Chastisements

          One of the reasons I think my generation does not really know Jesus is because we were given a fluffy, feel-good character to call upon whenever we wanted something.  There was a lot of, "Jesus loves you.  He died for you.  He wants you to be happy."  So, we went to church for the fluff of feeling good about ourselves and hoping to get whatever we wanted in return.  My parents' generation, in my opinion, went to church because of the fear of Hell that was instilled in them if they didn't go.  There must be a holy in-between that the Holy Spirit is guiding us to so that we can know, love and serve the real Jesus.

          Jesus calls us friends.  If we ask a friend to tell us the truth regarding something about ourself, he or she will usually tell us the truth as they see it.  A lot of times, however, friends will tell us what it is we want to hear because they don't want to hurt our feelings.  Things like, "It's not your fault. Your husband is a jerk."   The only true friend we have who sees the real truth about us, is Jesus.  He is God and He is privy to everything about us and life.

          The truth of who we are is revealed in our relationship with our spouse.  Whenever my husband would drive me crazy, I'd always look to Jesus for consolation.  What I always got first, and still do, is chastisement!   To give you an example, recently during dinner, my husband was going on and on about politics, as he often does these days.  In my mind, I was calling upon God to make it stop.  Immediately, my thoughts changed to the truth that only God could see.  He made men to be the protector of families and Bob is responding to the impending dangers of family life in our current political arena.  I knew that thought had to come from God because whenever I think bad about someone, especially my husband, He always chastises ME.  I think that it can't always be ME, but it is!!

          If we look to Jesus as our very best friend to tell us the truth, He will.  It will never be about the other person, but will always be about ourself.  That's how much He loves us.  He desires for us to become His image, because that is how we were created to be.  God is all good, all loving, all merciful.  I have a very long way to go, but I know that once I become all kind, loving, and merciful to my spouse, the truth about me will be revealed; that I was made in the image and likeness of God!  If I can be Jesus to my spouse, who is the one that I am with the most and criticize the most, I can be Jesus out in the world for sure.

         Spending time with Jesus in church and in His Word, keeps our friendship close and beautiful.  I love being at church and in prayer.  Looking to Jesus as our very best friend to help us become the best we can be will result in husbands and wives becoming very best friends too.  Happy Chastisements!!  Amen!!!

"I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing.  I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father." (John 15:15)

 "Happy is the man whom God reproves!  The Almighty's chastening do not reject."  (Job 5:17)
 

"Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.  He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."  (Revelation 3:19-22) 

 

         

Attractiveness

         I haven't felt inspired of late to write.  However, today the Holy Spirit has reminded me of several other lessons I've learned about family life.  Today I'll disclose how my eyes were opened to my unattractiveness.  Attractive people, attract others to them.  That's why the most popular kids in school were usually the best looking.  I've always worked hard at trying to look good, both inside and out.  I would always receive compliments from friends and those I associated with, especially at my workplace. Then came a comment from our son that made me stop and take a look at how my family saw me, and how shallow the most popular kids were.

          The four years that our children were in high school, I worked in the counseling office of their school.  How's that for being controlling?!  And one day, our son came home from school and said something to the effect, "Everyone at school thinks you are so nice and cute, Mom, but they don't really know you."  OUCH!   I think I just laughed because I guess I figured that our teenagers usually don't think that their parents are nice or cute.  But later, his comment  revisited my mind and heart and I didn't feel very attractive.

          My children saw how kind I was to everyone at work, always helping, welcoming, caring, smiling.  It must have been confusing for them to then see me at home, tired and not jumping up instantly to help with something, or to welcome my spouse home with an attractive smile, complaining about this and that, etc.  I realized that I had always worked hard at trying to look good, both inside and out, to those I encountered outside of my home.

          Jesus attracted and still attracts countless people to Him because of His loving and merciful way.  I used to feel attractive when I had my nails done!  This lesson taught me that it doesn't matter how beautiful your hands and feet look after a manicure/pedicure, or if dressed in a gorgeous outfit and touting a new hairdo. If we take a look at how unhospitable we parents can be to one another and to our children, it is very unattractive.  People do not swarm around those who are unkind, unloving, unforgiving.  Teens don't normally want to be around their parents.  Spouses a lot of times do not want to be around each other.  Perhaps we should all try harder to be more attractive, like Jesus.

          Instead of spending time and money at a beauty spa, I started spending time praying, going to Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.  I work hard at practicing hospitality on my own family and then extending it to others.  It is by imitating Jesus that we become attractive.  At a weekly parish event at my former parish, we would have a great dinner together as a parish family and then I would lead a prayer service.  All of the children would swarm around me, and I felt the joy of attracting these little ones with holiness.  I would look out into the congregation and see manly men on their knees praying, and women with tears in their eyes, and they were all so beautiful, inside and out.  And even now, when my husband and I pray the rosary in the evenings, I look at my spouse and he is never more attractive to me than when he is praying to God.  Holiness is attractive!  We need to teach our children this valuable lesson.

          Attractiveness begins with being attracted to Jesus.  Let's swarm around His Word and Sacrament and learn hospitality from the one that welcomes everyone into His heart and life forever and ever and ever.  Amen.

"Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."  (Romans 12:13)

"Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another."  (1 Peter 4:9)
 

"Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him."  (Luke 10:38)