Lady Poverty In Our Community

January 5, 2021

May you rest in the sweet promises of God as your faith increases. For the Lord says, "You will know the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

Just to familiarize you with the subject of Lady Poverty, this is an expression coming from the early Franciscan Friars, that describes the poverty of the Lord, and living a simple life, characterized by the circumstances of His birth in a manger, all the way throughout His ministry and finally dying naked on the cross between two criminals.

It is considered a virtue that we practice in community, in that is imitating the Lord's poor and simple life. As He said to those who wanted to join Him, "Go, sell all you have, give to the poor, then come and follow Me." That is taken from Matthew 19:21

Recently Lord began to address some reforms that need to take place in our community's eating habits, with our personal necessities, and the things we are still attached to in this world. I am sharing this with you because it will give you a sense of guidelines as to how you can arrange your lifestyle. When I speak of attachments, notice I say, "We." to include ourselves because while we have matured and grown in giving up worldly comforts, we are by no means perfect. There is still plenty of sludge down there. It is a real sign of pride to categorize others as having issues, that we do not have. Therefore, we say, "They are still attached." excluding ourselves from imperfections, which is the greatest imperfection of all.

"Now onto your next topic My Love," the Lord began. "Yes, I have raised up these two women to put in place holy guidelines that they can supervise and support. It is beyond your scope. Your time here is short, and I prefer speaking with you and leaving behind instructions and even...believe it or not, music. Your most recent song was a gift from Me to accent the plight of your country and the world theatre with China lusting for your nation." And I will post that song fairly soon, after I finish editing it, it is an instrumental.

"I know you are in agreement", Jesus continued," with their observations and suggestions." And I just want to say here that we have two ladies in the community who are very mature in the Lord and really do want to live a life of self-denial and feed more on the Spirit, rather than feeding the lusts of the flesh. Thank God for them because I am not as strong as they are. Jesus continued, "I know you agree with their observations and suggestions, yet I would be especially cautious that those who are able to give more do not impose impossible standards for others to meet. If this grows in that direction a religious spirit will enter in and steal the very premise of this community, which is Brotherly Love."

"It is easy for those who are high in self-control, have a healthy constitution, and high intelligence, to embrace the rigors of the penitential lifestyle, but they must moderate their zeal in cases where charity dictates yielding to a basic need. It is so easy for such of these to fall into judgement, just as you did in your early years of being a sister, when you first put on the habit, so they must be on guard against criticizing others with a weaker constitution, because that is not pleasing to Me."

"It is a learning process for them Clare. It does not come overnight. There will be many errors in judgement that will weaken their relationship with Me, so caution them to rise to a new level of humility and mercy. They do not walk in the sandals of the other sisters who are weaker. They did not get the same start in their lives. They had many advantages that the others were denied. In short, they grew up to be sound adults, but understand, in this century that is not a common occurrence. Many are the walking wounded adolescent adults, many."

"So, I am asking of you, get rid of the superfluities, except on festive occasions and even then, please use moderation, and provide substantial replacements until the others can mature into adulthood." So, as an example, for instance, rather than having a rich tort or a rich cake, we have banana bread, and that is simpler. The Lord continued, "Every soul here is precious, so do what you can within the confines of reasonable Lady Poverty, to meet their needs while they grow in maturity."

"And for My strong ones, know that your practice of moderation and self-control is a good example, but do not make it into a god who will goad you on into self-righteousness. You must keep a very careful watch over your hearts and minds lest you become the Pharisees and the prostitutes enter the kingdom of God before you."

"Yes, those are strong words, but there is nothing more noxious to Me than self-satisfaction and Pride in one's ability to live by the rule. I would rather they were a complete failure, and austerely humble, for I oppose the pride but lavish grace on the humble."

"Leadership is fraught with copious traps to see yourself as better than others, but I promise you the humble bumbles are safer than those who feel they have arrived. So, I caution you, keep your head down and relate to your sisters as one who is capable of much failure without My grace. Pray for them to grow in selflessness and self-control, and set the example, but remember, their failure in one area may be their only fault, whereas you have many faults that accuse you."

"I will give you wisdom when you ask for it, but humility and knowing that you do not know everything, and love for the tender souls that are not as yet able either because of a weak constitution or a lifelong habit of wrong choices in foods, etc. You who were given many talents must be solicitous for those who were given few."

"I have sent you some that came from such deplorable backgrounds, that their hearts are broken, twisted and shattered and they need much motherly care to come into maturity. That does not mean that the community should bow to superfluous requests, let each man and woman, lovingly give to Me, the gifts they are able to give. And whatever is beyond them, let no one reproach them for it lest they fall into sin. Rather be tender and loving from the heart, recognizing their limitations as they acknowledge yours without judging you. Pursue Lady Poverty to the best of your ability, but never at the cost of Brotherly Love, which is the very heart of the law."

"Fasts and sacrifices are merely laddering which help you reach your highest ideals but Love for Me and for your brother is at the very core of a life lived for Me, without this authentically in operation from the heart, fasts and abstinences are useless".

"I will help you My Little ones. Call out to Me, "Lord, I cannot do this on my own, please help me!" And if I see that you have a right spirit, of genuine humility, not wanting this gift so you can elevate yourself above others, I will indeed come to your aid."