Living Monstrance

Last month I went into the registry of motor vehicles in Boston to pass the final papers on buying my father’s car. Now, my father is in Virginia, so there’s a problem – how can he sign off when he is half a country away?

Well, we have special papers that gives me “power of attorney”. That means that I get to sign my own name in place of my father’s name for money and business activities. So, I brought the papers to the woman at the desk at the RMV, and she checked them out. Everything’s OK, I sign my name as “power of attorney” for my father, and just like that, I walked out with a new title and registration. My father’s car was now mine.

Wow, I thought, that document is a very powerful document. I picked it back up after leaving and looked at it again. I noticed that it has some very important signatures on it: my father’s, mine, and the attorney’s.

And the signature of a witness.

For me to have the “power of attorney”, I need all of them. Yes, I need my father’s and mine and the attorney’s. But I also need a witness. There’s no “power of attorney” without a witness. I can’t act in my father’s name without a witness. I can’t carry out my father’s business without a witness.

When Jesus selected the Twelve to follow Him, He was selecting witnesses. Now, they didn’t do too many things well. They argued with each other, they often had no or little faith, they fled the scene when He needed Him most. But they were there when He healed the blind man, when He raised Lazarus from the dead, when He stilled the storm at sea, when He multiplied the loaves and fishes.

The only thing they did was be there and follow. They were just witnesses. “And you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (Jn 15:27)

Witnesses are very important to the Lord. Witnesses give Him and us the “power of attorney” to do Our Father’s business in the world.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

If you’ve experienced the great Love of Jesus, if you’ve seen His great works, your witness is very important. It gives Him the power to claim His Father’s things for Himself.

It gives Him power of attorney.

When I was a kid, I used to love to watch a TV show called Wild, Wild World of Animals. As you can probably tell, it was all about wild animals, either in the jungles of the Amazon or the deserts of Africa or the mountains of Asia. But although each show covered different types of animals, it seemed like one member of the animal kingdom made it into every show. This animal made it into more shows than Homer Simpson. Who is it?

The wildebeest.

Now, from the sound of its name, you might think this is a veracious animal, a monster of the earth with large teeth, quick legs, and sharp claws that terrorized other creatures like the Tyrannasaurus Rex. No, you won’t find a horror movie about the attack of the wildebeests. The wildebeest is basically a large, meaty, slow-moving, defenseless animal that moves around in large packs near water supplies. The wildebeest has “prey” written all over him. If you’re a predator and you find the wildebeest, you basically get a sumptuous menu with drink included.

So, on the TV show, it seemed to me that it went the same way every time. The show about the lion gets to the lion’s hunting, and what are they stalking? The wildebeest. When it’s time to show off the cheetah’s speed, what is he going after? The wildebeest. When the alligator is going surprise attack with his powerful jaws, who’s the victim? The wildebeest.

In the wild, wild world of animals, the prey, the weak is never safe.

Then, I think of Noah’s ark. In the 6th-grade CCD class I teach we talked about Noah’s Ark. One student asked, “Wouldn’t some animals eat other ones?” Good question. All the animals are crammed into a small, smelly space. They are accustomed to staying only around their own types, but now they’re with all types. Predators and prey are right next to each other. I thought of the poor wildebeest.

But you know what? Even with all of its predators combined together on the same boat, the wildebeest made it out alive. In Noah’s Ark, the wildebeest, the prey of preys, is safe.

In the world, we have survival of the fittest, we have predator and prey. Politics, business, education, sports, keeping up the Jones’s, you name it. It’s not a comfortable place for the weak and defenseless. It’s the wild, wild world of animals.

But in Jesus’ Church, it is different. We have the most odd mixture of personalities, and, yes, it’s cramped and often smelly. Unlike your circle of family, friends, and co-workers, you are going to be very close to a lot of people who are very different from you, and you will find all your predators. But you know what? Everyone survives. In Jesus’ Church the weakest of all is safe.

In Jesus’ Church, there is nothing to fear.

