The book "He and I" by Gabrielle Bossis is a collection of journals she wrote over a 14-year period from 1936 to 1950. Gabrielle was a well-known stage actress/playwright in France, had several homes, and traveled extensively (not your "typical" mystic). She was unsure of the Voice she kept hearing - was she imagining this or was it really the Lord? Circumstances and events allowed her to conclude it was real. It changed her life. This remarkable book has changed my life too. There is a promise in the book that "every reader too will receive the same measure of grace . . and . . all will become members of one united family; the family of my intimate friends".
I'm tempted to transcribe the book in its entirety, but you would not read it, and I do not have that kind of time. So I have culled a few of the more outstanding little gems this book has to offer. 15 of these to these are plenty to ponder. I could make each one into a prayer time.
+++
"Each soul is my favorite" says the Voice. . . "I choose some to reach others."
"Don't get the idea that a saint is a saint at every moment."
"Wake up to your power over me."
"I answer every prayer."
"Look at Me more often."
"Don't ever be afraid to pronounce My Name."
"I am here with treasures. If you don't ask Me for them, how can I give them to you?"
"What are you but a heap of good intentions?"
"You don't ask Me for enough."
"You have everything you need to perfect the Gabrielle I dreamed of in creating you." (insert your own name here)
"Always speak well of others."
"Don't be afraid; be daring. We're together, you and I."
"By yourself you are chaos. Do you fully realize this?"
"It's in the evening of your life that you'll begin to live, just when you think you are going to die."
"There is more of Me in you than you."
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
How to Win Souls for God
Six months before she died, Gabrielle Bossis was concerned about her effectiveness in evangelizing others, particularly about her failings and faults getting in the way. In the following passage from her journal, Jesus tells her 3 indispensable things that we humans are looking for : people who truly love us, are joyful, and committed to something bigger than themselves. These three things are irresistible. Don't focus on how you might blow the opportunity, but rather forget about yourself altogether. Get the name of Jesus into the conversation. - From the book "He and I", journal entry Dec 22, 1949 (six months before Gabrielle died):
Gabrielle to Jesus: "Lord, may nothing in me hinder your voice from reaching others". Jesus responds: "Echo it back with all your loving warmth and you will give them joy. And this very joy will make them much more sensitive to My voice, these poor people, so often troubled with regard to Me or consumed by earthly worries. How much more freely they will breathe if you talk with them about Me! I'll be there, though unseen, and you will feel the warmth of My Presence. In heaven it is I who am the center and circumference for everyone, and the blessed ones exult. Isn't it from the fullness of the heart that the mouth speaks? This is why I rejoice when you mention My Name. It's like a cherished secret that you disclose because you can no longer keep it. It's as though you said 'Let us talk about God, the One who is my entire life, the One who alone is worthy of my every heart-beat. This glorifies Me, and to glorify Me is to love Me . . .
Haven't I explained to you that you will be judged according to the measure of your love - on that alone? . . . It is as though I said 'Don't think of yourself any more. Think of Me.' The saints thought only of Me all their lives. Accept the help of My mother for this, and think of Me with all the tenderness of which you are able. Tenderness honors me more than reverence. It consoles Me."
- Gary
Gabrielle to Jesus: "Lord, may nothing in me hinder your voice from reaching others". Jesus responds: "Echo it back with all your loving warmth and you will give them joy. And this very joy will make them much more sensitive to My voice, these poor people, so often troubled with regard to Me or consumed by earthly worries. How much more freely they will breathe if you talk with them about Me! I'll be there, though unseen, and you will feel the warmth of My Presence. In heaven it is I who am the center and circumference for everyone, and the blessed ones exult. Isn't it from the fullness of the heart that the mouth speaks? This is why I rejoice when you mention My Name. It's like a cherished secret that you disclose because you can no longer keep it. It's as though you said 'Let us talk about God, the One who is my entire life, the One who alone is worthy of my every heart-beat. This glorifies Me, and to glorify Me is to love Me . . .
Haven't I explained to you that you will be judged according to the measure of your love - on that alone? . . . It is as though I said 'Don't think of yourself any more. Think of Me.' The saints thought only of Me all their lives. Accept the help of My mother for this, and think of Me with all the tenderness of which you are able. Tenderness honors me more than reverence. It consoles Me."
- Gary
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The 3 Gibson Brothers
It was a mistake to put the 3 of us boys in one room together. But what could my parents do with 3 boys and 2 girls in a 3-bedroom apartment ? It was a cold water flat, ( no hot water ) and the only source of heat in our home was our kitchen stove, which had a gas side heater to warm the entire apartment. Mom and Dad had the front bedroom off the living room, Laurie and Marianne were off the kitchen (near the stove), and Gary, Tom, and Scott were in the back bedroom (farthest from the stove). Many a cold night the 3 of us boys would crawl out from our frigid room with our blankets to sleep on the warm linoleum near the stove. One winter Dad decided to conserve the heat by shutting off our room completely and we slept on a pull out sofa in the living room. The problem was if one of us wet the bed, we were all wet!
