Holy Animation (7/12/2023)

Yesterday, as I was running errands, I happened to meet a wonderfully generous and caring woman from our parish at the grocery store. We stood and talked for a few minutes in the aisle, out of the way of busy shoppers. I thanked her for her help with the multiple funeral luncheons we had provided over the past two months. She had helped with every single one of them. We both acknowledged the sense of energy surrounding these times of service, acknowledging in our own way the affirming feeling of knowing that the LORD is working through us. We agreed that resuming the service was a good thing for the community and for us.

Frequently over the years when I’ve been asked about the Spirit and about discernment, I have tried to explain that when one is Spirit led, there is a sense of animation rather than agitation. The Spirit energizes us for the demands of the journey. Our faith leads us to serve others in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and graces us with the essentials for the journey. That’s not to say it is a cake walk. But it is to acknowledge that one of the experiences of serving Christ by serving others is the feeling one gets knowing that the LORD is working through us. And usually, in the end, we must acknowledge that we received more than we gave.

The luncheons that the women of our parish provide for families following the funerals is a perfect example. The women come together, sharing their time, homemade dishes, and their willingness to serve others. In the process, we come to know one another better, and the sense of community is amplified. The families we serve are grateful for the accompaniment and care for them during their grief. And while we who serve go home tired, we also go home knowing that we were channels of the LORD’s loving peace that day.

As we continue our journeys in faith, let us open ourselves to the Spirit’s movement and direction. Let us commit to prayerfully discern where the Spirit is leading us. And let us, with all the love possible, give of ourselves along the way recognizing that the LORD most often works through others as His mystical Body. Let us be open to serving the LORD. Let us be open to sharing our faith through word and action. Let us treasure the moments when we humbly and gratefully realize that the LORD is working through us.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.