Turning Irritants Into Pearls
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St Josephine Bakhita was born in 1869 in Darfur Sudan
When she was 9 years old, she was kidnapped by Muslim slave traders and forced to walk 600 miles barefoot. She was sold five times in the slave markets of Sudan. Every day she was whipped until she bled. Finally, in 1882 Bakhita was bought by an Italian merchant, who returned to Venice, Italy, taking her with him.
Soon after, the Italian businessman had to go back to Sudan, so he entrusted Bakhita to Catholic Nuns in Venice. There she learned about God and Heaven for the first time. Up to this time she had known only slave masters who beat her. Now she heard of the Lord of all Lords who is Goodness in Person. This Lord even knew her; He had created her; that He actually loved her. She too was loved by none other than the Supreme Master of the Universe. She was known and loved and awaited.
What is more…
· This “master” had himself become a slave like her and for her, had been scourged like her and for her
· And now He was awaiting her at the Father’s right hand
Now she had Hope and a real cause for Joy
“I am definitely loved and whatever happens to me – I am awaited by this Love. And so my life is good.”
· In 1890 Bakhita was Baptized, Confirmed and receive 1st Communion
· In 1896 she became a Canossian Sister
· And spent the rest of her life encouraging people go on mission and help others to friendship with Jesus.
· She Died in 1947 and was Canonized in 2000
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One could say that Josephine’s life was far from perfect, but she was always full of joy. Joy is the awareness of the good we possess. Unlike Bakhita, we are not always joyful, we are not aware of the good we possess.
To have joy we must actively cultivate an awareness of the good we possess, actively look for the good that is in you and all around you. we can cultivate joy by practicing gratitude for all the good you possess and by thanking God ahead of time for turning all things to good.
But too often we don’t have joy because we have unrealistic expectations that things will be perfect.
· Our illusion of perfection does not exist in this life
· In fact, this is a lie and comes from the Father of Lies
· Nothing in this life will be perfect…
· Not our health, marriage, kids, kids health, kids choices, work, friends, house, …
This illusion of perfection has two dangers:
1. Discontentment
2. Despair
We become Discontent because
· nothing is perfect,
· much is broken or amiss
· the result is that we lack joy
Since perfection is not possible
· We despair,
· we give up striving for more
· We settle for less than God intends, less than transforming union with God – holiness
· And it kills mission since we wont have zeal to share God’s love with others if we are miserable.
This is the deadly sin of acedia or sloth which leads to despair
· We live from business to entertainment to restless sleep to the next day’s business, entertainment and restless sleep
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Our Idea of Perfection is not God’s Idea of Perfection
God’s idea of perfection is more like and oyster and a pearl.
Oysters turn irritants into Pearls
· Pearls are formed inside the shell of an Oyster
· Oysters have this amazing defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant
o Such as a parasite inside the shell
o Or an attack from outside, injuring the mantle tissue
· The Oyster
o Accepts the irritant,
o Encompassing or embracing the irritant,
o Then it creates a pearl sac with its tears,
o Transforming the irritant into a pearl
Without the Irritant or the Imperfection
· The oyster can’t make the Pearl
· Imperfection is part of God’s plan to transform us
We want all things to go well. And we should do all we can to work for truth, goodness and justice. When something isn’t right, do all that is in your power and within your scope of responsibility to change it. But if you can’t change the irritant, accept it as the will of God and abandon yourself to His Providence which works all things for good for those who love him. Let him make pearls out of irritants.
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The letter of James tells us: My brothers and sisters, you will always have trials. But when they come try to treat them as a happy privilege. You are put to the test as an opportunity to grow in virtue.
We gain virtue by practice
· Imperfections and Trials are the opportunities that call for a particular virtue to be practiced and gained.
· For example: Suffering calls us to practice the virtue of patience, that is, enduring cheerfully.
So stop fighting and resisting God
1. Yes, yes, do what you can to change an Irritant or Imperfection
2. Accept what you cannot and Embrace and Encompass it
3. Allow God to use the Imperfection or Irritant to help you grow in a virtue
4. The virtues are the Pearls
Imperfections are God-given and they are the occasion to grow in virtue
· So we should be grateful. Bakhita would say: My life is good!
Accept or encompass the unchangeable Irritant or Imperfection as part of God’s plan
· Learn what virtue God wants to develop in you
· Practice that virtue with God’s help
· Be transformed in virtue, peace and happiness
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St Paul writes: This slight momentary affliction is preparing you to carry and eternal weight of glory.
God allows some Imperfections and flaws in us to make us small, humble and merciful toward others. We should try to correct our flaws and weaknesses. But often times they still remain to foster humility in us and mercy toward others and unity because we realize we need each other.
I cannot be perfect. Neither can other people. So stop expecting them to be so and stop being angry and frustrated with them. Accept them, help them and be merciful to them. The things I can’t change in myself should lead me to be more merciful and patient with others.
St Edith Stein whose religious name was “Teresa who was Blessed by the Cross” writes
If up to now, a person has been more or less contented with himself, the time for that is over. He will do what he can to change the unpleasant things he finds in himself, but he will discover quite a bit that can’t be called beautiful and yet will be nearly impossible to change. As a result he will slowly become small and humble, increasingly patient and tolerant toward the specks in his brothers’ eyes now that he has so much trouble with the beam in his own. Eventually, he will be able to look at himself in the unblinking light of the divine presence and learn to entrust himself to the power of the divine mercy.