Jesus Came to Serve

Dearest Ones,

A Happy and Blessed Easter to all of you! "The Son of Man did not come to be served; He came to serve and give His life for us." I think the following true story is a good illustration of this.

A boy was consistently coming home late from school. There was no good reason for being late. No amount of warnings seemed to help. Finally, the boy's father sat him down and said, "The next time you come home late from school you are going to be given bread and water only for your supper. Is that perfectly clear, son?" The boy looked straight into his father's eyes and nodded. He understood perfectly.

A few days later the boy came home even later than usual. His mother met him at the door but said nothing. His father met him in the living room, but he didn't say anything either.

That night, when they sat down together at the table, the boy's heart sank down to his feet. There was his father's plate filled with delicious food and his mother's plate, too. But his plate contained only a single slice of bread. Next to his plate was a lonely glass of water. The boy's eyes stared at the bread, then at the glass of water. This was the punishment his parents had warned him about. To make things worse, he was starving.

The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then, he quietly took the boy's plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate...and put it in front of the boy.
The boy understood what his father was doing. His father was taking upon himself the punishment that he had brought upon himself by his own behavior.

Years later, the same boy recalled the incident and said; "All my life I have known what God is like by what my father did that night."

Jesus came into this world to do for us what that father did for his son. He paid the price for our sin by his death on the cross.

All of us need to be reminded of what it means to be great. According to this world, greatness is how much weight you can throw around or how many people you can order about. We must climb to the top, even if we have to run over others in order to be great. Jesus turned that on its head. The great ones are not those who know how to lord it over others, but those who know how to serve.

On the night before He died, Jesus knew He had to show his followers just what being great means. In the hot, dusty country of Palestine, most people wore sandals and their feet became extremely dirty. That's why upon entering a home, someone, usually servants, would wash their feet. Jesus had to get his message through to them quickly, as Judas was about to strike. He had to set an example - so, He washed His disciples' feet - even those of Judas! Then He said to them: "Do you understand what I have done for you? I have set the example - you are to serve one another as I have served you. It is the only way to be happy in this world." Then He said those memorable words,"Love one another as I have loved you!" Love and service are the same. To love is to serve.

Most of us won't literally wash feet, so we ask Our Lord how we can serve. If we can't give money to others, we can give our time, a smile at the person you pass on the street, visit a sick friend, shovel snow, an unexpected warm greeting to one who has wronged you, etc. Daily, parents do so many acts of service, cooking, washing clothes, doing dishes, cleaning, picking up after one another, etc. You parents are doing what Jesus asks us all to do. Loving begins in the home. Keep on loving your spouse and children more and more, especially when you don't feel like it. Children will always remember your loving acts of kindness.

This last week of Lent is called Holy Week. We spend extra time in Church showing Jesus how much we love Him. On Holy Thursday, we recall the Last Supper, the first Mass and the betrayal of Judas. The priest washes the feet of the people. On Good Friday, we go through the long, painful hours of the Passion. Individually, we go up to kiss the cross publicly, in order to show our love. Isn't it wonderful? He died because He wants to see all of us in heaven!

As a child, I remember my mother made sure that we did not talk or eat from noon until three o'clock, in memory of the three hours Jesus hung on the cross for us. On Holy Saturday, the holy water and candles are blessed. The tomb is empty! Then on Easter Sunday there is great rejoicing and everyone is happy because Jesus proved that He was who He said he was! He fooled Satan! He wasn't really dead after all. The battle is over! We won!! He is alive and will always be with us! Our departed loved ones are not dead either - they are alive and will live somewhere forever. No other religious leader ever rose from the dead - not Buddha or Mohammed - that is why we know we have the truth. Jesus proved He is God! We are only asked to believe what is true. Is that too much?

Dear God, as Lent comes to a close, we recall the suffering of Jesus. We still may have our own pain, suffering and doubt, but help us to always remember Jesus' resurrection. Help us not to forget that you said that eye has not seen nor ear heard what you have prepared for those who love you. Amen.

