FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES.

Friendship is a wonderful thing. Those of us who have the gift of a friend or friends will realise that friendship cannot be bought. Perhaps we can earn friendship through being open and able to care for others - able to step out of our comfort zone and allow others to have an imput in our lives.

Whatever kind of friend we become, will be reflected in the friends we have. Yet, there is a circle of friends who care about you and me and have made it their business to watch out for us.

We call them saints, people like St. Therese who promised to spend her heaven doing good on earth.
If at times we feel without inspiration and in need of a friend, we can always elevate our minds and ask for guidance from our friends in high places.

My favourite is Mary.

THE ART OF COMMUNICATION.

I attended a meeting the other day on the art of communication. The speaker used humour to outline the differences between people.

Some of us are more visual, guided by what we see. Others are guided more by what they hear,

while others again are guided by their feelings.

Of course most of us are a combination of all three.

Men are generally guided by the logical side of their brain, while women are a mixture of the creative side of the brain and the logical side. This can be why men often believe women to be scattered, yet it’s because we are able to combine more than one thing at a time. This may disturb the logic of man, yet women understand each other.

The art of communication depends on us being able to step into the shoes of another person - to see things from their point of view. Misunderstandings happen when we are not aware of others. Are they visual? Are they audio? Are they people of feelings?

By communicating - listening - observing, we learn to become aware of others as they are, not as we conceive them to be. And so, the art of communication is put in place!

QUIET TIME

The value of quiet time is self-evident. Just watch a mother with her child, holding, touching, looking… no words are necessary. This quiet time is enveloped in love.
For most of us in our busy lives, we may forget the value of taking time out to appreciate those we love.

No expensive presents are needed. The gift we give is ourselves, our time, our interest.

In the spiritual life, we are invited to take time out, for ourselves. To show appreciation for the gift of life, the uniqueness of our being, how special we are. Strangely enough, it’s only when we are loving, in giving and doing that we learn to appreciate the value of our own uniqueness. We are special, a once-off masterpiece, created by the Master himself.

LIGHT UP THE WORLD!

Sometimes, when we are weak, perhaps physically or mentally, we can be bombarded by scruples and doubts, especially about our beliefs. We may experience a loss of faith in ourselves as a good person.

We may experience a loss of faith in God and all the religious beliefs we have fostered and which give meaning and consolation to our lives.

Deep within, we know this darkness is not real. We are simply in the dark, waiting for the light to be turned on again. God is asking us to trust Him. After all, it’s not such a bad thing to be without light, not if we truly believe in the LIGHT.

We become aware of just how weak we really are. All this is good. When we need understanding and knowledge, HE is the TRUTH. When we need vision, HE is the WAY.

LOVE HUMILITY!

In this wonderful, new-age world of ours, we are encouraged to assert ourselves; to speak out and refuse to hide our inner light.

This is good. The only drawback is sometimes we clash with others. Worse still, pride hits off pride and people wind up hurting each other.

Is there a remedy? I believe there is and it’s called Humility!

This self-effacing virtue is a great guide-line for knowing the truth of a situation. If we can only assert ourselves through anger - impatience and a refusal to listen to others, then all we are asserting is blind pride and we know where that leads us.

Humility will always listen; will always be patient and will always speak the truth, even to the detriment of ourselves.

When we find it difficult to hold back that smart remark, or to say we are sorry. When it’s not easy to forgive and forget, it can be encouraging to know that the remedy lies within ourselves. We are being invited to humble ourselves, to put our happiness and freedom first, and to love humility.

PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.

I always equated the story of the pearl of great price with the gift of faith. Perhaps this is so, yet lately I’ve begun to believe that the greatest gift of all is the ability to love.

We are told, we are what we love. This can be so true. Take a family for example, those who care for and are interested in each other, create a wonderful atmosphere where even a stranger can feel welcome. Love emanates from every corner of such a home, and it is a HOME, not just a comfortable house.

The same can be true of co-workers - those who care for and are interested in each other. Again, an welcoming atmosphere is present. Work is not a drudge and love is a winner.

St. John, the apostle, had it all figured out so many years ago. He knew the value of faith, yet his preaching was a simple one, `Little children, love one another’.

Let’s re-evaluate our priorities and become like the wise man who gave up everything for the pearl of great price.

A HAPPY FACE.

