I have a few things to say…. and much more to learn about yielding. I’ll save confessing my failures and sins till another time and place. But about yielding — it is a tough for us to acquiesce to. Let me give you an example of the toughest resistance to yielding. Do you know that the prayers for exorcism include prayers for yielding? They do. They do. And why? The last thing that sinful weak humans want to do is to yield. And when possession of some sort has taken place — the most powerful prayers of exorcism may be required to ask God’s power and mercy and help for yielding by the person.
Here’s another area that speaks to yielding. When we find ourselves enduring a difficult situation, we need to yield our lives to the Holy Spirit and not resist Him. If we insist on resisting whatever it is the Lord desires to teach us through that situation, then we have suffered for nothing. The pain was in vain. I could cite so many examples where I need to learn this — areas that I want to correct or change. And whether it’s me or someone in our parish who is crippled with arthritis or gout or is pale and weak from chemo — the toughest ministry I face is when I am with people whose first or predominant question is: “Why me?” We all want to say, “I’m a good person…. all I ever wanted was good health. Why is God punishing me?” And sometimes there is no answer this side of heaven.
Sometimes the person who asks me that question hasn’t been going to church regularly. They have been living in a non-blessed marriage… or just living together. Do you think maybe God uses such means to get someone’s attention? I believe the answer is yes.
There is the happy side of yielding, such as in the guest we had on this show. Sister Catherine Lynn Forsythe of the Franciscan Sisters, TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother. Listen to her story of God’s gentle and continuing tap on her shoulder… until the day he spoke directly to her. Or so it seems.
Here’s one of my own stories of yielding. This one was when we deacon candidates were on our ordination retreat. It was a five day (mostly) silent retreat. It was to give us time to listen in silence for God’s voice. I remember it clearly — about the third day I was out walking by myself. Somewhere — I know not from where a prayer rose up in me: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I place my trust in thee.” Repeated over and over until I became aware of what I was saying. And so I said to myself — who do I put my trust in? Jesus and Mary and Joseph… if so… yield and become a deacon. If God doesn’t want it — He’ll let you know.
The key teaching from listening to Sister Catherine: Listen in silence…. God is found in silence…. I’ll pray for you if you’ll yield and pray for Dee & me. Blessings.
deacon tom
Show Notes and Links
Please – take a look at a beautiful order of nuns — I believe God is blessing them so much and wouldn’t you just love to be a part of His blessing on this earth? Please look at and consider yielding to the Franciscan Sisters, TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother. (Yielding whether it be to a vocation or a financial contribution!) By the way — they are incredibly happy and joyous — so don’t let the name disturb you at all… Look for them at:
www.torsisters.org
Oh — on their website, the sisters also have greeting cards (with photos taken by the nuns) and they have religious articles…. they offer altar breads. Maybe you could mention a price competitive idea to your pastor or parish business manager. On behalf of the sisters, I thank you for yielding.
And one final plug for Fr. Patrick O’Doherty’s (new) page here on our website. Please stop by and listen (FREE OF CHARGE) to his wonderful teachings. So far – we’ve put up his two talks to the Council of Catholic Women in Florida on the topic of WOMEN IN SCRIPTURE. Thank you Fr. O’Doherty. Thank you people of Queen of Peace Parish in Ocala, Florida.
Our closing song is HOLY GOD WE PRAISE THY NAME performed by Dr. Russ Rentler on the hammered dulcimer. It’s from Russ’ album Way To Emmaus and played with his permission. Dr. Russ was our guest on Catholic Vitamins Q (Quest) and S (Search). His website is found at: www.crossedthetiber.com