Sometimes Dad would come home drunk at night and fall asleep in the bathroom. What does a boy do when he has a full bladder in the middle of the night? We were lucky - we had 2 windows in our room, so that solved our problem. Mrs. Lane (who lived below us on the first floor) had some flowerbeds that got extra watering now and then. Pretty soon, we did not need the excuse of Dad sleeping on the toilet; it was easier to just open the window in any case! Three boys close in age can get into a lot of mischief, if left unattended, as was often the case. We were awake early one summer morning and the sun was already up. So we tossed our mattresses out the window to make a landing pad and rehearsed how we would escape a fire - by jumping from the second floor window on to the mattresses. It was so much fun, we did this often, but had to hide our activities due to some internal sense that our parents would not like that. Mr Lane squealed on us. It did not go so well for us when they found out.
All 10 families in our tenement block lived just like we did and there were hundreds of apartment buildings all around us. This mini ghetto was called "The Flats" because all the cheap housing was built to house the factory workers and their families. We were poor back then but did not know it. We 3 boys were always fighting, mostly in fun, like 3 puppies in the same litter. These are some of the happy memories of my childhood.
Gary
Sometimes Dad would come home drunk at night and fall asleep in the bathroom. What does a boy do when he has a full bladder in the middle of the night? We were lucky - we had 2 windows in our room, so that solved our problem. Mrs. Lane (who lived below us on the first floor) had some flowerbeds that got extra watering now and then. Pretty soon, we did not need the excuse of Dad sleeping on the toilet; it was easier to just open the window in any case! Three boys close in age can get into a lot of mischief, if left unattended, as was often the case. We were awake early one summer morning and the sun was already up. So we tossed our mattresses out the window to make a landing pad and rehearsed how we would escape a fire - by jumping from the second floor window on to the mattresses. It was so much fun, we did this often, but had to hide our activities due to some internal sense that our parents would not like that. Mr Lane squealed on us. It did not go so well for us when they found out.
All 10 families in our tenement block lived just like we did and there were hundreds of apartment buildings all around us. This mini ghetto was called "The Flats" because all the cheap housing was built to house the factory workers and their families. We were poor back then but did not know it. We 3 boys were always fighting, mostly in fun, like 3 puppies in the same litter. These are some of the happy memories of my childhood.
Gary
Angels Working Overtime
Growing up in the 1950s, we watched a lot of TV. Many of these shows were set in the old West : Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Rifle Man, etc. It was only natural that a lot of kids at this time acted out Western themes in their play. Many photographs from this period show kids dressed up as cowboys, indians, good guys, and bad guys. My brothers and I were no exception. We had our cap pistols and Western style boots, hats, and clothes. One day, it was my turn to be the bad guy. Tom and Scott captured me, put me on trial, and ordered me to be hanged. Playing along, I allowed myself to be tied up and placed on the mock scaffold (an old paint can) with a rope around my neck. It was only when they pushed me off the can that I realized that this might not be such a good idea. The rope tightened and I could not breathe too well. I was barely balanced on my tiptoes. With my hands tied, I could not help myself. I began yelling "Untie my hands!". But they, not seeing the danger, rather enjoyed seeing me as their prisoner. When I grew angry, they became afraid. So they left me. I struggled alone for a couple minutes. When my oxygen levels began to drop, I began to see black dots before my vision. Miraculously, at that instant, my hands broke free and I was able to pull myself up enough to get the rope off my neck. Minutes later, I went home and my mother asked me "Where are your brothers?". I had captured them and had decided to get even with them. "I put them in jail because they tried to kill me" I told her. "What jail?". "The incinerator" I replied. Mom's face went white and she bolted for the door to rescue them. I meant no harm and did not realize the danger they were in until later.
It's a wonder we survived because we did many reckless and foolish things back then : swimming in the Connecticut River, climbing TV or radio towers, walking on the train tracks, playing in the canals (where water and chemicals from the factories would be released into the river), and generally exploring many unfamiliar places. One neighbor boy did drown in the river and another kid was electrocuted (not fatally) by touching a power line. Our apartment building caught fire one night and we were evacuated in our pajamas - very exciting to be awakened by big men with axes in their hands. Our guardian angels were very busy!
Gary
It's a wonder we survived because we did many reckless and foolish things back then : swimming in the Connecticut River, climbing TV or radio towers, walking on the train tracks, playing in the canals (where water and chemicals from the factories would be released into the river), and generally exploring many unfamiliar places. One neighbor boy did drown in the river and another kid was electrocuted (not fatally) by touching a power line. Our apartment building caught fire one night and we were evacuated in our pajamas - very exciting to be awakened by big men with axes in their hands. Our guardian angels were very busy!
