Prayer request from Br. JR

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Has anyone here either heard from or about Brother Jay? I’m falling to pieces without him. 😦
 
I can’t tell whether he has checked into the forum recently. I thought that when you went to a user’s profile page, it told you when their last activity (or words to that effect) was, but I don’t see that for him.

When I tried to check out the website for his Franciscan brothers, I got a malware warning so I’m not going there… 😦
 
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence let us fly to you, O virgin of virgins, our mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your clemency hear and answer us. Amen.
 
When you check his posting history, it looks like the last time he posted was May 30.
 
Almighty father, grant your child the peace of mind so that he may imbark on the next voyage in which you have planned, grant this soul your mercy so that he may act in your name without anxiety. Gracious lord, we pray humbly that you may allow this soul the peace of mind so that he may enjoy without regret, the fullness of the gifts that you continue to grant to him. Amen
 
Oh Sweet Jesus, we know we are not worthy but please just say the word and we know your servent Br. Jay will be healed. We all miss him dearly around here and could so still use his wisdom and guidance. We all learn so much from him. Please let him come back to us soon.

Oh Blessed Mother Mary. You know how much we need Br. Jay around just like the guests needed more wine at the wedding in Cana. You know how much we are
not worthy but please intercede for us to you Son, Jesus, and tell Him how much we do still need him and his guidance so that he can continue to help us navigate these troubled times we find ourselves in. Please ask Jesus to heal him and give him his strength bak soon.

For this we pray…so be it…
 
Thank you all for your kindness, concerns and prayers. I just wanted to check in and let you know that thanks to your prayers, I’m doing well. However, we must all learn to accept that our minds and bodies have limits that come with health concerns and age. That’s a tough lesson for someone like me who has always been on the go 10 to 14 hours a day.

But now my energy must be accurately directed, like the arrow of a hunter, lest I miss my target. That target is heaven. I have to spend more time in prayer and less time in idle chit chat. Although my brothers are competent and well educated adult men, they are young in the spiritual life. None of them have yet made perpetual vows. I’m the only one in solemn vows; but I won’t always be around to lead them. They must provide for their own leadership. The devil would like to see nothing better than to see the work of the Gospel of Life collapse. I must attend to my brothers, especially those who are struggling.

Yes, they are holy and dedicated men; but they are human and they struggle like everyone else. They struggle with the faith, the flesh the mind and the temptations of the material world. A superior can’t just give orders. That’s not a superior, that’s military commander. He can’t just lead either. That’s not a superior. That’s a CEO.

A religious superior (male or female) must be like Mary. Just as she presented her son to the world at Bethlehem, the superior must introduce his brothers to the world, with great care. As she presented and consecrated her son to the Lord eight days after his birth, the superior must pray for his brothers. He must make time to place each in God’s hands. Like Mary, who went in search of her boy when he became lost, so to the superior must go in search for his brother when he is lost or about to get lost. The superior must also be like Mary at Cana. He must point his brother’s attention to the needs of the poor. But like Mary, he should never baby them. He must trust that they will know what to do, because he has formed them well. At the end, he gives them up for the world, as Mary did at Calvary. This requires that the superior himself be in touch with God and the Blessed Mother.

When you are old and your health is not as it once was, you have to accept the limitations and cut back on some things in order to fulfill your primary duties. The primary duty of every parent is to provide for the soul of his children. A superior who does not provide for the souls of his brothers or her sisters is a lousy parent and will one day have to give account to God. He or she is like the hunter who shoots the arrow into the ground to catch the pigeon flying overhead.

Even though the brothers are not the only ones who work on Project Joseph, because we have some very holy and dedicated lay volunteers, Project Joseph is grounded in St. Francis’ spirit of fraternity with all men and St. Maximilian Kolbe’s dedication to saving the life of one father and one family at a time. The spirituality of the brothers is the well from which these lay volunteers drink. The lay volunteers do the muscle work and the brothers provide the nurturing, the example and the spiritual roadmap. In this regard, Project Joseph is also a witness of a complimentary apostolate.

The male religious and the secular male Catholic complement each other. Without realizing it, not only does Project Joseph protect the life of the unborn, serve the voiceless and the poor, but it also presents to those who notice it a true ecclesiology where religious life and lay life are not in conflict, but in harmonious cooperation.

It isn’t I who has done this. It has been God working through St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Joseph and the Immaculate. I was just the last tool left in the shed, the tool that no one wanted, because it was dull. When God walked in to find the sharpest tool to build his ministry to the Gospel of Life with religious and secular men, the sharp tools were gone. There was only one dull tool left. That’s why I chose as my motto, “Deus eligit stultus”.

These days, this dull tool has to finish what he started. But he has not forgotten you and he will still be around, but not as often. Please keep me in your prayers. I have a brother who is going through spiritual turbulence. Ask God to help me help him.

We all go through turbulence, even religious. It’s much easier when you go through it with another person who loves you. I may not be able to provide the grace that he needs. Only God can do that. I must provide the love that he needs, even when I’m worn out and I would rather not listen anymore. I pray that God will open my mind and my heart so that he can love through me and offer a sense of security to those in turbulence.

Keep me in your prayers as you are in mine. I will be around.
 
