Missed opportunities

“REMEMBER the miracle of Jesus healing the woman with a bleeding problem? If she had not been ill for such a long time and had not spent every penny she had on doctors, perhaps she would never have approached the Master to touch the hem of his garment, and would never have heard Jesus’ consoling words – the most important words she was to hear in her life – which were far more than all her sufferings and useless expenditure.” These are the words of Francis Fernandez in his book Conversations with God, 2001.

What seems a misfortune to us is perhaps not so dreadful. From it, with love, humility and contrition, we can draw out a grace-filled encounter with Christ. Behind apparent evils (illness, exhaustion, pain, abuse, financial
ruin, etc.), we can always find Jesus, holding out his hand to help us bear that situation and grow internally.

Over and over again I have observed this miracle of conversion in our pro-life counseling centers—single pregnant girls, post aborted women, sexually abused or run-away teens, battered wives, concerned boyfriends. Some have already encountered the Lord before they come and are just seeking a deeper relationship. A greater number of them come in their confusion, pain and bitterness. A word of kindness and unconditional acceptance, the compassionate love of Jesus, are often enough to make them turn to an all forgiving God.

Very often they admit that they had forgotten him or ignored him during their time of ease when they are more attached to their own plans, health, and wealth than to God’s will. But the misfortunes of this life become a call to faith. They realize that God disposes events with a logic quite different from their pursuit and the only way
is to detach themselves from everything else so that he may fill them with his own love and strength.

Today, we need pro-life volunteers who will bring the “blind and the deaf and the lame to Jesus”. We need witnesses who will stand up and admit that it was their misfortunes that have brought them to surrender themselves to the Lord, giving thanks for that unique experience. It seems that active volunteers who will minister to others are sadly lacking in the parishes and in many organizations. Sure, it is much easier to find volunteers for the choir or music ministry and, as lectors and readers for the liturgies, but the parish priests admit that it is very hard to gather volunteers to go to the poor areas within their vicinity in order to organize the BECs, the livelihood programs, the adult catechesis or children’s feeding programs. Women’s Desks and Family Counseling centers are important services but these need trained volunteers who will be faithful to the time they commit to—and often, people find many excuses not to get involved.

Let us ask Our Lady, who experienced so many hardships, so much anguish, so much sorrow, to teach us not to miss those opportunities of meeting Christ in the midst of the—humanly speaking—most unfavorable circumstances.

If you feel God is calling you to give more of your time to volunteer, call our Pro-life office and we can discuss with you where your talents and time available, as well as most accessible center is for your convenience. Call 911-2911.