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
And the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
And a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall feed;
Their young shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp,
And the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. (Is 11:6-9)

I teach CCD on Sunday morning to 12-year-olds, and last week we talked about Noah and the Flood. Remember the story? When God told Noah to build an Ark it was so that Noah and the animals would live through His coming chastisement, the Flood. Noah was the only man alive that listened to God, and He got the Ark. Everyone else had kicked God out of their lives and got the Flood. Now, that seems pretty just, doesn’t it?

Now fast forward to the moment before Jesus begins His ministry. John the Baptist is calling all of Jerusalem out into the wilderness to submerge themselves in water and confess that they need to change. To the people of Jerusalem, the people who know what happened when God flooded the world, what’s he calling them to do? Yes, he’s calling them to claim the Flood for themselves.

So along comes Jesus, the only one without any separation from God. He’s the only one of the crowd that actually qualifies for the Ark, and what does He do? He goes to John the Baptist to get baptized.

He’s claiming the Flood for Himself.

What happens to His place in the Ark?

He gives it to everyone else who deserved the Flood.

My roommate Tim spent a few months last year work working on renovating his house, and then opened it up to four other guys to live in as a Catholic men’s house. Because of Tim, the house is full of hospitality towards us and all the guests that come by. Tim cooks meals for us, has put together a chapel in the basement, and is always inviting us into whatever he’s got going on. Despite bumping into each other in many ways in the small quarters, all the guys get along, we have a lot of fellowship and camaraderie. It is a great place to live. It’s called the Sacred Heart House.

But you know what, he’s done all this with no money to his name, and his job isn’t making money. He could be nitpicking, making a tight budget, finding ways to squeeze money out of different living scenarios in the house, with the shopping, the utilities. He could raise the rent. He could start watching over how we treat the property. And then all the other guys in the house would really be living in the Flood instead of the Ark. You know, that sounds pretty just, doesn’t it? It’s his house and he’s really put all the money and effort into it. He could take the ark for himself and leave us with the flood. He could stop being generous.

But he’s not. He’s still giving. He’s in the hole financially and going deeper, but you’d never in a million years know it. Yesterday, he said to me, “A lot of people would say, ‘You’re crazy for what you’re doing.’” I said, “I know – but I think it’s great and inspiring.

He’s taking the Flood for himself. We are getting the Ark.

When Jesus got baptized, when He declared that He was taking the Flood for Himself and giving everyone His place in the Ark, that was one of the greatest moments in the history of the world. We know that because it moved God the Father so much, He actually spoke out loud so everyone would know: “You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased.” (Lk 3:22)

When times get dark, no matter how bad it looks, no matter how crazy it seems, don’t give up your generosity. Don’t do the thing that looks just. Don’t take the Ark for yourself. Claim the Flood for yourself and give the Ark to the ones who are important to you, especially if they can deserve the Flood.

Then, like Tim, you’ll move God’s Heart. You’ll be His beloved son.

Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!

Four and a half years ago, I had the opportunity to enter the seminary with a religious community. Well, I lasted for some time, and, to be honest, my own stubbornness and hardness of heart got the best of me. I decided I was going to leave and find a “better place”.

Big mistake.

Let’s just say that a stubborn walking away from God’s service is not the most pleasing thing in His eyes. I ended up in a day-program rehab for depression for two weeks. I have never experienced anything like that in my life, and I hope I – or anybody else – never do again.

I was completely humiliated, and I had almost nothing left, no job, no place to live except my parents’ house, no idea where God was leading me in vocation, scatter-brained, and pretty much the only thing I knew about my journey was that I messed up big-time.

I tell you, it was rock bottom for me.

It was then I decided to live the Total Consecration to Mary with all I had left. I decided that my relationship with Mary would be the foundation of my life, the foundation of my reconciliation with Jesus, of my discipleship with Him, of my vocation.

Well, stumbling along about a year after I left the seminary, I was going to renew my consecration and decided it would be a good idea to invite other people at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine if they would like to join me. At the time, there was not that much specifically Marian going on at this lively Shrine, and there was no group walking in the consecration. I sense strongly that she wanted to be more notable present there.

I asked a priest if he would lead up the group. He said, “Why don’t you do it, Jerome.” OK.

