Joy Battista

"Joy Battista" stands for the Joy of John the Baptist at the presence of Christ.

"And how have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, the moment that the sound of thy greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy." Luke 1:43-44

This blog is dedicated to all who seek the Joy of Christ's presence in their own lives.
This blog is also dedicated to the unborn, for John the Baptist was an unborn when he leapt for joy at the presence of Jesus who was also unborn at the time.

WELCOME!!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Friendship

Have you ever needed God to give you a nugget of His presence for a particular need? I think most would answer yes. And have you ever picked up your bible and just let it fall open to hear what God wants you to know or to fulfill your need? Again, I bet you have.

Well, I've been experiencing a sort of writers block and a busy life that has put my blogging on the back burner. I was on a roll when I began my blog last summer and into the school year but recently have fallen out of practice. I do hope you enjoyed Sue Kouma Johnson’s story, I left it at the top of my blog extra days, but now it's time to move on. When I sat down to blog this I had a blank thought in my mind as to what to write. So I picked up my Saint Josemaria Escriva book which was close by and let it fall open hoping the Holy Spirit would guide my thoughts for this blog post.

My book The Way Furrow The Forge fell open to the chapter on Friendship. I thought, perfect, this is a great topic for me because I have recently felt a real need for guidance on friendship. In fact just last night I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about life and felt a real sense of loss. I was in intense need of a certain kind of friendship. And the only person that kept coming to my mind was my mother. Oh how I wished my mother was around to confide in. But mom is gone and I wept last night because I would never hear her comforting words telling me everything will be ok. I was really needing to poor out my thoughts and worries and needs to her and feel her unconditional love for me no matter what I said to her. I’d like to ask you, is that possible in a friend?

My remedy, last night with nobody else awake, was my rosary. I was too distraught to read and I couldn’t sleep so I laid there and prayed. I was feeling extremely alone and sorrowful, so I chose to pray the sorrowful mysteries. When I got to the last decade, the crucifixion, I thought of the good thief hanging there next to Jesus asking him to remember him when he entered his kingdom. Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” I thought if that good thief were to ask for something during Jesus worst time of suffering, I could do the same. So I asked Jesus while hanging up on his cross for my needs too. A short while after I had finished my rosary I realized my sorrow had completely dissipated. It was totally gone, I no longer had the lump in my throat and sadness for the loss of mom and I stopped thinking about all my worries. I know I have a true friend in Jesus and Mary and I’m sure my mom was also there with me too to reassure me that everything will be ok.

My goal now is to be the best mother possible to my children, because I know how important I am to them. I am their soft spot, the one to give them unconditional love and hopefully true friendship and comfort in all there anxieties, especially when they are adults. Some things that have gone on with Michaela were some of my worries last night. I have a renewed sense of just being there for her in all her times of need.

I also have a goal to be a better friend to others. All you friends reading this, I am a great listener and I will pray for you and I hope to be a better friend to you. Just give me a call or write me a note. Saint Josemaria Escriva said many things about friendship. Here are a couple of his counsels: #757 “Practicing charity means respecting other peoples way of thinking. It means rejoicing at their road to God, without trying to make them think like you or joining you. It occurred to me to put this consideration to you. These other ways are different, but parallel; each person will reach God by following his own way. Don’t get sidetracked in comparisons, or in wanting to know who is higher. That does not matter; what does matter is that we should all attain the end.” And #768, “Have recourse to the Blessed Virgin every day with complete confidence. Your soul and your life will feel comforted at once. She will let you partake of the treasures she keeps in her heart, for “never has it been known that anyone who sought her protections was left unaided.” I had to write this second counsel because I was so comforted last night after I prayed the rosary. She gave me Jesus and that unconditional love I was looking for.

I would love any comments on friendship that any of you have here! Do you give unconditional love to your friends? If so how?

(By the way, if you are not Catholic and would like to know more about the rosary, let me know. I want you to know Catholics don’t worship or pray to Mary, we pray the rosary which leads us to Jesus through Mary his mother. It is essentially a meditation of the gospels. Go to face book to leave me the message or comment here because I forgot my hotmail password, so embarrassing that I can‘t access it. I’ve tried to change it but need my password to change it. Go figure. I hope to get it changed soon.)
Otherwise God Bless You!!!

3 comments:

Shane Kennett said...

Jackie,
I feel humbled and honored to call you my friend. You are a bright light to me and many others. Keep writing. You have a gift and it must be very pleasing to Our Lord that you are using your gift to touch the hearts of others.
xoxo,

Jennifer said...

What a great post Jackie!

Unknown said...

Dear Jackie,
I am so proud to call you friend. Your article is just what I needed. I have been lamenting the loss of a friendship with another friend. You have reminded me to put it to prayer. Thank you! Brenda