My mother was ill. Hospital was the only answer, so the doctor said. Several weeks, at least. The family was dependent on having her at home, but she had to obey the doctor, otherwise her life was at risk.

I visited as often as I could and it became a pleasure to see her being transformed from being the `mother’ as we knew her, into a real person - someone who had time and interest in being creative - a person with a happy face.

This was a revelation for me. I had linked illness with sadness. Not so. I discovered that even pain can have happiness as a companion, as indeed my mother had with her companions.
An atmosphere of good humour and even laughter filled the hospital ward.
Some recovered - others didn’t, yet they all knew the secret of a happy face.

LITTLE CHILDREN, LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

We often read in books, especially the lives of the saints about being in the presence of God. St. John had that privilege.

He lived, ate, slept and walked in the presence of God - with the Person of Christ.

He was called the Beloved Disciple - so close was he to our Lord at all times.
So, what special wisdom did St. John learn? What jewels of precious advise and guidance did he receive, to pass on? What was his message? Simply this -

LITTLE CHILDREN, LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
This was his constant advice and appeal to all he met. Could we receive better?

THE GOD-LINK.

When my younger brother was very small, he loved listening to the radio. We had a big old-fashioned model. Convinced that a man and a woman lived inside it, he would try to squeeze himself behind the cabinet on which the radio sat, just to catch a glimpse of them. We couldn’t convince him otherwise. We enjoyed the fun, yet as soon as he was old enough to play games with the bigger boys, he forgot all about the radio and the two imaginary characters who lived in it.

I was reminded of this, the other day, when I needed advise. It was one of those `should I or should I not’ situations. I know God is the one with all the answers, yet He often chooses to use our friends and co-workers to supply us with guidelines and answers.
To my surprise, it was a `non-friend’ who presented a solution to my dilemma. It seems, even our adversaries are part of the God-link.

This made me realise, we are receiving all the time from our Creator. And, we don’t just receive for ourselves - we receive for each other. We are like the voices in the radio. Sometimes we are not tuned into the right channel, yet we are still a receiver - we just lose the sense of the message we are being given.

Quiet moments are so important where we learn to listen, and receive, and relay the message whatever it might be.
Is the message for us, or for others? It doesn’t seem to matter to God.

Should it matter to us..?

PATIENCE.

St. Teresa of Avila had a good attitude to patience.

She would say, ‘ Let nothing disturb thee; nothing afright thee; all things are passing; God alone suffices, patience gains all. ’

Try telling that to a stressed out motorist who is already late for work. Or, to a mother who has three hyper-active children to deliver to school and traffic seems to be jammed for miles ahead. Just two examples of the many reasons for stress in our fast moving world of today.

It can be a challenge to remain cool and calm when everything around us seems to be in chaos.

It is a challenge, but not impossible.

Life is a question of priorities. If getting to work , or getting the children to school has priority, then a price has to be paid. Time is limited. If we leave late, we are late. If traffic is out of control, then we do not have control and must accept the consequences.

It’s more difficult to be a victim - not to be in charge - yet if we are patient at that moment of stress, our patience will save the day - maybe even our lives.

Let nothing disturb you - be patient - everything is passing. God is in control, looking out for us, always.

THE POWER OF GRATITUDE.

The power of gratitude is amazing. When we say thank you, we increase the value of everything that happens to us.

A thank you for a kind act, sows the seed for friendship. A thank you for a deserved reprimand opens us to change. A thank you for an undeserved reprimand appeases anger and makes us stronger - more in control.

A thank you, God when things go wrong and worry threatens our peace of mind will link us to God - to wisdom, understanding and knowledge.

Sometimes the only difference between things going right or wrong is our way of looking at them.

We may fail an exam or in a relationship. Painful though it might be, this could establish us more solidly in the path we want to follow. Perhaps, there is another road for us, one we hadn’t thought about.

When things seem to go wrong, God is not punishing us. Because He loves us, He is trying to guide us towards what will give us most happiness, without at the same time interfering with our freedom of choice. Can you find a Parent better than that?

Thank you God, for caring.

BY INVITATION ONLY.

A little book, called the Imitation of Christ, contained a picture of the Good Shepherd knocking at a door that could only be opened from the inside. The door symbolised the soul.

Perhaps God is present in our lives, by invitation only. We have been given the gift of free choice, so God holds back, waiting for our invitation. His love for us has such tremendous respect for our free will.

