Recently in Prayer Category

Today's Gospel from Matthew 6 tells us not to be like the hypocrites, doing various righteous deeds in front of others, to be seen by them. "They have their reward." What, that's it? Someone saw us be holier-than-thou? However, if our devotion is done unnoticed "the Father
who sees in secret will repay you". Sounds promising.

Yeah, and think what else the Father is seeing. All that secret dirt pushed under the rug of my soul. I am so blessed the justice of the Father is tempered a bit by the mercy of the Son, the Spirit is constantly redirecting me and as a result I may have a prayer at reaching Purgatory. That's all I ask. If I can get there, Heaven's in sight!

Da Vince Code notwithstanding, I think those folks at Opus Dei are pretty alright. Their founder has written several books that are the core of my spiritual reading. However, St Josemaria Escriva and I have heated arguments sometimes; for he can be quite blunt when telling me truths I don't want to hear. Because, of course, acknowledging these truths would require me to change.

I've been reading about prayer lately. Picked up Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton. I couldn't get beyond the first paragraph of the foreword by Douglas V. Steere without being stopped short.

Here ... are hints both of man's longing for exposure to these `beams of love' and yet his fear of what may be involved to come within its transforming power. For if to pray means to change, it is no wonder that men, even devoted men, hurry to fashion protective clothing, leaden aprons that resist all radiation, even beam-proof shelters within corporate religious exercises in order to elude the `beams of love' and to stay as they are.

Well. Guess it's time to leave the padded prie-dieu in my bunker, take off my lead apron and go find a spiritual director. (I can probably find one of those at the local Opus Dei house.) Change may be difficult and messy, but it has to be done in order to be like Christ. That's what I pray for most.

I noticed in my last post I said to "be specific", but did not give
any specific examples. Here are some from one of the latest crises of
our family life.

Pregnancies have proven difficult for us; our last was the toughest
yet. A mild placental abruption landed me on complete bedrest early
(I would spend 6 months in bed for this child). Our priest visited
every week with the Eucharist, naturally, and with other good
conversation.

Father asked what we needed; he was very happy that we answered with
concrete things. Bill works from home, but I was unable to tend to
our four other children from my bed. We needed someone to come into
our home occasionally to entertain the children so Bill could have
solid blocks of time at the computer. Since Bill and I would both be
home to deal with emergencies it could even be a young person, 12 and
up or someone who could use service hours.

Antoehr time Bill mentioned he was getting bored with the meals he was
cooking. Father whispered this in the right ears and suddenly every 3
or 4 days we were getting boxes full of meals to reheat and serve or
to freeze for after they baby's arrival.

Fahter asked what he could pray for specifically. Our answer was that
I would not have to start insulin injections and that we could carry
the baby to 32 weeks. When we reached that goal my blood sugar spiked
and I had to begin the shots. My blood pressure began creeping up.
The new prayer request became that my blood pressure would stay down
and we get the baby to 36 weeks. Our parish prayed us safely there.

Even our own prayers need to be specific. The baby was born; money
wsa extremely tight and by December we had raided the depths of our
freezer. I stood in our pantry for a heart-to-heart with God.
"Heavenly Father, it looks like a mealless Christmas for us this
year. I thank you so much for all the food you've provided for us. I
ask your help so I may be creative and make a healthy meal for my
family. And may it be festive, because my Lord, your Son's birthday
is a feastday."

Within three days, Father had dropped by with fifteen pounds of
venison from a parish donor, and one of the parish men also a member
of the Kiwanis Club had brought by a large box of food stuffs,
including a turkey. We had a wonderful Christmas feast. Many thanks
were given to God, who tells us to ask and it shall be given to us.