Peace and Love,
Sister Francelle

Jesus, Have Mercy On Us

Dearest Ones,

Did you ever wonder what it would be like if Jesus had not risen from the dead? If His body had decayed and He was buried in a grave somewhere clear across the world, which hardly anybody even knows about? We wouldn't have our faith as we know it. We would be worshipping a dead person. Furthermore, it would have made a liar out of Jesus. We couldn't believe in the Bible because Jesus foretold that He would rise from the dead after three days. But He did rise from the dead and He's alive and that's why we celebrate Easter with such great joy and enthusiasm. He is alive and I'm so glad but not only that, He lives right inside of you and me! How ridiculous to think that men could actually kill God!

There is a story about a teacher who gave each of her little students an empty plastic Easter egg and asked each to fill it with something about Easter. As each child opened their egg to show it to the others - one had a flower inside to signify new life, another had a nail because they nailed Jesus to a tree, another had a small stone because of the stone put in front of the tomb. But the last egg was opened by a little mentally challenged boy, whose egg had nothing inside. The teacher asked what this meant and he replied that the tomb was empty on Easter morning, which means that Jesus is God and He did raise Himself from the dead! A little child had grasped the meaning of the empty tomb! The riches of our faith depend on that empty tomb.

Less than a hundred years ago, a young Polish nun, Sister Faustina, had a vision of Jesus. He was clothed in a white robe, while red and white rays streamed from His heart. He said He feels so very sad because many people's hearts had grown cold toward Him. They received Holy Communion out of habit and didn't bother to thank Him or ask for protection for their families and other needs. It seemed to Him that they didn't really believe it was God they were receiving. So, He asked Sr. Faustina to have a picture painted of Himself just as He appeared to her. He wanted the red and white rays streaming from His heart, signifying the blood and water which flowed from His heart when the soldier pierced it with a lance (the red rays represent the blood and the white signifies the water.) Across the bottom of the picture He asked that she write the words, "JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU." There is an attachment of the picture enclosed. (Click on Divine Mercy above for a picture.)

Jesus spoke to Sr. Faustina 14 different times asking that the Divine Mercy Sunday be on a specific day, the first Sunday after Easter. Sr. Faustina, along with her spiritual director, asked the Pope to proclaim this day of Mercy. Pope Paul 11 did proclaim the Sunday after Easter as the Feast of Mercy for the entire world.

Why did Our Lord see such a great need for a Feast of Mercy? What is mercy? Mercy is showing love and forgiveness to someone who does not deserve it. It is showing compassion and kindness to complete strangers. In order to receive the great graces of the Feast of Mercy, it is absolutely necessary that we do acts of mercy, Jesus said. Everyone around us needs mercy from us - family, friends, strangers, co-workers, even enemies. Take a look around you. There are people in desperate need of our kindness. I find that once I begin doing acts of mercy and kindness, my whole day becomes an act of mercy - there are so many in need.

We are all in need of God's mercy, but some people act like they don't need it. They don't even consider themselves as sinners. In fact, they don't even recognize sin - they call it a mistake of judgment instead. They no longer go to confession. Our Lord told Sr. Faustina, "It is only through my mercy that the world will find peace and happiness. I promise that each person who receives the Sacrament of confession and receives Holy Communion during the Easter Season will be completely freed from all consequences of their sin. I demand that you show mercy and kindness to others. It is necessary if you wish to receive My mercy." Jesus told Sr. Faustina of the importance of having the painting in every Church and in every home.

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which Jesus taught to Sr. Faustina, takes about 5 minutes and may be prayed on ordinary rosary beads. This is a most powerful prayer to be said for any intention. (See Chaplet of Divine Mercy on the internet for directions on how to say it.) It only takes a few minutes to memorize the two prayers in the Chaplet. These are the words of Our Lord concerning the Chaplet: "When you say this chaplet for a dying person, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as a judge but as the Merciful Savior. Through the chaplet, you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will." I often pray the chaplet throughout the day, while driving or waiting in line.

Before Sr. Faustina died at age 33, in 1941, she said these words: "Although I expect to soon be enclosed in the ocean of God's love, I will not forget the people on earth. I will not rest but I will return to earth to encourage souls and help them to trust in God's mercy." How many of you have ever asked a friend to pray for you? That's what we do when we ask the saints, our friends in heaven, to intercede for us. I'm so glad we have them to pray for us.

God loves you,
Sister Francelle