ISSUE Notre Dame du Laus 02 Parish Newsletter JUNE HARKtheHerald 2 0 2 1 Be Not Afraid To the Heart Taking Jesus at His Word What if we lived our lives as if we truly believed is not that we don’t ask but that we don’t know what to everything that Jesus said? How different would your ask for. We ask God to help us win the lottery or find us life look? How different would you feel? How might it a good spouse or cure our pain, thinking if only we had change your heart? more money or a better partner or less health problems we’d be happy. We wouldn’t. God could give us those When Mary visited Elizabeth in her 6th month of things, but then when the next problem arose we’d need pregnancy, Elizabeth proclaimed “Blessed is she who Him to do it all over again. Instead he wants to give us believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would trust in Him, so that when problems arise we aren’t be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45). This month, let us ask Mary to shaken. We know that He is with us. Today let us ask for this issue help us have faith in God’s word the way she did. knowledge to seek the peace of heaven rather than “But seek first the Kingdom of God, and His earthly things, of fortitude to stand strong in the face of To the Heart P.1 righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto adversity, and piety that we may find joy in serving God Ancient Wisdom P.2 you.” (Matthew 6:33) and others. And let us believe wholeheartedly that we will receive them. This means putting God first in our lives and striving to Did you know? P.3 do His will above all things. We can do this by attending “We know that in all things God works for good with Catechism Corner P.4 mass on Sundays, spending a little time in prayer every those who love Him” (Romans 8:28) day, and trying to be attentive to the needs of others so Last but not least, let us trust that even in life’s most Saint Biography P.4 we can help them in their struggles. The great news is challenging moments God is doing something good for that this will allow Him to take care of all the little things us. That’s the way God works. We don’t complain about we usually spend our time and energy preoccupied our car being stolen when we know the insurance money with, like work, bills or household chores. Try giving will allow us to buy another one. We don’t worry about a God the reigns in your life and see how much easier all long plane ride when we know we’re headed for white these things become. sand beaches and crystal clear water. Rather than being “Ask and it will be given; Seek and you will find; Knock afraid of suffering, today let us rejoice when it comes and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) because we know God is transforming it into immeasurable blessings for us, both in this life and the God wants to give us many wonderful gifts. He wants next. our lives to be filled with joy. The problem for most of us The “Anyway” Poem A version of this poem was Ancient Wisdom found inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa’s Children’s Antidote to Fear Home in Calcutta People are often "Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John And, which cannot be taken from you (only unreasonable, illogical, and 4:18). B) Our will and our intensity of desire you, and you alone, can ever choose self-centered; to reject God), and it is love of that Forgive them anyway. for this perfect thing is more fully Love and fear are closely related. fixed on this higher good - as which ultimately fulfills the deepest If you are kind, people may Fear is rooted in the awareness that opposed to being fixed on lesser human longings. It is love of Him accuse you of selfish, ulterior we may lose some good thing; some goods. Who creates and sustains all things motives; thing that we love. The more we love in existence, and wishes to give us a Be kind anyway. a thing, the more we might find With this distinction we can see how share in His eternal life and ourselves afraid of losing that thing. "worldly love" (love of the things of goodness. This love is the "perfect If you are successful, you will love" Saint John speaks of, and it win some false friends and Indeed, some people have been so this world) is a source of fear, and some true enemies; hurt by loss in the past that they indeed of an intensity of fear that is really does drive out fear. Succeed anyway. refuse to let themselves love proportionate to the intensity of love anything. Fear of the pain of loss is we have for these things! The more Note that this does not mean that one If you are honest and frank, too great. deeply you love any one created and who has "perfect love" will be people may cheat you; limited thing (a thing that can die or immune to suffering during their life. Be honest anyway. If this is the case, how do we make be lost), the more you will fear the Famines, plagues, wars, strife, injustice, and myriad other evils are What you spend years sense of Saint John's seemingly actual loss of this potentially lose- building, someone could paradoxical quote that "perfect love able thing! part of life, for reasons we don't fully destroy overnight; casts out fear"? Would we not be understand yet. What it does mean, Build anyway. risking the greatest loss if we were to “Our Lord said (Matthew 10:28): however, is that the one with perfect give ourselves over to the greatest “Fear ye not them that kill the body,” love is not crippled by fear of these If you find serenity and love? Rather than casting out fear, thus forbidding worldly fear… things. Rather he is freed by the hope happiness, people may be wouldn't this love simultaneously be Worldly love is, properly speaking, of resurrection in Christ. That hope jealous; colors everything he does and serves Be happy anyway. the source of the greatest fear? the love whereby a man trusts in the world as his end, so that worldly love to draw good even out of those evils, The good you do today, In order to make sense of this we is always evil. Now fear is born of ultimately robbing them of their people will often forget need to draw a distinction love, since man fears the loss of what power to instill fear: tomorrow; between the thing we love on the one he loves, as Augustine states.” Do good anyway. hand, and our manner or intensity of (Saint Thomas, Summa Theologiae “So you have sorrow now, but I will loving it on the other. II-II.19.3) see you again and your hearts will Give the world the best you rejoice, and no one will take your joy have and it may just never be enough; According to Saint Thomas Aquinas, Love of God on the other hand is a from you… I have said this to you, Give your best anyway. love is more "perfect" when: source of peace and hope (as that in me you may have peace. In A) It is directed toward a more opposed to worldy fear), and again, the world you have tribulation; but be You see, in the final "perfect" thing or object - something this peace and hope is proportionate of good cheer, I have overcome the analysis, it’s all between more truly real and good, something to the intensity with which we love world.” (John 16:22, 33) you and God; lacking nothing; God. Love of God is love of that It was never between you and them anyway. Did you know? Prayer Corner The Serenity “I set neither limit nor measure to My gifts of grace Prayer for those who seek them in My Heart!” God grant me the serenity Jesus Made Twelve Promises to Those Who Hold a to accept the things I cannot True Devotion to His Sacred Heart: change; 1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state courage to change the things I of life. can; and wisdom to know the 2. I will give peace in their families and will unite difference. families that are divided. “Behold this heart that has loved men so much!” 3. I will console them in all their troubles. Living one day at a time; Did you know that in the Catholic Church June is the enjoying one moment at a time; 4. I will be their refuge during life and above all in month dedicated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus? Among accepting hardships as the Did you know? death. many other during this month, we celebrate two very pathway to peace; important feasts, the feast of the Sacred Heart of 5. I will bestow the blessings of Heaven on all their taking, as He did, this sinful world Jesus (June 11) and the Immaculate Heart of enterprises. as it is, not as I would have it; Mary (June 12).