Gary
Chistmas in Holyoke
I grew up in Western Massachusetts in the City of Holyoke, a paper mill town that had seen its glory days at the dawn of the 20th century. In 1897, the game of Volleyball was invented there. Our town fathers were not going to be outdone by Springfield, just a few miles to the South, where Basketball began in 1895. Throughout this largely blue collar town there were large sections of apartment buildings, often organized along ethnic lines. We lived in one of the biggest clusters of apartment buildings, simply known as "The Flats". The Connecticut River flowed close by. Our parish church and school, Holy Rosary, was a block away. It was mostly an Irish congregation. Immaculate Conception Church, mostly French Canadian, was also a few blocks away.
In December, a transformation took place every year. The first big snows of winter converted the dirty and dingy streets into a winter wonderland. Christmas lights and decorations appeared everywhere. Special music and sweets added a festive tone to this darkest month of the year. Excitement and anticipation ran at fever pitch as Dec 25th approached. One of my happiest memories is all the fuss my parents made over this holiday. Christmas was a big deal. We had a real tree in the living room, decorated to the max. Mom and Dad pulled out all the stops. We were encouraged to look through the Sears catalogue and circle the toys we liked with almost a guarantee we would get some of these things. Mom made special meals and even Dad seemed more cheerful. Without a doubt, it was the happiest time of year for all of us.
As an altar boy, I had the privilege of going to Midnight Mass by myself. Mom and Dad rarely went to church. They had many toys to assemble and wrap on Christmas Eve. I would leave the apartment at 10 PM, carrying my special red cassock and white surplice on a hanger, being careful not to drag it in the snow. From every direction, other altar boys joined me in a joyful march to the church. I'll never forget the first look I had of our "wedding cake" altar ( which was 3 stories high ! ), decorated to the hilt with poinsettia plants. We boys just stood there dumbfounded by the beauty of it all. Father Hallihan had us quickly dress up because there was choir rehearsal from 10:30 to 11:15. There is something striking and hauntingly beautiful when 40 pre-pubescent boys sing together as a Boy Choir. The altar, the incense, the vestments, the music, and the Latin Mass - it was intoxicating and awesome. After Mass, the altar boys would all walk home at 1:30 am with no adult supervision, pretty heady stuff for a 10-year-old.
I would come into the dark apartment where everyone was already asleep. I would tiptoe to the living room to steal a look at the presents, piled high around the room. I would then undress and lay in my bed, but real sleep was impossible. I would doze a bit, but by 5 am, my brothers were awake, itching with excitement. Mom had a rule : no one was allowed to get up until she rang a tiny silver bell. I'm sure our mad stampede to the living room around 7 am woke up the neighbors. We were oblivious to that. Everyone would find their pile and begin tearing into the presents. It was pure joy and mayhem for half an hour. I remember few details after this, since we all became engrossed with our toys. The traditions we celebrated were passed on to us and we in turn have passed them to our kids. Christmas celebrates God coming to us. I did experience that even as a boy living in The Flats.
Gary
In December, a transformation took place every year. The first big snows of winter converted the dirty and dingy streets into a winter wonderland. Christmas lights and decorations appeared everywhere. Special music and sweets added a festive tone to this darkest month of the year. Excitement and anticipation ran at fever pitch as Dec 25th approached. One of my happiest memories is all the fuss my parents made over this holiday. Christmas was a big deal. We had a real tree in the living room, decorated to the max. Mom and Dad pulled out all the stops. We were encouraged to look through the Sears catalogue and circle the toys we liked with almost a guarantee we would get some of these things. Mom made special meals and even Dad seemed more cheerful. Without a doubt, it was the happiest time of year for all of us.
As an altar boy, I had the privilege of going to Midnight Mass by myself. Mom and Dad rarely went to church. They had many toys to assemble and wrap on Christmas Eve. I would leave the apartment at 10 PM, carrying my special red cassock and white surplice on a hanger, being careful not to drag it in the snow. From every direction, other altar boys joined me in a joyful march to the church. I'll never forget the first look I had of our "wedding cake" altar ( which was 3 stories high ! ), decorated to the hilt with poinsettia plants. We boys just stood there dumbfounded by the beauty of it all. Father Hallihan had us quickly dress up because there was choir rehearsal from 10:30 to 11:15. There is something striking and hauntingly beautiful when 40 pre-pubescent boys sing together as a Boy Choir. The altar, the incense, the vestments, the music, and the Latin Mass - it was intoxicating and awesome. After Mass, the altar boys would all walk home at 1:30 am with no adult supervision, pretty heady stuff for a 10-year-old.
