weapon Against Humanity."
Yes, the Church is a hospital for sinners, but behavior that harms the family should rectified, and often times it isn't. We'd rather not hear it; if we don't see it then perhaps it isn't there. And we're just too busy helping people to help people.
Somehow those with power, influence, and money get what they need, as they trample all over the dignity of their brothers and sisters, and also get what they want but don't need.
A friend sent the following e-mail today:
• Our Phones - Wireless
• Cooking - Fireless
• Cars - Keyless
• Food – Fatless
• Tires – Tubeless
• Dress – Sleeveless
• Youth – Jobless
• Leaders – Shameless
• Relationships – Meaningless
• Attitudes – Careless
• Babies – Fatherless
• Feelings – Heartless
• Education – Valueless
• Children – Mannerless
• Country – Godless
We are speechless, Congress is CLUELESS, and our President is WORTHLESS!!
The problem can be associated with a deficiency in leadership, most notably and crucially a lack of responsible parenting within our families and within our parish families which is occurring for various reasons.
A good question to ask when encountering this behavior is, "Who is parenting (overseeing) these people?" Many people rule themselves, and that's dangerous.
God our Father is always our willing parent. May we go to Him, often, for direction. God is our loving Father; may we go to Him, often for love and compassion.
Nevertheless, we still need the love and support of one another, and we should be providing these things to one another, especially when people are in great need of compassion.
YET ANOTHER DESPERATE PLEA
The pro-life community is among the worst at accomplishing this. Their manipulative, excessive, intrusive and never ending marketing campaigns that use every possible avenue to solicit funds from every possible person leads the world by example that people have no rights. Their work contributes to keeping abortion legal. Wise advice for pro-life groups: chuck all the fundraising and love the people around you instead. How much more good you can accomplish this way; we cannot respect the dignity of people when we focus on emptying their wallets instead.
This destructive behavior is absolutely rampant within the Catholic Church. Why are so many Catholics allowed to contact anyone they want to market/self promote whatever they want without having any concern or showing any care for the people they are using for personal gain? Don't scoff too loud, the state of your soul is the concern here. To say this abuse is being accomplished for the Lord is to commit blasphemy, and that is a very serious offense. Who is teaching, preaching, and reaching the people with these issues of morality? We can't when we endorse and even celebrate what is causing our Church to bleed internally.
Saint John Vianney, please pray for us.
Why are some people allowed to turn Calvary into a marketplace as the basic needs, and rights, of so many good people are ignored? Why do we care so little about preserving human dignity.
Why are good people who go to church for the right reasons expected to pay for all these endless causes?
How did Christianity flourish when there wasn't all this fundraising (wink)?
Some may no longer believe that it is possible to love people without asking others to fund our charity.
How often the devil is our only teacher: "The Devil's Great Weapon Against Humanity."
Yes, the Church is a hospital for sinners, but behavior that harms the family should rectified, and often times it isn't. We'd rather not hear it; if we don't see it then perhaps it isn't there. And we're just too busy helping people to help people.
Somehow those with power, influence, and money get what they need, as they trample all over the dignity of their brothers and sisters, and also get what they want but don't need.
A friend sent the following e-mail today:
WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY OF AMERICA
• Our Phones - Wireless
• Cooking - Fireless
• Cars - Keyless
• Food – Fatless
• Tires – Tubeless
• Dress – Sleeveless
• Youth – Jobless
• Leaders – Shameless
• Relationships – Meaningless
• Attitudes – Careless
• Babies – Fatherless
• Feelings – Heartless
• Education – Valueless
• Children – Mannerless
• Country – Godless
We are speechless, Congress is CLUELESS, and our President is WORTHLESS!!
The problem can be associated with a deficiency in leadership, most notably and crucially a lack of responsible parenting within our families and within our parish families which is occurring for various reasons. A good question to ask when encountering this behavior is, "Who is parenting (overseeing) these people?" Many people rule themselves, and that's dangerous.
God our Father is always our willing parent. May we go to Him, often, for direction. God is our loving Father; may we go to Him, often for love and compassion.
Nevertheless, we still need the love and support of one another, and we should be providing these things to one another, especially when people are in great need of compassion.
YET ANOTHER DESPERATE PLEA
Months after that very sorrowful confession, I went
to confession in a state that I cannot describe, nor did I even understand it. I was in serious need of something, and once again, hoped to find it in church. I received absolution
for my sins, and the dear confessor was sympathetic and tried very earnestly to help
me. I had not even expected the confession to go down the road it went, but
clearly my heart was badly in need of something. It had been for a long,
long time.
The good Father went through the standard Catholic responses of
things one says to help in such difficult situations: Everything
that happens is God’s will (yes, I know), all is intended for our good (yes, I
know), ignore the devil he can’t hurt you (yes he can), thank God for
everything (I do), He never gives you more than you can handle (yes I know),
keep your focus on the Cross (I am looking right at It and sleep on It every night)…”
My frustration was peaking. I pleaded with the Lord silently, as there
were others waiting their turn and this most likely was not very pleasant for the good priest, either. Lord, what is it that I need?
Finally, by the grace of God I was able to put it in words.
“Something’s missing, Father.” That’s exactly what it was; something was missing and it had been for a long, long time: COMPASSION.
Compassion was missing, and I needed it very badly. Not an hour's worth, not even ten minutes worth. Just one expression of it. Just one.
Of course Father's intentions were so good and honorable. He's one of my favorite people. It was because of his great compassion that he tried so hard to help me. What I needed to hear wasn't being said, but he helped lead me to the answer.