JReducation said:
Thank you all for your kindness, concerns and prayers. I just wanted to check in and let you know that thanks to your prayers, I’m doing well. However, we must all learn to accept that our minds and bodies have limits that come with health concerns and age. That’s a tough lesson for someone like me who has always been on the go 10 to 14 hours a day.

But now my energy must be accurately directed, like the arrow of a hunter, lest I miss my target. That target is heaven. I have to spend more time in prayer and less time in idle chit chat. Although my brothers are competent and well educated adult men, they are young in the spiritual life. None of them have yet made perpetual vows. I’m the only one in solemn vows; but I won’t always be around to lead them. They must provide for their own leadership. The devil would like to see nothing better than to see the work of the Gospel of Life collapse. I must attend to my brothers, especially those who are struggling.

Yes, they are holy and dedicated men; but they are human and they struggle like everyone else. They struggle with the faith, the flesh the mind and the temptations of the material world. A superior can’t just give orders. That’s not a superior, that’s military commander. He can’t just lead either. That’s not a superior. That’s a CEO.

A religious superior (male or female) must be like Mary. Just as she presented her son to the world at Bethlehem, the superior must introduce his brothers to the world, with great care. As she presented and consecrated her son to the Lord eight days after his birth, the superior must pray for his brothers. He must make time to place each in God’s hands. Like Mary, who went in search of her boy when he became lost, so to the superior must go in search for his brother when he is lost or about to get lost. The superior must also be like Mary at Cana. He must point his brother’s attention to the needs of the poor. But like Mary, he should never baby them. He must trust that they will know what to do, because he has formed them well. At the end, he gives them up for the world, as Mary did at Calvary. This requires that the superior himself be in touch with God and the Blessed Mother.

When you are old and your health is not as it once was, you have to accept the limitations and cut back on some things in order to fulfill your primary duties. The primary duty of every parent is to provide for the soul of his children. A superior who does not provide for the souls of his brothers or her sisters is a lousy parent and will one day have to give account to God. He or she is like the hunter who shoots the arrow into the ground to catch the pigeon flying overhead.

Even though the brothers are not the only ones who work on Project Joseph, because we have some very holy and dedicated lay volunteers, Project Joseph is grounded in St. Francis’ spirit of fraternity with all men and St. Maximilian Kolbe’s dedication to saving the life of one father and one family at a time. The spirituality of the brothers is the well from which these lay volunteers drink. The lay volunteers do the muscle work and the brothers provide the nurturing, the example and the spiritual roadmap. In this regard, Project Joseph is also a witness of a complimentary apostolate.

The male religious and the secular male Catholic complement each other. Without realizing it, not only does Project Joseph protect the life of the unborn, serve the voiceless and the poor, but it also presents to those who notice it a true ecclesiology where religious life and lay life are not in conflict, but in harmonious cooperation.

It isn’t I who has done this. It has been God working through St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Joseph and the Immaculate. I was just the last tool left in the shed, the tool that no one wanted, because it was dull. When God walked in to find the sharpest tool to build his ministry to the Gospel of Life with religious and secular men, the sharp tools were gone. There was only one dull tool left. That’s why I chose as my motto, “Deus eligit stultus”.

These days, this dull tool has to finish what he started. But he has not forgotten you and he will still be around, but not as often. Please keep me in your prayers. I have a brother who is going through spiritual turbulence. Ask God to help me help him.

We all go through turbulence, even religious. It’s much easier when you go through it with another person who loves you. I may not be able to provide the grace that he needs. Only God can do that. I must provide the love that he needs, even when I’m worn out and I would rather not listen anymore. I pray that God will open my mind and my heart so that he can love through me and offer a sense of security to those in turbulence.

Keep me in your prayers as you are in mine. I will be around.
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Thank you, Bro Jay, for the instructional update. We continue to pray for you and your community, like you do for us. Always. God bless
 
Brother Jay, thank you so much for letting us know how you are doing. And that you are still with us. 🙂

I will keep your suffering spiritual son in my prayers too. He is fortunate to have you to guide him through the turbulence, and I will ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you in order to help him.
 
How good it is to see you posting again, Brother. Many have been worrying, praying, hoping, waiting — so it’s a blessing to read your message and know that you are improving.
When you are old and your health is not as it once was, you have to accept the limitations and cut back on some things in order to fulfill your primary duties.
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Oh, how I can identify with you. (I’m old, too, LOL!) As some have said, it’s always a nice surprise to wake up in the morning and find that you’re still here. 😃

May God bless you and help you to be very fruitful as you minister to others in His name.
 
Thank you Br. Jay for all your prayers and help with our turbulence over the years. Your Brothers are in good hands. May God continue to bless you and all you do and may the Blessed Mother Mary keep you all in her Imaculate Heart right next to her Son Jesus’ Sacred Heart.

You have been and continue to be a good example to us all.
I am not sure I will be around here much anymore myself as I have similar needs to be met that are pulling at my heart strings but please know that no matter where I am my prayers will be with you, yours, and your minestry to the Gospel of Life.
 
Bless you, Brother JR. I pray that God may give you the strength to see His work come to fruition. Your task is great, but with God’s grace you will accomplish it yet.
 
Placing you in the enclosed garden of the sacred Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

God bless you Br. JR.

I learn a lot from all your wise, truthful and meticulous posts. (and courageous posts!)
 
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