Gratitude of the Unbearable!
Thirty Second-Sunday In Ordinary Time
St. Martin of Tours!
November 12, 2023
"Sharing Gratitude With? the Unbearable!
Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her and is found by those who seek her. 13?She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. 14?One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate. 15?To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding, and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, 16?because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths and meets them in every thought.
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We breathe in gratitude, and we breathe it out, too.. Once we learn how to do that, then we can bear someone who is unbearable. One of my go-to mystics, Rumi said: "There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground,"? and giving gratitude to one who is barely bearable is one of the best.
One saint on this day who bears witness to gratitude of the unbearable is Martin of Tours.
He was a non-Roman, entering the army of Rome, and then in his moment of conversion repeated these words:
"Now let me fight for God. As for your bonus, let someone who is going to join the battle receive it. I am a soldier of Christ-combat is not permitted me." "In the name of the Lord Jesus and protected only by the sign of the cross, without shield or helmet, I shall penetrate the enemy's ranks and not be afraid."
He was our first "conscientious objector, one who in gratitude to God for human life continued to support the army, but chose not to bear arms. He continued later in life as a grateful person serving as priest and bishop always giving to everyone.
St. Martin bore the unbearable of rejection, hate,and criticism, yet he continued to live his beliefs and bear the unbearable.
Cale in the photo above was one of the first? youth I came into contact with as I began doing outreach. He was from a home where he was rejected. He became a sex worker, homeless, and died of age.
I cared for Cale, yet he was very unbearable in the sense he hit,? told lies, and way out stories about me. He was unbearable, yet I served and loved him. Giving gratitude is not fun most of the time!? But giving Gratitude for me is life giving!
Gratitude is opening our lives to the unbearable, gratitude is entering into the undesirability of others. Their is pain, yet joy, for we come to know we are all unbearable at times and God loves us with all of Her/His heart!
Give Gratitude to the Unbearable!
Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!
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"Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (CEU)
"Giving Tuesday, November 28, 2023
"Giving Tuesday, 2023"
"Do What You Can,
With What You Have"
领英推荐
Where You Are!"
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P.O. Box 642656
San Francisco, CA 94164
415-305-2124
Let Love Ache
Father, give me the courage to keep on loving.
when others keep on hurting.
help me to live an achy love, a gritty,
persistent and emptying love;
a love that’s not afraid to flow toward the other
who has little left to offer in return.
And may I tread faithfully with heaven
through the unfinished work that surrounds me.
Commoners_Communion