So a small group of us got together and for 2 months we prepared for the Total Consecration to Mary and consecrated ourselves to Mary on August 15, the Assumption, in 2007.

Well, right away, I was off to the Franciscans, which was a miracle in itself after what I had been through, and when I came back, the next year we decided to do it all together again. By then, another priest was at the Shrine with a great desire to foster Marian devotion, and so he began to lead up a whole series of preparations and consecrations. By now, over a hundred lay people – mostly young adults – have consecrated themselves to Jesus through the Blessed Virgin.

This past summer, several of this group got together to arrange for the Shrine to become a place of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, the only place for perpetual adoration in the city of Boston, after 40 years of absence. The Cardinal inaugurated it with a big celebration. It is a monumental occurrence for the Archdiocese of Boston after the priest-abuse scandal of 2002. This Shrine, now open perpetually for Eucharistic Adoration with over 350 adorers, is literally at the epicenter of the priest abuse scandal in the whole United States, maybe even the world.

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. For I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. (Is 43:18-21)

Where did it all begin? What did the Lord build on?

One of his chosen servants at rock bottom.

In the Gospel, Jesus takes the disciples to Caesarea Philippi, on top of a large rock cave with a large opening with water. They are literally standing on top of the rock cave when Jesus asks who the disciples say that He is. It’s on this cave that He says the words to Peter, “and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18)

Now, this isn’t just any rock. The disciples would understand what this rock cave was. See, it was here that the god Baal was worshipped by the Israelites. The Canaanites would carry out orgies at the mouth of this cave to lure its occupant, Baal, out to mate with the goddess Ashtaroth, and so bring about fertility for the land. They even offered child sacrifice to Baal. That cave opening was the gates of Hades. And the Israelites had turned away from God and in that very place had done the same things.

Let’s just say that that was not pleasing to God. Especially the child sacrifice.

The chastisement that God sent was, well, disaster. Ultimately, foreign armies totally destroyed the northern part of Israel. Not too long after, foreign armies also destroyed the southern part of Israel, took most off to Babylon, and left behind nothing but a little remnant of nobodies.

The prophets? They were all about the stuff happening at the mouth of that rock cave and the captivity. And the Messiah that would restore faithfulness and the Israelite nation.

This rock that Jesus and His disciples are standing on mean one thing to them:

Rock bottom. The Messiah is going to build His Church on Israel’s rock bottom.

Now, Peter is going to need to hear this. Because later on, remember, after the Resurrection, the Lord comes to Peter after he’s denied him three times. He completely abandoned the Lord in the hour where He really needed Him. So, the Lord now asks him three times if he loves him, and makes him the Pope. What is he doing?

He’s building His Church on Peter’s rock bottom.

God is not impressed with our goodness, our religion or spirituality, our good works, our virtues or righteousness. He’s not impressed with us being “solid Catholics” or “living the faith”. It’s on our sins, on our denials, our betrayals, our failures and mistakes that God wants to do His greatest works. It’s where He wants to build His Church.

If you have betrayed God and His graces, if you have denied Him, if you have crucified Him in your heart and betrayed Him, don’t be afraid. If you are suffering the consequences and are at rock bottom in your life, don’t be afraid. Have faith in God. Trust in the Merciful Heart of Jesus. Entrust yourself to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Let Him build His Church on your rock bottom.

And nothing will prevail against it.

Today the Church celebrates the Three Kings arriving to adore the infant Jesus, the promised King of Kings. Why Jesus is recognized king requires a little bit of Old Testament history.

When the Israelites first settled in the promised land, they had God as their head and that was all they needed. Until they turned away from Him and got into predicaments with the neighbors. They would stop listening to God and turn to go along with the neighbors’ ways. They wouldn’t assert themselves when God wanted them to, and then they would start picking up the neighbors’ gods and worshiping them along with God.

Things did not go well for them when they did this. So, finally, when things got real bad, they would turn back to God and cry out for help. And God would send someone to liberate them from the predicament they had gotten themselves into. These were the Judges. The Judges stuck around to liberate the Israelites, and when they had finished their task, the Israelites had God back as their head. Free again.

