Jesus in Pray (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Devotional Thought of the Day:

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. ² Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. ³ This is good and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.   1 Tim. 2:1-4

439      Prayer is the most powerful weapon a Christian has. Prayer makes us effective. Prayer makes us happy. Prayer gives us all the strength we need to fulfil God’s commands. Yes!, your whole life can and should be prayer.  (1)

In the last day, I have been asked a hundred times if there was anything that could be done to help, that I would let them know.  Messages from friends, phone calls, hugs given quietly, the words over and over….

if there is anything I can do….

There is of course very little, but helping others when they are traumatized is a need we all have.  It is a way of coping…. of dealing with the trauma and suffering we so hate to see friends endure.  Some of us are good at it… we see our lives turn into doing this very thing. 

And yet – nothing,… a small task here, a small thing there….. in some cases those in trauma find themselves making up tasks… or at least in the last days I have found myself in that situation. I truly appreaciate the care – and the sincerity and yet, from the world’s view, there is so little to be done. 

Yes, my father is dead, and yes it hurts… and yes, I know everyone cares.. deeply cares for my family…. and I know there is a desire to help… 

And there is something that can be done… 

Something that makes more a difference, something that is wondrous, even glorious…

Pray… simply that… pray. 

For in doing so, you call on the Lord who does interact in or lives, a Lord who desires that no one of us be lost – and if His love is that powerful, that strong in its desire to care for us, then prayer is not a “well at least I can…”  but it is the primary thing, as St. Paul tells us.  It is our power for salvation and therefore our power to live in His presence. 

So for my mom, for my brother, and sister, and yeah for me….. pray, but not just for us…

for my friends Bob and Nancy, who also lost a dear friend on the same day as my dad…
for my friends, KB, and Hugh and Steve, who have had surgery in the last two days…
for others whom you know, who also suffer… and most importantly… those whom you know who don’t know Jesus, who don’t know His love and mercy… 

St Josemaria has it right – prayer is our sacred opportunity, for it reminds us of His presence, His love, it is our weapon, to defend that which is alive in us… in Christ… to deliver those who God has sent us too… 

You want to help those who are mourning?  Pray… that God would make HIs presence and mercy known… and that the faith fhat sustains us… would sustain those who ill come to know of His love…

and…

Thank you..

(1)Escriva, Josemaria (2011-01-31). The Forge (Kindle Locations 1690-1693). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.

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