💌 567. No One Has Heard a Sermon Titled “Moses and the Staff?”

After asking for forgiveness from my mother-in-law and returning, I was once again astonished. Since several volunteers from the Charismatic Renewal Movement in Gwangju and a few Catholics from Naju had also attended the sermon titled “Moses and the Staff” the previous day, I shared my impressions and spoke about how deeply moved I was and about the grace of great enlightenment I received, hoping to share this experience with them. It was my hope that it would be of benefit to anyone.

"I was deeply impressed by the message that to be used as a good staff, one must endure the pain of being cut and shaped. I realized that, just like the staff, we too must endure similar refining pains to be used as instruments of the Lord."

However, everyone looked puzzled and responded, "Was there such a message? I am hearing this for the first time..." "I have never heard of it either." Since no one had heard that sermon and did not know anything about it, I ended up telling them instead. “How could there be no pain when God shapes His beloved children, smoothing out their rough edges in order to use them as His instruments? God gives His beloved children both discipline and trials.

And the devil, who knows this well, can use people to scheme bad happenings in order to cut off our love for God. Always stay awake and remember this fact, so that no matter what happens, recognize it as the devil's work. So, do not be distracted by anyone, and let us always triumph with love. Let us stay even more awake in prayer and offer up everything well from now on, so that we do not feed the devil.

They were very delighted, saying it was the first time they had heard such a story. When I asked sister Lidvina, a member of Naju Parish who had attended the sermon that day, she gave the same response, saying she had never heard of it. When I told Paul, the president of the Charismatic Renewal Movement Volunteers, he said, “Considering various aspects, it seems that the Lord personally and very specially nurtured Julia individually."

Hungry for a fervent love for the Lord and longing to meet Him, the Lord Himself took me here and there, tested me, and worked in my life until the very end. I was so happy that shivers ran through my whole body. I was sitting in the chapel, meditating on this amazing event.

“Everyone who attended that day said they had no idea about the story I had heard. Could it be that Jesus Himself spoke to me in the voice of the Sister? However, what does it matter! Since I have realized the wondrous love of God, I should be content and grateful for that alone. I have no curiosity or desire to know the outcome.

Although God could do it directly, since God works through people, I must completely entrust myself to whatever method He chooses. I can only give thanks to the Lord who personally nurtures and guides me...” When I was thinking this way, I heard the Lord's affectionate and warm voice as bright light shone out from the tabernacle.

"Right, My beloved little soul! Everything that has happened until now reveals the perfection of My boundless love for you and is part of plan to nurture and guide you. So, you have met Me in the midst of your thirst and yearning. This is, indeed, an immortal love that will never fade."

“O Lord, I give thanks! May You receive praise, adoration, thanksgiving, glory, honor, and all my love forever and ever. Amen!” Through this, I came to realize with certainty that when the Lord chooses us to be His instruments, He refines us by trimming and shaping our rough edges. When we offer up the suffering of being cut and shaped, pains inevitably follow.

However, instead of complaining to the Lord with questions like, “Why have You given me alone such a lot of suffering?” if we recognize that “the Lord has allowed these pains out of His deep love for me and His desire to use me as His instrument,” and feel the Lord’s Love, we can offer our suffering graciously with gratitude. Furthermore, if we offer up that suffering to the Lord graciously by practicing the Five Spiritualities, we will be amassing treasures in the heavenly storehouse

My personal reflection note with Mama Julia🌹💗 

Link 👇🏻

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMn-IyINZ8oGN8Jv4M0-pozcdF67tEqzlPkk4s0EZKdnOdEw/viewform?usp=sf_link