But, the Israelites ultimately went further. They then asked their prophet – God’s go-to guy – for a king from God, so that they could be like the other nations. God’s headship wasn’t good enough. They outright rejected God.

So, of course, God was not pleased, but gave them their wish. But not without a warning. Through His prophet he warned them that a king would only take from them. A king would be very different from God.

So, God gave them King Saul, and after Saul, David, and then Solomon and many others. Most were oppressors of Israel. What God had warned came true. The Israelites chose to have a king – and be enslaved by him.

But you know what? It’s that very kingship line that produced Jesus, the Son of David. In His Son, God is now – forever – King of His people. Other kings that would take from His people are history. But, Jesus’ kingship comes out of the kingship of Israel – Israel’s outright rejection of God and the very thing that enslaved them.

If the Israelites hadn’t rejected God and asked Him for a king, there would be no kingship of Israel for Jesus to inherit. The angel Gabriel couldn’t tell Mary about “the throne of David his father” and “of his kingdom there will be no end.” There would be no star, no newborn king, no Magi visiting, no Jesus Christ King of the Jews on the Cross, no Feast of Christ the King.

All of Jesus’ glory comes out of the sins and failures of His people.

For over eight years I was addicted to internet pornography. The internet to me was a tool for the enemy of human nature to use against me. I chose to reject God and use it – and be enslaved by it. It was my king.

But the Lord took that all away from me 6 years ago when I surrendered to His grace. That’s all history now, and now it’s the internet that I use to proclaim the Lord’s Kingdom. Without the internet there would be no blog, no emails to Church friends, no Yahoo groups for the Church groups.

Jesus’ glory comes out of my own sins and failures.

God needs our sins and failures to do His greatest work, His works of redemption. Without them, there is no glory. But if we give ourselves to Him, if we surrender our sins and failures to His Mercy, if we surrender our kings to Him, we can call Him by His true title.

Our King.

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Rev 5:9-10)

We know the story: a little after the Magi visit the holy family, they go back to their country by another way, Herod becomes livid, and the holy family flees to Egypt. Why is the King of Kings on the run? What makes a king in God’s eyes, anyway? Well, a little explanation is in order first. Let’s go to the Lord’s crucifixion. See, in crucifixion, the Romans would tag a sign on the cross that indicated the reason for the crucifixion. It is the crime that the perpetrator committed. So, what was Jesus’ crime?

King of the Jews.

In God’s eyes, King and Cross go together.

When we follow the Lord, He gives us His life. This means that we will trade in our own life to have His. Our joys become His joys. We will live the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Resurrection. We will see miraculous healings and conversions. They are joys that you can’t find anywhere else in this life, joys that reach all the way into the very core of the heart.

But it also means that you will live His sorrows, too. Your sufferings will be traded in to become His sufferings. And, yes, they will reach all the way into the very core of your heart.

All the hatred toward God, especially the hatred hidden under external religious practices, will uncover itself and find you as its object. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you.” (Jn 15:18)

When you speak His Word, you will not be listened to. “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.” (Jn 15:20)

Hardly a one who does listen will understand. Hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (Mt 13:13)

And those who do listen will not stay with you in your darkest hours. And they all deserted Him and fled. (Mk 14:50)

And those who you thought you could count on will betray you and Him. It is not an enemy who taunts me, but it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to hold sweet converse together; within God’s house we walked in fellowship. (Ps 55:12-14)

Your giving yourself to Him will be rewarded with the same exclusion He experienced. “They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because they have not know the Father, nor me.” (Jn 16:2-3)

You will be laughed at when you profess your faith in the great works of God: And they laughed at him. (Mk 5:40)

You will be called strange, not well, and even evil. “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.” (Mt 10:25)

You will receive insults and false accusations. “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt 5:11-12)

And they will not be just any insults and false accusations, but the ones meant for Him. For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face. (Ps 69:7) The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. (Ps 69:9)

And, if you are blessed with His ministry or leadership, you will find betrayal and rebellion at every turn. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.” (Ps 2:2-3)

When you look with Him for help and sympathy, all will fail you. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. (Ps 69:20)

You will be welcomed by some who require you to set aside your relationship with Him. “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” (Jn 5:43)

And you will often find yourself all alone. “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.” (Lk 21:17)

And worst of all, the sufferings will not come from strangers. No, they will come from those who are closest to you, fellow Christians, family, clergy and religious. You’ll share with the Lord in giving the good news of salvation and will be rejected most by these people who need it most but presume to already have it. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Lk 13:34)

It sounds dark, right? I mean, when you look at it, it’s the very definition of dark.

