Friday: from the archives

Sr. Dorcee, belovedLeave a comment

Friday: from the archives

Sr. Dorcee, beloved's avatarWitnesses to Hope

A day or two ago one who was with me prayed like this, “Lord, help me to welcome interruptions, especially when the interruption seems less important than the work I am trying to do.”  That prayer has often been mine.  I expect many of you have felt the need of the loving grace of the Lord to help you to welcome interruptions, especially when they do not seem to matter nearly so much as what we are doing at the moment.  Thinking of this, I found myself this early morning in Lk. 9.11.  The people followed our Lord Jesus (He had wanted to be alone with His disciples just then), and He welcomed them.

It is so easy to be too preoccupied to be welcoming.  May the love of our Lord Jesus, for whose sake and in whose service we are here, so overflow from us that it will…

View original post 23 more words

The Year of Faith

Sr. Dorcee, beloved1 Comment

An article by Catherine Doherty from Madonna House on faith–faith in the God who loves us no matter what.  Be encouraged!

Getting Ready for the Year of Faith

by Catherine Doherty.

When I was a young wife in Petrograd, the city was in chaos when the communists took over. My husband Boris and I were sleeping on the floor after everything was taken away from us.

I said to him, “Boris, I am afraid.” He yawned and said, “Why? You are a Christian.”

That was a pretty good answer, and I never forgot it. If I am a Christian, can I give way to hopelessness? No. The resurrected Christ is in our midst.

What we have to battle in this day and age is our own hopelessness. Many people are depressed. They are depressed by their image of themselves.

Well, the picture they see in the mirror is false. Then, on top of this depression and in it and over it comes a terrible loneliness.

The answer to it is so utterly simple. The answer is faith. A very small word, but one of such immense power that it can lift you to the very feet of God. Faith in who you are as a child of God, faith in what you stand for, faith in where you are going.

These days, who of us doesn’t need faith, love, peace, compassion, understanding? So many of us cannot escape the fears that bay at us like a pack of wolves at our heels.

And so many of these fears are nonsensical. Let us stop listening to them.

We don’t have to worry about our sinfulness. We just need to go to confession. And forget all that nonsense about being ugly and unlovable. Throw yourself into the arms of God who incarnated himself to become like you and me.

You can read the rest here.

Friday: from the archives

Sr. Dorcee, belovedLeave a comment

Friday: from the archives

Sr. Dorcee, beloved's avatarWitnesses to Hope

Some thoughts from Amy Carmichael that have inspired me time and again:

Ps 18.30: As for God, His way is perfect.

God is love, so we may change the word and say, As for Love, His way is perfect.  This has been helping me.
     One of the ways of Love is to prepare us beforehand for any hard thing that He knows is near.  Perhaps this word will be His loving preparation to some heart for a disappointment, or for some trial of faith, or some secret sorrow between the Father and His child.  As for Love, His way is perfect.  (Edges of His Ways, p. 131)

If we take this word seriously, it will be life-changing.

View original post

The Want of Wonder

Sr. Dorcee, beloved1 Comment

A wonderful blog that I have just discovered!

barnstormingblog's avatarBarnstorming

“The world will never starve for want of wonders, but for want of wonder.”
— G. K. Chesterton
Perhaps it is the nature of what I do, but I never lack for wonder.  Every day, whether it is on the farm, within my family or in my doctoring, I witness wonders that bring me to my knees.  I am awed by how extraordinary is the ordinary, whether it is a full harvest moon, a well-timed hug, or a patient’s worry over a nagging headache.
Maybe I’m easily engrossed in what’s around me, but I know that’s not so because I can be as oblivious as the next person.   Maybe I’m just plain simple, but those who know me don’t think so.
Maybe it’s because I try to wake each day feeling immense gratitude for whatever the day will bring so must stay alert to what is laid before me.
Maybe…

View original post 20 more words

I send my angel before you

Sr. Dorcee, beloved1 Comment

 

 

How often do I forget the astounding gift of a guardian angel, an angel given just to me, to help me along my journey home, to protect and prod me.  “Behold, I send my angel before you.” (Ex 32.34) May God open the eyes of our hearts to perceive His great goodness through this wonderful gift.  May we be ever more attentive to their inspirations and help!