Before we can even attempt to rationalize things, we need to feel that someone hears us and cares. Especially when so many people are not hearing us and do not care.
We must make sure this comes across loud and clear when interacting with others, especially with those we know are suffering and in need of compassion.
IT IS SMALLER HEARTS WE NEED
Humanity is so desperately in need of basic love and compassion,
and we are focusing on anything and everything else instead.
We cannot even love one another like little children,
who seem to know so much less than us.
Little Jesus, teach us to love others like You. Make our hearts like unto Thine. Make them smaller.
Just after that, the Lord provided a very important quote
from Saint Pio. His words summed up what I needed to hear so
badly, and what others who are suffering desperately need to hear in a world
that leaves the human heart in a state of such neglect and wanting.
It doesn’t help either that we are taught next to
nothing within the Catholic world about our faith.
That's why so many people in need face so much rejection. Most Catholics know little about their faith.
May you find the following quote very meaningful and very helpful, too.
Hopefully it brings you great comfort when you are in need of
it, for whatever reason. It is your God-given right to be properly loved and valued.
“In order to console a soul in its sufferings,
point out to it all the good it can still do.”
~ Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
The
human heart cannot be loved by granite counter tops and beautiful signs and a
well swept corridor, nor can it be loved by sophisticated problem solving, elegant surroundings, exquisite
paintings, more money, imported statues, covered books, titles, retirement plans, a full schedule, fancy
programs with fancier names, investments, the absence of cobwebs, pristine surroundings, fancy shows, a
lush lawn, flowery talk, large egos, costly and expertly designed material that eventually
ends up in the trash, big bank accounts, bells at Christmas, rapid growth, and fiscal responsibility.
The human heart is loved by people who show compassion received from God at the foot of His Cross.
Make it your mission to love other people no matter what you are doing, because wherever you are, you stand at the foot of the Cross. Ask yourself if the Lord is pleased with the way you treat other people.
Include fraternal charity in your daily examination of conscience and ask the Lord to reveal to you how you use people as a means to an end. So many good people do it and are totally unaware, even as people beg them for the help that they desperately need.
Ask the Lord to help you understand how to care for those He sends to you for compassion. It doesn’t take a master’s degree, money, fancy answers, or any supplies.
All it takes is the heart of a Child.
I hadn't claimed to be any good at this personally because of my significant challenges, but now I understand that they are not an obstacle to loving. Rather, they are a means of providing it. Through suffering, God led me to the Way of the Cross; there, I joined a sacred procession. Now I travel alongside two profoundly Catholic heroes, Jesus and Blessed Mother, who teach us how to love and serve by accomplishing the will of God.
Finally I am learning, and share this important lesson with you. Let us pray for one another, that we learn how to properly love and care for one another. No matter what our situations are, there is still much good that we can do.
“In order to console
a soul in its sufferings,
point out to it all the good it can still do.”
~ Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
point out to it all the good it can still do.”
~ Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
God’s sacrificial love changes everything, and there’s an unlimited
supply.
Allow sacrificial love to empower you to care for people one by one by precious one, through simple, little acts of kindness. Be a role model of fraternal charity and teach others about this virtue so desperately needed in our time.
"No prayer is ever lost." ~ Saint John Vianney
PRACTICE, EVERY DAY, ALONG THE WAY OF THE CROSS
“In order to console
a soul in its sufferings,
point out to it all the good it can still do.”
~ Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
point out to it all the good it can still do.”
~ Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
Jesus and Blessed Mother always love us and invite us to unite our suffering and our weakness with theirs. Sacrificial love is the most powerful force in the universe, and God's love changes everything.
To all those who are suffering,
things can be so incredibly hard,
while at the same time the world is so insensitive and demanding.
Sometimes no one listens or shows proper care,
when all you need is a little love and compassion.
That's not asking for too much.
God created us to love and be loved!
Even Jesus needed the compassion of others.
So I send you Jesus' love along with mine,
and assurance that your life has great purpose.
I would hug you if I was where you are,
and thank you for all the good you are doing and can still do.
Keep persevering valiantly,
and keep loving with the heart of a Child.
Your example is greatly needed in our world today.
It is the suffering, the lowly, the rejected, the unwanted,
the unseen, the willing, and those with compassion
that the Lord uses as tremendous channels of grace
for the massive conversion of sinners.
It is the suffering, the lowly, the rejected, the unwanted,
the unseen, the willing, and those with compassion
that the Lord uses as tremendous channels of grace
for the massive conversion of sinners.
God is at work in you!
Coming soon: Part II: The Catholic Church's Garbage and
Part III: God Answers Prayer
Coming soon: Part II: The Catholic Church's Garbage and
Part III: God Answers Prayer
"Trust all things to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary,
Help of Christians,
and you will see what miracles are."
~ Saint John
Bosco
© Joseph Karl Publishing /Michele Bondi Bottesi
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Images taken at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Slovak Catholic Church,
Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S.A. Parish Website
Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S.A. Parish Website
THE POWERFUL DEVOTION TO THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS
To learn more about the Work of Reparation through the Devotion to the Holy Face,
which our Lord, Jesus Christ called "the most beautiful work under the sun,"
visit: Work of Reparation Through the Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus
Please share the information with others.
God is at work in you!!
To learn more about the Work of Reparation through the Devotion to the Holy Face,
which our Lord, Jesus Christ called "the most beautiful work under the sun,"
visit: Work of Reparation Through the Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus
Please share the information with others.
God is at work in you!!