I would come into the dark apartment where everyone was already asleep. I would tiptoe to the living room to steal a look at the presents, piled high around the room. I would then undress and lay in my bed, but real sleep was impossible. I would doze a bit, but by 5 am, my brothers were awake, itching with excitement. Mom had a rule : no one was allowed to get up until she rang a tiny silver bell. I'm sure our mad stampede to the living room around 7 am woke up the neighbors. We were oblivious to that. Everyone would find their pile and begin tearing into the presents. It was pure joy and mayhem for half an hour. I remember few details after this, since we all became engrossed with our toys. The traditions we celebrated were passed on to us and we in turn have passed them to our kids. Christmas celebrates God coming to us. I did experience that even as a boy living in The Flats.
Gary
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Do you think God does not know your trials?
At the end of her life, French actress/playwright and secret mystic, Gabrielle Bossis had a serious illness that required surgery. It was painful, scary, and exhausting to recover from it. Jesus, knowing she had a terrible fear of death, allowed this to happen as a dress rehearsal for her real death the following year. Listen to how Jesus talks to her as she recovers from surgery. Here is her journal entry from the book "He and I" of Sept 29, 1949 : "You see the difference, don't you, between the life you offered Me before the trial and the one you want to offer Me now? Wasn't it good for you to feel yourself approaching the end of life so that you could see in the full light of reality the difference between life on earth and eternal life? You can believe, can't you, that your God used this trial as a new way of getting your attention so that you would take a firmer grip on Him? Do you think I don't know about the trial I've asked you to bear?"
++ This reading hit me hard because every January my business takes a nose time. As the primary breadwinner for the family, I feel this responsibility very keenly. I work very hard all year to keep the pipeline of work flowing smoothly, to keep my income steady. After the holidays, folks are not spending money and in the cold, dark months many folks don't even think about having any paint projects in their homes. Added to this normal cycle, I live in Michigan, which has been in a recession for many years before it became a national issue. I've seen dozens of neighbors and friends lose their jobs, even lifelong careers. Some cannot find work for a long time, even if they consider moving out of state. Many take low-paying work, just to survive. Sadly, we know families who have lost their homes. With little savings in reserve, I know it could happen to us as well. While we do all that we can to avoid that, we know it is not impossible. Our situation is not on the same level as those facing the end of life, but it is a test of our faith nonetheless. Five years ago, I had many sleepless nights fretting over the January slump in my business. My family will tell you how hard that was on me and the efforts I made to correct the situation. Over these years my trust in God has grown, as I see Him work in ways beyond my expectations or efforts - work coming out of nowhere! Time and time again, I have no work at all, and out of the blue, I get a call or several calls and my week gets filled up. God uses these real-life issues to speak to me - about His providence, about His faithfulness, and His care for me personally. He has taught us that we can expect Him to provide. These lessons spill over into other challenges we face. So we are growing in trust. Michael O'Brien's latest novel "The Island of the World" has a character who says "when you are gripped by fear, you must not deny it, but you need not surrender to it either, as if that is the end of the story." Perfect love casts out all fear. As God told Gabrielle in another passage of the book "He and I" : "I create frightening situations to test your faith and call you closer to Me". Let Him work this way. In His will is our peace.
++ This reading hit me hard because every January my business takes a nose time. As the primary breadwinner for the family, I feel this responsibility very keenly. I work very hard all year to keep the pipeline of work flowing smoothly, to keep my income steady. After the holidays, folks are not spending money and in the cold, dark months many folks don't even think about having any paint projects in their homes. Added to this normal cycle, I live in Michigan, which has been in a recession for many years before it became a national issue. I've seen dozens of neighbors and friends lose their jobs, even lifelong careers. Some cannot find work for a long time, even if they consider moving out of state. Many take low-paying work, just to survive. Sadly, we know families who have lost their homes. With little savings in reserve, I know it could happen to us as well. While we do all that we can to avoid that, we know it is not impossible. Our situation is not on the same level as those facing the end of life, but it is a test of our faith nonetheless. Five years ago, I had many sleepless nights fretting over the January slump in my business. My family will tell you how hard that was on me and the efforts I made to correct the situation. Over these years my trust in God has grown, as I see Him work in ways beyond my expectations or efforts - work coming out of nowhere! Time and time again, I have no work at all, and out of the blue, I get a call or several calls and my week gets filled up. God uses these real-life issues to speak to me - about His providence, about His faithfulness, and His care for me personally. He has taught us that we can expect Him to provide. These lessons spill over into other challenges we face. So we are growing in trust. Michael O'Brien's latest novel "The Island of the World" has a character who says "when you are gripped by fear, you must not deny it, but you need not surrender to it either, as if that is the end of the story." Perfect love casts out all fear. As God told Gabrielle in another passage of the book "He and I" : "I create frightening situations to test your faith and call you closer to Me". Let Him work this way. In His will is our peace.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
