WORD OF THE DAY

Our brand-new LED message board was installed right before I started in August. I have to admit, I have fun thinking of ways to use the sign. I can grab just about any logo off the web and personalize the sign for visiting groups. It’s fun to hear their reaction when they see their name in lights. Another idea I’ve used since I started is posting a “Word of the Day.” My hope is those who frequently drive past us on Koeller Street will get in the habit of checking what each day has to offer. Plus, they will see the other events we are promoting. The challenge is coming up with a different word every day.

Many of the residents who stay with us or come to us for assistance are in some type of recovery. All different addictions; drugs, alcoholism, pornography, gambling, etc. Many are dealing with mental health and anxiety issues. For some, it’s family matters, financial worries or depression. I state this because I want our message board to resonate with them on a daily basis. I want to send a message to all viewers using these “Words of the Day”. We are all battling or recovering from some issue in our life. The first words I chose were the principal words for the “12 Steps of Recovery.” Now the 12 Steps are synonymous with Alcoholics Anonymous. That iconic recovery group did develop them. But those who work the 12 Steps will tell you that they are not all about quitting drinking. The 12 Steps are about strengthening your spiritual life and living a life God imagined us to live–our life’s action plan. The steps can be used for many out-of-control moments in one’s life or as a maintenance plan. The steps can take you from “rock bottom” to a God-centered, soul seeking and cleaning experience until your life is balanced and completely in control with our Lord’s guidance. Isn’t that what we all want? To live in God’s will. That’s the message I want our residents and passing traffic to see. Those words are; honesty, hope, surrender, courage, integrity, acceptance, humility, willingness, forgiveness, discipline, awareness and service.

But, after twelve days I’m out of words. Now what? The week before I started, I prayed the Novena to the Holy Spirit. Addressed to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, this novena is said to be a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian. Through the novena, you pray for each of the seven gifts we received at our baptism and confirmation. The seven gifts are also known as sanctifying gifts of the Spirit, because they serve the purpose of rendering their recipients docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in their lives, helping them to grow in holiness and making them fit for heaven. – Catholic Answers  These seven gifts are; wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, piety and fear of the Lord. That’s seven more words. I really liked the message our new sign was conveying.

My mind automatically went from the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit. I was up to nineteen words. Twelve more would be thirty one and that means a whole month. Perfect! Plus, the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit go very much together. Again Catholic Answers tells us, “The twelve fruits are different from the seven gifts of the Spirit in that while the seven gifts are virtues for us to follow, the twelve fruits are the actions that those gifts produce.”  Those fruits are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, modesty, chastity, and goodness.

So now our “Words of the Day” consist of an action plan, the gifts needed to complete the action plan, and the fruits our actions will produce, all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 Drive by or better yet, stop in and see what the “Word of the Day” means for you.

Pax Christi,

Jim