Have you ever thought you were blessing someone and it turns out, they were blessing you? God has recently reintroduced a beautiful soul into my life. She’s a rough around the edges but heart pure as gold, kind of woman. A woman who says what she thinks, shares what she believes, unearths her struggles, and embraces the unlikely, often missed, beauty in all those she encounters. She acts purely for the good of others.
Anyone who meets her knows exactly where they stand with her because she is honest and transparent. However, her motley exterior often causes others to overlook her soul’s beauty. What the world projects as beautiful on the outside is unimportant to her. She embraces who she is, the path she is on, and the journey she has traveled. This is what draws some to her and causes others to turn away.
My gut told me from the moment that I met her when she was young, that I loved her. I appreciated her spirit and honestly, I enjoyed her rawness. But I loved her from a distance, from an arm’s length. And then, the years passed and I had growing children and God said invite her in. Literally, invite her into your home. Share meals with her. Get to know her more intimately and allow her love your children as well. Let her be part of your life and your family. Embrace her and love her as only a mother can.
I wanted to love her in this new way. But, I feared her exterior flaws and life struggles might cause harm to my children. I love God and strive to do as He asks, but I argued with Him. However, God persisted. And then, the Lord reminded me of His assurance in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know well the plan I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.” Recalling His promise gave me confidence God would only ask me to do what was beneficial to my family’s souls in some way. Having this beautiful woman more present in my life and my children’s would be for the best. Beneficial for her I thought. That was my pride talking. Humility has taught me differently.
This raw woman imparts wisdom in tough situations and brings unique perspective to struggles and relationships alike. Love abounds and layers peel back. She is an unimaginable blessing to us, all when I foolishly thought I was blessing her. God placed her in my family, at this exact time, to serve us with her outpouring of wisdom, love, and goodness. Her heart, so refined, guides us to grow and heal as only a pure soul can.
It’s often in the most unlikely places that we find Our Lord serving each of us through His people. The poorest of the poor, the sickest of the sick, their goodness and meekness allows them to carry out His will with their lives. They trust and serve with blind faith. They do the next right thing in love and charity because they know the meaning of true charity.
Remember the poor widow who gave her last two coins in the collection basket in the Gospels of Luke and Mark? Luke 21: 2-4 tells the story like this, “and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.’” The poor and sick give like that widow, unknowing and oh so willing to pour out to the last because they possess pure love and constant faith.
My dear friend enthusiastically serves all those she meets with all that she is. She opens her heart to them and is able to see past mistakes and poor life choices. This woman offers encouragement to those the world has turned their backs on and those who feel they have no one to turn to.
This previously troubled woman deeply understands peculiarity and unusual struggles. God has bestowed on her a gift of seeing the goodness in all. And, she gives to the last. Lisa Terkeurst reminds us in Made to Crave, “And He wants us to know that we can have complete joy by being secure enough in His love to reach out and love other incomplete people.” This sweet woman understands this truth.
CALL TO ACT: Ask the Lord to reveal a motley soul to you. The person who appears rough on the exterior, yet has been blessed with a multitude of gifts and a pure heart. Be receptive to Him opening your eyes to the goodness of the troubled and brokenhearted, the poor you feel you are serving. What quality in this beloved child of God is something you can strive to acquire? What virtue do they stir in you? Allow yourself to be loved by the ‘undesirables’, give them the opportunity to let their light shine and bless you with true charity.
Saint John Bosco, pray for us that we might open our hearts to the poorest of the poor, serving as the good Lord asks of us. Also ask Our Lord to allow us to be served by the broken, giving them the opportunity to share the love of Christ with us. Beg the Lord to open our eyes to the beauty in their souls and embrace the gifts they give, as you did. Ask Him to stir the fire of our faith and love with the presence of an atypical person in our lives. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Saint John “Don” Bosco
Saint John Bosco was born in Italy in 1815. Raised by his poor mother, John, alongside his two older brothers, worked in the fields from a young age. His mother was known for giving food to the poor and influenced John with her charity. She was later declared venerable by the Church.
John experienced many striking dreams as he grew. These dreams impacted his life tremendously, overall instructing him to serve others with great meekness, humility, and charity. He ministered to young boys by entertaining them with magic tricks and then sharing the Gospel with them after he had their attention. The males he ministered to were rough street boys who were often headed for trouble.
At a young age, John discerned becoming a priest. He was poor but managed to find a priest willing to help him, Jospeh Cafasso. After seminary, he was assigned to the city of Turin. Here he would go into the slums and work with the poor children in the streets. Seeing the goodness in these boys and offering assistance and guidance, John helped them turn their lives around. Being able to see boys who would make excellent priests, he helped with their formation. He supported other boys in finding apprenticeships, work, and lodging. His mother worked by his side. John later established the Society of St. Francis de Sales to carry on his work after he passed in 1888. The organization still helps children today. Read more about St. John Bosco here:
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=63