We invite God into our lives by treating his Presence as we would a friend - talking to Him - asking His advice - sharing our joys and our sorrows with Him. God can be closer to us than the person we love most. God, being Love, is found in love.

DORAS EILE!

While living on the Aran islands, with interchanging, gale-force winds, it was quite a common occurrence to be told “Doras eile!” ( the other door). Then, the back-door became the front-door. The more traditional cottages had no distinction between front or back. The home was built to comfort the dweller, and the visitor, and keep out the wind.

I was thinking about this as I struggled home the other day, against a northerly wind.

There are times when we are faced with spiritual challenges. Perhaps we’ve lost our way, or the way we know doesn’t seem to work anymore for us. We can’t get in. The `door’ is bolted. What can we do?

We may need the willingness to try ‘doras eile’, another way in. Perhaps we’re being invited to let go of old ways and open ourselves to new ways. Just like the old saying,

`If God closes one door, He opens another.’

Just say to yourself, ‘ Doras eile, mais se do thoile.’ (Other door, if you please.)

HARMONY

Perhaps one of the most beautiful instruments in the world is the human voice. Just listen to a choir where voices of sopranos and altos and base are all singing in harmony. So different, yet so musical and a pleasure to listen to.

I have memories of being in our school choir. I liked singing, yet being in the choir was often a penance. Attendance at twice-weekly practise was compulsory, once it had been established one could sing.

Our training often involved shouting and screaming from a teacher with a low-tolerance temper. This was her way of avoiding a nervous-breakdown. We survived by enjoying ridiculing her, in secret of course.

We looked like angels - a group of over fifty young adults - yet we were anything but! Then, miraculously, after weeks of practise, we began to sing well together. Harmonious and musical were the words used by the audience as we sang for our parents, teachers and the whole school.
We were so proud, and a little astonished. We had achieved what seemed impossible in the beginning.

Although we’ve grown up and left school, we are still students, and life is a constant teacher. Everyday we are invited to harmonise, to blend in and be a part of each other’s lives. Our egos and individual opinions of ourselves might say this is impossible. Is it?

How beautiful and musical life is when we live in harmony with one another. These are the qualities of love.

My Community: The Servants of Love

Visit our recently updated website: http://www.theservantsoflove.com/

BE GENTLE, ALL ARE FRAIL!

To have a gentleness of spirit when faced with weakness and frailty, is a sign of true inner peace. We all have weaknesses. We all fail, at times, and are so relieved when others accept us and don’t condemn us for our short-comings.

So, when are we not gentle?
When do we fail to accept failures and disappointments?
When, and why do we become hard?

Could it be, we have forgotten the value and power of gentleness? How important a gentle word can be? How inspiring, a gentle thought.

Let us allow ourselves this precious gift of gentleness and we will be transformed into a person centred in peace and tranquillity, with inner strength to deal with the short-comings of life.

As the greatest of Teachers has taught us, ‘Learn of Me, for I am meek and gentle of heart.

BEING TRANSFORMED.

We are told that every ten years of our lives brings about a change in our personalities and our attitudes to life in general. Whether we know it or not, our lives are moving forward and we are being moulded by the environment we live in.

It can be a good thing to take time out to examine our lives and become aware of the many changes that have already taken place. At one time in our lives, we had ideals and dreams... are they still there?

Has life become too real - no room for dreams? It's good to bear in mind that reality is never meant to be a kill-joy.

When we are inspired to dream of places to go - challenges to face - opportunities to develop our skills and personalities, we become alive and ready to take on the world. Just like the heroes in the Special Olympics, we focus on our abilities, not our disabilities. Life is positive and full of hope.

This is the essence of TRANSFORMATION. Our aims become our reality and we are changed into a new person. Out with the old, and on with the new US!

BE STILL…

Sometimes when we are with those we love, we forget to be with them. We may talk a lot. We may listen a little, yet to be with someone requires stillness.

This may be easier to do in a quiet place, together, yet it is possible to be in the middle of a busy city and still be in this state of stillness - a state of love.

God is present with us, all the time. We simply quieten ourselves, perhaps in a quiet place like a church, and we will be present with Him.

‘Be still and know that I am God…'
When we are still, kneeling or sitting or lying in bed, we still our minds and place ourselves in the Presence of God. We believe that He is with us. This is a simple act of love.