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As the women arrived at our June meeting they were warmly greeted and given a ‘Hug Coupon’, creating an atmosphere of loving fellowship.
We listened as Psalm 23 was proclaimed, followed by several Words of Knowledge, including “Restoration” - indicating that many of the women were carrying heavy burdens. They were encouraged to place these burdens in God’s hands, then just come to Him and rest in His love while the Praise & Worship team sang “So You Would Come.” The Presence of the Lord ministering in love and gentleness was very evident during this time and many uplifting prophesies were received following the praise and worship, all of them exhorting the Lord’s precious women to draw closer to Him, and receive His healing, rest and restoration.
We were privileged to have Fr Frank Bird, SM, as our guest speaker this month. Formerly based in Whangarei, Fr Frank is a well-known and loved member of the Marist team now serving in the Far North. He began his talk by saying he felt he was ‘coming home’ to a Dove meeting and he was warmly welcomed in return.
In line with the golden rule in studying scripture – “Put the text in context”, Fr Frank gave us a word picture of the background to our Scripture for this year - Jeremiah 31:3-4: “I have loved you with an everlasting love, and with loving kindness have called you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt ...” Jeremiah was a prophet during a very difficult time when God was ‘uprooting and planting’ in Israel, and Jeremiah was made responsible for overseeing the rebuilding and restoring – a job description he didn’t want, and one which made him very unpopular with the people! However, nothing can be rebuilt or restored without first undergoing the often painful process of clearing the ground.
This can be compared with our lives today – whatever pain, whatever hurt, whatever exile or tragedy is part of our lives, we need to know that God can be at work planting, rebuilding and restoring. At the time it’s extremely difficult to understand, and we resist, just as the Israelites did in Jeremiah’s time. God’s Word will “garden our hearts”... it can be painful, but we must push through the pain to receive the promise.
We are all hurt and broken, but we should not be afraid of our woundedness, because it can be the greatest treasure God gives us for helping and healing of others. This charism has a name; it is Mercy, and as women of God we are called to show leadership in mercy. (The Hebrew word for mercy means “coming from the womb”). Fr Frank pointed out that as women we have an innate awareness, knowledge and understanding of mercy, and that the Church today is desperately in need of women who will recognise this charism, accept their gifting, and use it to show leadership in mercy, especially to the hurting and marginalised members of the Church.
We were encouraged by Fr Frank to relate as women and mothers, (not as children) to Mary, Mother of the Church. Not much is written about Mary in the scriptures, but she would have been quietly working in the background amongst the disciples, showing leadership in mercy and living the presence of a mother to them as they began their mission spreading the Good News.
How do we get this Mercy Plan into action? Fr Frank used the analogy of a mother who had ten children, but only one of them regularly came home. What did this mother do? What would any mother do – she would go out and look for them, talk to them and work towards restoring the relationship! According to the last census, only one out of ten Catholics attend Church, and if this sad situation is to be reversed, someone has to go out and find these “missing kids”, minister God’s love and mercy to bring His people home. Mercy needs to be active – finding ways of showing those on the edge love, welcome, and inclusion, building bridges between those who feel at home in the Church and those who don’t.
We could have gladly listened to Fr Frank all afternoon, but time was limited, so he gave us some ‘ongoing homework’ pondering on three questions – then forming our own Mercy Plan for how we can make a difference:
As women of God, we need to be confident in doing the work of a mother in the church; be obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and respond to that call on our lives. Fr Frank left us with this challenge – “Think of five people who are on the edge today. Rearrange your diary; have the courage to come alongside them so that we can be like Jeremiah, offering them welcome, hospitality and the mercy God has for all His people. The Church is not just where people are saved and receive the Sacraments, but where people can grow as a family, and like a mother concerned for her missing children, we need to show them mercy and welcome. Let’s have radar for those who are forgotten and hurting, and do everything we can to help God rebuild and restore His Church.”
Before closing the meeting with prayer, Liz thanked Fr Frank for his inspiring talk, then issued another challenge: that every woman present invite two others along to the next Dove meeting. Faith in action – watch this space!
God was very present at this meeting and many women took the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation or have prayer ministry. No one seemed to be in a hurry to leave, and the availability of a nice hot cuppa finished the afternoon on a warm and pleasant note. All glory and praise to our God.
Prophesies Received
“The Word of the Lord is sharper than a two-edged sword; it cuts through bone and marrow. The Word of the Lord! Speak out the Word of the Lord! “It is My Word”, says the Lord, My Word that will go forth from this place this day. My Word. My Word! It is sharper than a two-edged sword. My Word will cut through everything this day. Stand on My Word. Stand firm on My Word” says the Lord, “Stand firm on My Word. Stand firm on My promises”, says the Lord, “For I love you with an everlasting love, and with lovingkindness, with faithfulness I have drawn you, I have drawn you to this place, this day. This day, for this time. Come; come to Me this day; lay down your burdens. Lay down your burdens; I am a God of Love – I love you, just the way you are. Come as you are; come as you are, come as you are. You thirst; you thirst for My Word. You thirst. I am the Living Word. I am the Living Waters within. They will spring up and refresh you. I am the Healing Waters. I will restore you, restore you. Restoration, restoration, and peace. Peace. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-burdened. Please take My yoke on you. My yoke is light, do not carry your own burdens. Come to Me; I will refresh you, I will restore you.” Holy Spirit,
“O My child, give Me your heart. Give Me your heart, as it is. I love you. I surround you with My love. I love you where you’re at - in your hurt, in your kitchen, in the paddock, in your past and your now. I hear your heart’s yearning. I am with you; I am at your right hand; I walk with you. I walk with you every day. I put My arm around you. I hear your heart. Stay in My love my child, stay in My love. Remain in Me because I will always love you. Don’t say “I am not good enough” - because you are. You are good - in Me. Walk with Me.”
“I see you in your rising. I have counted every hair on your head. You ... you .... you are My heart’s desire. I am your friend. Do not be afraid.”
“Fear not! Fear not, says the Lord, for I am your Shepherd. I am your Shepherd, you shall not want. For I am your Shepherd.”
“I desire that each one of you comes to know Me intimately. I desire that each one of you come to Me. Come to Me in your troubles, come to Me in your joys; come to Me because I love each one of you, and whatever you do, it is close to My heart. It is close to My heart because I love you. I would gather you to My side. I would gather you and put the protection of My love around you, so that nothing, nothing, on this earth, in the heavens above, or below, could separate Me from you.
For before Time was, I knew each one of you. Before Time was, I loved you. Before Time was, I desired you to love Me. Please, please, My daughters, come close to Me. Come, relax in My love. Know that whatever you do, I could never let you go. You are mine. You are mine, and I love you.”
God is always reaching out to us ... take His hand ....
My light, my life, my love, my strength,
be with me now, and always:
In all my doubts, perplexities and trials,
Come, Holy Spirit
In hours of loneliness, weariness and grief,
Come, Holy Spirit
In failure and in loss, in disappointment,
Come, Holy Spirit
When others fail me, when I fail myself,
Come, Holy Spirit
When I am ill, unable to work, depressed,
Come, Holy Spirit
Now, and forever, and in all things,
Come, Holy Spirit.