The Mighty Hand of God

 

 "Show the wonder of your great

love, you who save by your right

hand those who take refuge in

you from their foes."

~ Psalm 17:7

Above is a photo of a cloud that I took a few months ago… I call the picture the "Hand of God". I wasn't going to post it, but a friend of mine who I showed the photo to, encouraged me to do so because she felt that a reader out there could spiritually benefit from the story that goes along with the image...  so here's what happened:

One evening, during my drive home from work, I was quietly reflecting and praying… and sort of "complaining" to Jesus (it was bad of me) about how evil seems to have a greater hold in today's world than good.  I also prayed to the Lord to do something greater about it and to help all the devout people who are living faithful lives, as well as praying for the rest of humanity to change for the better… no sooner did the prayer leave my mind when I happened to glance up at the sky and noticed a huge cloud in the clear shape of a hand (I interpreted it to be the right hand with the palm facing the viewer).  I was so impressed by the image that I took a picture of it using my cellphone.

When I got home, I researched the internet to find the meaning behind the symbolism of the right hand in Biblical and Christian tradition, and what I discovered totally astounded me. Basically, in Sacred Scriptures and in many western cultures, the right hand symbolizes Authority, Power, and Protection.  How appropriate.

 

"Now I know that the Lord saves

his anointed; he answers him from

his holy heaven with the saving

strength of his right hand."

~ Psalm 20:6

 

Whether or not the strange cloud was mere coincidence, or a response of some sort from our Lord, I can only speak for myself. For me, based on the earlier circumstances and what I later learned about the symbolic meaning of the right hand of God, I believe Jesus was reassuring me that HE IS STILL IN CONTROL of this world despite how messed up things appear to be… and that in due time, He'll be putting things back into their proper order. In the meanwhile, we just have to continue to TRUST and have FAITH, that in the end, good will triumph over all evil, and all who believe in Christ will also be victorious.  What a comforting thought - all Thanks and Praises be to God Almighty!

 

An Invocation to the Mighty

Right Hand of God

(for private use only)

 

O Heavenly Father,

in all ages you are the Consoler, Provider,
and Protector of us, your people.  No enemy

can withstand your Might and on bended

knees they must surrender in defeat to

your Divine Authority.

 

Look with compassion upon me,

your servant, who calls on you in time

of need.  May your Right Hand cover me

with your Protection, and with swift

gesture put to flight my foes and the

evil they have brought upon me.

 

With a grateful heart, I will praise and

adore you, O Heavenly Father; proclaiming

until the end of my days, the immensity

of your Goodness and Power!
Amen.

 

"Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic

in power. Your right hand, O Lord,

shattered the enemy."

~ Exodus 15:6
 

First Saturday Parish Rosary at St. Anthony's Church, 6/2/2012

Our Lady's pilgrim statue with returning

friends... and newly made ones.

Our monthly regulars again came together to pray June’s First Saturday Rosary for Peace at St. Anthony of Padua Church. Our gathering was made extra special by the participation of returning friends from Pearl City, Kapolei, and Mililani… and new friends visiting from St. Elizabeth’s Church in Aiea, specifically to participate in our special Rosary Prayer and attend Mass.

In addition, several young people from SHWAY (Saints Helping With Adults & Youth) - a local Youth Ministry - were also in attendance this evening, which really encouraged me because I’m a firm believer in reaching out to our young people so as to teach them about Our Lady, the Saints, and the Holy Rosary. So it was great to have them with us and I pray the Blessed Mother will continue to inspire more and more young people from within our community to come and join us in this important mission of praying for Peace and Conversion in the world.

The next First Saturday gathering will be held on July 7^th. Jesus offers us Divine Peace through the gift of his Blessed Mother and the Rosary - come and pray with us, as we reach out for these gifts.

Saint of the Month - June 2012: Saint Marguerite Bays

St. Marguerite Bays

A Suffering Servant of God

Memorial: June 27th

Marguerite Bays was the daughter of simple and devout farmers from the small hamlet of La Pierraz, Switzerland. It was providential that she was born on September 8th, 1815, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as she had a deep, filial love for the Mother of the Lord since early childhood. For the most part, Marguerite’s life was quite uneventful - she lived and died in her small town, had a limited education, and quietly worked as a self-employed seamstress from her family's little cottage. During her spare time she was either involved with some sort of activity with her local parish church, or visiting with the sick and dying in her local community. She also loved children and was often seen teaching them prayers and catechism, or leading the youth in pilgrimages to a nearby shrine to the Blessed Virgin.

Life turned extraordinary for Marguerite at the age of 35. A chronic stomach complaint developed into intestinal cancer causing her much pain and discomfort. She turned to the Holy Virgin in fervent prayer and asked her to intercede with her Divine Son… oddly enough, not for a complete cure, but rather to “exchange” her illness for another type of suffering that would allow her to share more directly in the Passion of Our Lord; the way of the cross would be her sure road to Heaven.



St. Marguerite's tiny bedroom, where

she relived the Passion of Christ every

Friday evening for many years.

Marguerite’s prayer must have pleased God greatly for on December 8th, 1854 - almost at the exact time when Pope Pius IX proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception - she was miraculously healed from the cancer.  As further response to her prayer, shortly after, Marguerite began falling into ecstatic raptures on Fridays, during which she relived the painful Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  Bleeding wounds opened in her hands and feet and it was apparent that she was marked with the Sacred Stigmata.  In her humility, Marguerite hid the wounds from the outside world to the best of her ability, but it was eventually discovered and word spread about the miracle.  So she then asked the Lord to grant her the Passion Ecstasies in the late-evenings when she would less likely attract unwanted attention and this request was also granted by God.  Hence, she prayerfully suffered, undisturbed by curious eyes, but supported by her close-knit family.

Despite the painful imprints of the Stigmata, Marguerite strove to live as normal as possible and continued her active participation with parish life.  Her devotion to the Holy Eucharist became extraordinary as her union with Christ deepened to an exceptional degree.

During her final illness, she suffered greatly and could not keep down most food... but she was sustained almost entirely by the Holy Communion she received infrequently.  When her death occurred on June 27th, 1879, she showed no fear and little sign of suffering, but rather, her person reflected an immense joy and love, as she anticipated her ultimate meeting with our beloved Lord.  Like Christ Crucified, she died on a Friday at 3:00 PM.

An A.I. interpretation of what this

Blessed looked like in life.

The Church Beatified Marguerite Bays in 1995 and declared her a Saint on October 13, 2019.**

A Reflection

“All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all those who humble themselves will be exalted.” ~ Words of Jesus, Matthew 23:12

A Short Prayer

Lord, gently humble us… by allowing us to see ourselves as you see us.  Amen.

** NOTE:  This post was updated since its 2012 posting date to reflect Marguerite's designation as Saint, effective 10/13/2019.  Congratulations to the Catholics of Switzerland, as well as the rest of the Church - we have a new official, spiritual hero!