It’s the Cross.

But there is one good thing about the Cross. This one good thing outweighs all the darkness and suffering. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Jn 1:5):

You are with Jesus in His greatest hour.

This is your greatest hour, too, because it is your chance to have His Heart, His prayer, His words alive inside you. It is the hour when you can conquer all the darkness with Him. It is the hour when you get to share in the victory of the greatest battle ever fought. It is the opportunity to be a Co-Redeemer with the King, a Mediator of His Graces, the hour to be with Him on His throne of Mercy. It is the hour when He can live again through you and can say from the Cross the very prayer that saved the world:

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34)

Then, you are a King in God’s eyes.

We suffer with him in order that we also may be glorified with him. (Rom 8:17)

A few days ago I was visiting with my mother’s cousin Susanna in Boston. We had dinner and were able to catch up on things, especially since she lost her husband Andrew last March. She cooked me dinner and sent me off with an Armenian recipe to cook for dinner for the guys in the house I live in.

Near the end of our time, she took out a long paper written by her granddaughter Sandra. “I’ve got to show you this paper that Sandra wrote for a class. I’ve read this every day since I got it. You won’t believe that a 17-year-old wrote it. I think it should be published somewhere. Would you like to read it?” Sure.

I sat for about 20 minutes reading eight pages of some of the most beautiful and creative writing I could imagine. Sandra wrote a second-person letter-type narrative to her grandfather, describing the story of his last year or so, with personal anecdotes from the past inserted now and then. She explained how he was her personal friend and tutor in her schoolwork as a little girl, teaching her how to approach problems steadily and methodically, step-by-step. She described how he raised her up to put her on his shoulders to see at Mass. She described with stories his noble virtue that combined an outgoing personality and creative sense of humor with strength and discipline. The inspiration of his faith and hope and love throughout his cancerous illness. She explained how she always admired him so much.

And, in the hospital rehab, she tells a story of a nurse coming in, looking at her, and saying to them, “Now I know you two are definitely related.” He said to her afterwards, “You are my mirror.” I thought to myself, come to think of it, whenever I’ve seen a picture with the two of them in it, they are embracing.

In this paper, she opened her heart to him and the reader. A young girl was revealing a relationship with a grandfather who lived in some of the deepest parts of her heart.

When I was done, Susanna took the paper from me, looked right at me, and said, “Now, after reading that, do you know Andrew?” I knew what she meant. She saw that there was nothing else that made him present like that paper. That’s why she reads it every day.

“It’s like he’s present. It’s her witness.”

That’s what it is to be a mirror. If you want to know Andrew, then you meet Sandra. Nothing else makes him present like she does.

Mary is the Mirror of God her Father. The great perk, the perk, of being the Mirror of God is that you make Him present in your very own flesh. That’s what happened with Mary, right? Her Son Jesus has all His humanity from her. He is God made present in her very own flesh.

The perk of being the Mirror of God is that you are the Mother of God.

If you want to know God, then you meet Mary. Nothing else makes Him present like she does.

Do you want people to know God? Let Him live with you, be your shelter, raise you up, be your grandfather. Then, when people see your love for Him, when they see your witness, they will know Him. You will become His mirror, and He will be present in your flesh.

And you too will be His mother.

“Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mt 12:49-50)

Happy Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God!

Anyone visiting here who is interested in the Ignation Examen Prayer, you might enjoy the updates to the Examen Prayer page. You can click on the right, or here. Enjoy!

http://livingmonstrance.stblogs.com/the-ignatian-examen-prayer/

A few days before Christmas, I met up with my friend Jack for the first time in a long time. We had a great lunch together and talked for an hour or so, catching up on a lot of stuff.

