As I prepare to take some vacation time, I started wondering what I could share with you. Time for preparation is short and a lot has been going on. Then God sent a voice through a co-worker who sent me the following quote: “Be the woman who walks through fire and still comes out carrying buckets of water for others.” (A version of this quote is attributed Stephanie Sparkles, a winner on Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.” I don’t know if others have said it, too.)
That is a very challenging statement. As I thought about it, I realized that tomorrow is the feast of the Assumption. If anyone has walked through fire, Mary has! From the time of the Annunciation to her own Assumption, Mary’s life was a challenge. We need to remember the time in which she lived. The role of a woman was certainly mapped out and defined.
Thinking about all of this made me wonder: am I a person who can walk through fire and still come out carrying buckets of water for others? To do that, I certainly need to be grounded in my prayer life. I also have to be flexible enough to adapt to the situation. Even if I make a mistake, I need to be willing to say I was wrong, then pick up those buckets and continue the journey. Recently, I found myself in a challenging situation and was lead to prayer realizing it was the only solution that would help me continue to carry and deliver those buckets.
When you read “be the woman who walks through fire and still comes out carrying buckets of water for others,” what feelings arise in you? Have you been through a “fire” recently? If so, can you name it and claim it? Can you continue your journey? Can you keep an attitude of gratitude as you feel the sting of the flames during your trek through life? Coming out the other side is rewarding, yet we must remember that all things double when shared with another, including the reward of surviving our challenges. There is joy in being able share. Mary went to visit Elizabeth, didn’t she?
So, can you be the man, woman, child, sibling, husband, wife, mother, father, friend who walks through fire and comes out carrying buckets of water for others? Take some time this week and ask the Spirit to help you identify those pieces necessary for you to continue your journey, no matter the situations.
Till next week,
Sister Theresita
