I've just been listening to Mother Nadine so this really spoke to my heart. August 12, 2008 Dear Family of Mary! At the summer conference, "Fires of Hope" Fr. John Mark of the Intercessors of the Lamb Community gave the teaching on the Sacrament of Confirmation and its corresponding Gift of the Spirit, Fortitude. This talk was incredible. At the beginning of the talk he held up a cross with no corpus on it and said that Christ has no body now but yours. The Cross is empty because Jesus is asking us to lay our lives down. But he said that it is impossible to lay down our lives without the help of God, through the Confirmation gift of Fortitude. Confirmation, he said, means "with firmness." We are made full of firmness through our Confirmation. He told us that this firmness is rooted in a deep relationship with God, through which we receive plentiful love. The love we receive from the Lord enables us to do great and heroic deeds fearlessly! The more love we receive the more able we are to stand in the midst of battle, to stand at the Cross. The tempter will always try to get us to come down from the Cross, to run from the Cross, but the love we receive by its very nature, will help us to stand. Love equals sacrifice, so if we are full of love we can stand. Fr. John Mark told us to journal out our fears. What is it we are afraid of? We are all at different places of the Passion. Some of us are in the agony, some the scourging, some carrying the cross. We need to see that place as a gift. It unites us with our Beloved. So we need to talk to the Lord about our suffering and be purified of fear. The apostles were in the upper room, filled with the fear of death, before Pentecost. But Jesus came and blew His Holy Spirit into them and they became fearless. This is what we need too. Our Lady tells us: "Do not be anxious or worried. God will help you and show you the way." (May 25, 1988) The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to make us strong, firm, and able to stay at the Cross. The power to stand is Love. After this talk we were given time to journal out our fears with the Lord. I told the Lord that I was afraid of physical suffering and of the suffering of political prisoners. Such confinement terrifies me. I told the Lord I was afraid of being on the wrong side of the powers that be. I asked if He could help me. He seemed to say to me: I was totally on the wrong side of the powers that existed in My day, the Pharisees, the Romans, the Priests, King Herod, they all were arrayed against Me. I was treated more violently and cruelly than any person, it was fearsome. But I could endure it because I was prepared for it by My Father. For years He had foreshadowed it to Me so I could pray through the fear and be fortified by His grace and love. The Agony was the final preparation, and I knew what was coming. I had time to pray it through and steady my soul. Once I was resolved and grace-filled, I could accept it and walk one painful step at a time to Calvary. I want to prepare you for the Father's will in your life, but you run when ever I begin. Will you let me prepare you? It is only with God's love filling us that we can accept any suffering. But the road to joy leads us directly into the heart of suffering, on the Cross with Jesus. Let's all stay, together, under the Cross. Let's stay. In Jesus and Mary! Cathy Nolan © 2008 Mary TV PS. "Fires of Hope" is available on DVD or CD from the Intercessors of the Lamb Community at: www.bellwetheromaha.org
This is a very beautiful teaching Lee. Its true we can do everything in God who is our strength. I often too think of God as a very well mannered person. I have often found before great suffering is given God gives me an intimation of it and asks me if I will accept it. Its very counter cultural this. Going against what the world teaches us that we have to be happy through physical means. Who knows, really what tomorrow will bring to each of us? Its not easy, but then again, why should we accept it to be? I have found one of the greatest confirmations of my faith is the deep down happiness and peace that is always there even in the most dreadful and even life threatening situations. Its like being a little boat on the seas surface in a great storm. But always ,at the bottom of the ocean there is a great calm and peace. Its incredible. I am happier than I have been in my whole life. Thats the bottom line. In my experience I am far, far, happier and at peace than really anyone I ever meet in my day to day life. Thats the bottom line, the account sheet of my soul. A peace that the world cannot give. Such joy. Such peace. A wonderful teaching, I'll be praying for more insight into fortitude, thank you Lee. Wonderful.
Its wonderful having God speak to my heart in this way. Its one of the many reasons I love being on this Forum. Thank you again Lee. Something bad just happened to me today, this came at just the right time for me. It reminds me of things I have half forgotten. I must pray for more strength and ask Jesus to hold me and carry me more in my arms. I can do nothing myself and all in Him who saves me.