So, Jack began telling me about his new hobby: he’s coaching basketball now. “I always played pick up before, but I never actually really knew the rules and nuances of the game. It’s been real fun learning the game and coaching the kids.” Now, I was the guy in our crowd who played basketball – Jack played football and hockey. What made him take up coaching a sport he never really was serious about before? “Well, my daughter Kelly is playing on the team and they needed a coach.”

After we were finishing up and going our ways, he asked if I had plans for Christmas. I told him I didn’t have fixed plans yet for the whole day. “Why don’t you come by for dinner?” Sounds good.

So on Christmas, I had the gift of having Christmas dinner at his house with his whole family. I got to catch up with his whole family for the first time in a long time. It was great to just be with them.

Well during the Christmas meal, there I was, sitting next to his wife Kathy, and all of a sudden, she turns to me amidst all the activity and says, “Jerome, Jack is the best Dad in the world. Everything that Kelly does, he gets involved in. He reads up on things, whatever it takes to be involved in whatever she does. And she loves him so much. One time, a coach saw her playing and asked her, ‘Who taught you to do that?’ and right away, she said, ‘My Dad!’ You know, other people have helped her in sports, but she gives all the credit to her father.”

What makes the Blessed Virgin Mary so full of love and peace and joy? Why is she full of grace?

It’s because her Father is involved in everything she’s doing, guiding her, raising her up. He is always with her.

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” (Lk 1:28)

If we let God be involved in everything we’re doing, letting Him guide us and raise us up, if we let Him always be with us, then we’ll share in Mary’s life. We’ll have the best Father in the world.

And we’ll be full of grace.

Merry Christmas!

Back in November, I was entering s local supermarket and there was a man working for the Salvation Army, ringing the bell next to the donation bin. So I said hello and on my way out, I gave him some money. “I’m Jerome, what’s your name?” “I’m James.” We got to talking and we began to share about spiritual things, about the good things of God and His salvation, and the challenges of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. We were talking about getting back up, the challenges of temptation, and the Lord’s mercy.

So, at some point, I mentioned what God had done for me, how I had been addicted to internet pornography, and that the Lord had taken me out of it, by His grace. I mean, I just left it, and now I use the computer without ever a temptation – what a gift of His mercy!

His look changed – he eyes widened and his voice softened. He began to explain to me that he was struggling with the very same thing, that the night before he had fallen, and he had such a feeling of guilt and all this weight, and so on. I tried to encourage him, and said, “James, God doesn’t want successes and heroes. He wants sinners and failures.” I ended up giving him a little pep talk.

Afterwards, he said, “You know, just when I was really, really struggling with what I did last night, you come along and give your testimony, and that was just what I needed. You were sent by God.”

We had talked for over an hour before I left to finish my errands.

Well, two weeks ago, I stopped by the supermarket again. As I was approaching, James saw me, and a big smile spread over his face. “Jerome!”

“You know, that day, with you sharing your testimony, I can’t tell you what God has done for me. I haven’t had any of those problems since. And you know what, I meet people all day here, 5 days a week , for the past 4 weeks, and … I don’t remember anyone’s name.

You are the only name I remember.”

Tears flowed from his eyes.

What did I do? How was this man so touched and changed?

The Divine Mercy and my little witness.

St. Paul is a name that is still remembered by the world today. Paul was stuck in a very bad habit – imprisoning and torturing men and women out of religious self-righteousness – until the Lord Jesus touched him so powerfully with His Mercy that his whole life turned upside down. After that, he ended up traveling all over the known world and bringing about so many healings and conversions that he became a co-founding pillar of the Church with Peter.

Paul was a general in the Lord’s Salvation Army.

But really, there was only one thing that Paul did after his famous conversion. Do you know what it is? The only thing he ever did was give witness to Jesus Christ and what he had done for him. “For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.” (Acts 22:15)

That’s it.

To enlist in the Lord’s Salvation Army, we only need to do one thing:

Give our personal witness to His Mercy.

Then, like Paul, our names will be remembered too.

“And those who turn many to righteousness [shall shine] like the stars for ever and ever.” (Dan 12:3)