The Saturday night before Pentecost this year I was at a parish with a large Guatamalan charismatic prayer group. The leaders were trained as lay preachers in Guatamala. They are magisterial and always tell the 250 strong group including many teens, that Mass and Confession are absolutely necessary and the prayer meeting is not a substitute. One of the leaders has a son of 19 in a wheel chair most of his life, totally disabled with a face that register only joy or numbness. He sometimes brings him to the prayer group. When this leader speaks passionately about trust in God he is so credible because of the way fathers this young man.
It is a terrific witness to me. I have found that any words of wisdom I try to offer in talks is always more credible because of surviving my son’s suicide without losing faith or becoming bitter.
What is the cross you bear that gives you credibility?
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1 Noreen says...
I've been reflecting on this post and what came to me as I laid in bed this morning praying for the courage to get up and love well "Preach the gospel, use words if necessary". The exchange between father and son in your story spoke volumes without a whisper. My cross is not one readily spoken of save in certain circles. Maybe it's the same for everyones cross, people are not comfortable with the cross. My cross is an interwoven cross of abuse (physical,verbal,emotional and sexual abuse). Of course the sexual abuse has wounded me deep into the core of my being. I remeber being very small maybe 5 and looking up at the enormous bloody statue of Jesus on the cross in the foyer at Sacred Heart Church and feeling (saying) in my heart, "He knows, He knows." I don't speak about my cross but I hope the gaze of my eyes and the warmth of my face tells others, "She knows, She knows."
Posted at 8:51 a.m. on July 1, 2011
2 SHANNEL ARMANT says...
We are studing about the meaning of leadership in our church bible study do you have any booklet that you can mail to me to give to the member about leadership in church this would be very helpful and a blessing to us. My address is p.o. box 301 saint james, la 70086 looking forward in hearing something from you as soon as possible thiscould be a blessing and a honor as well as a preverlish
Posted at 6:54 a.m. on August 2, 2011