Prayers

Adoro recently published a post about Praying Always, which made me contemplate how much I really do pray. Yes, we are to have a set prayer time, and for those of us who are in religious communities, whether a Priest, Religious, or lay, we have the Liturgy of the Hours (LOH) that we must pray.

So the question arises, how to 'pray always'.

This came to light this morning as I was shoveling the driveway. I offered all of the snow that I shoveled for anyone who needed prayers and for those in Purgatory. I offered my work for those in need. On my way to work I take the train where I usually pray the Rosary. Today, however, I felt the need to pray for those struggling in these dark economic times and prayed the Hail Mary repeatedly.

It's not that we must always utter prayers every moment of the day, although I'm certain God would not disapprove. It's offering your day or a part of your day for someone or something. Sometimes when I am driving or riding the bus, I would offer up every rotation of every tire on the road as a prayer for someone or something - a friend who is going through a difficult time, a Priest who is just starting out, a stranger I met the day before, a family who is struggling due to a loss of a relative. Before I go to sleep (if I remember), I offer up every breath for those in Purgatory.

If you are unsure of what to pray for, pray for the Pope's intentions. Pray for the World Day of Peace with the Pope. Pray for those in Purgatory or for your family (immediate & extended). Pray for the Priests. Pray for the God's Angels or Guardian Angels. Pray for anyone who needs prayers.

Distractions

Satan loves to distract us when we are trying to talk to God. Music, TV, Wii, games, phone calls, email, work, etc. Distractions are all around us. How do we overcome these distractions? There are several things that have helped me.

• Asking one or more of the Saints to pray with you
• Asking your Guardian Angel to guide and protect you
• Blessing yourself with Holy Water before praying (I keep a small vial in my purse & in my office)
• Asking for Mary's intercession

These are only a few that I commonly use. I also ask my Guardian Angel to pray with me and if I fall asleep during my prayers at night, that he will continue praying for me.

What to Pray

God wants a relationship with us. Think of your best friend. What do you talk about? How do you greet each other? How do you feel when you are with this person? God wants this same type of relationship. Yes, He already knows what you are going through, He already knows your fears, your desires, your needs, your joys, but He wants to hear it from you. He wants you to share your life with Him...to be a part of your life like your best friend is a part of your life.

When you are not sure what to say, you can ask God just to be there with you in those moments of silence. Just like a friend, sometimes it is good just to be present.

For those times when you need to pray but can not find the words, pray the Hail Mary or the Our Father. Pray the Rosary. Pray the 23rd Psalm. Pray the Act of Contrition. Pray a favorite Bible passage (mine, Galatians 2:20).

The more we talk with God, the closer we become. So offer those tire rotations, offer up every breath you take, offer up every word you utter at work, offer up every letter you type, offer up every movement, every eye blink, every step.

Be Still & Know that I am God

This morning I received an email from a Benedictine Sister that I do not know. How she received my email & why she sent me this e-card, I'm unsure. But what I do know is that God knew I needed this card.

After I woke up this morning & got ready for the day, I did a quick check on emails and just happened to fall upon a St. Jude web site that asked for prayers/petitions. At the end of a year, I always ask God for one petition for the New Year and I have been praying about what to request this next year. (One year I asked for patience - it was the longest year of my life!) There was only one petition that has a lot of meaning for me this next year - to become a worthy spouse for our Lord. I fall short, way short. However, I know that our Heavenly Father can mold me into a spouse that is worthy of His Son.

I am trying to do it all - get it done quickly, efficiently, and effectively ... but God is telling me to 'Be Still...and know that I am God.'

The $600 Billion Human

I recently read an article about 'Chimeras'. These are the beings that "scientists" are creating that are part human & part animal. The Bishops in the U.K. are stating that these beings have a right to live. Read the article.

After doing additional reading/research, these "scientists" are extracting some DNA and replacing it with animal DNA. For instance (and this is only a 'for instance' - no medical or scientific backing what-so-ever), extracting the DNA that makes us run with that of a cheetah so we can run faster & stronger.

(picture from BBCNews)

HOW FAST DO THEY WANT US TO GO????

Usain Bolt, from Jamaica, is considered the fastest man in the world - running 100 meters in 9.72 seconds! What, this isn't good enough? By the time the race started & he finished, I would have made 2 steps toward the finish line (there are times when I can barely get one foot in front of the other).

(picture from www.radiojamaica.com)

Sorry, sidetracked...back to the Bishops

Yes! If these cells start reproducing, they have a right to live - by God's moral standards. We already know that IVF and most of the bio-cell research is morally wrong, and the scientists will have to go before our Maker on judgement day. In the meantime, we, as moral human beings, must live by God's moral standards. And yes, if any of these experimental cells start dividing & redividing, we must give it a chance to live. It is only God who can decide when we are to die...not us.

The $600 Billion Human

I used to love to watch the $6 Million Man, Steve Austin and his sidekick, Dr. Oscar Goldman. As kids, we used to move slowly while muttering the infamous 'dididididididididididi' so it sounded like we were Steve Austin (or Jaimee Sommers - the Bionic Woman). And the theme of the show ... 'Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, Stronger, Faster.'

When is enough enough? When will we stop trying to make us better. (God made us - we are pretty darn good!) But ... better than what? We are not meant to have the talons of an Hawk, the beak of a Flamingo, or the running capacity of a Cheetah. Why try to downgrade us into animals? Humans are the most intelligent creatures on the face of the earth (of course, this is also questionable with all of this 'scientific research' going on). God made us with a very sofisticated mental ability - to be able to choose between good & evil...to be able to choose between right and wrong ... to be able to love, freely. We are meant to be superior over all of the animals ... so why are we trying to be like the animals? Why are we downgrading ourselves to be less than what we are?
(picture from www.itsafrickenconspiracy.com)

When will we finally be satisfied for being God's children? When will we stop trying to be or play god? Yes, we can clone beings - for certain there are animal clones, I shudder to think scientists have created a human clone (although not entirely out of the question) - we may be able to create a clone from cells, but we can not create the living cells.

This is my rant & rave. You may agree - you may disagree - that is totally up to you. For me, I am saddened by the fact that our scientists are focusing on making us less than what God made us to be, rather than focusing on the things that really count.

D-Day

It's difficult to put into words all of the angst, pressures, temptations, fears, and
excitedness that I am feeling at this moment.

Yesterday it finally hit ... as I am sure it will many more times between now and February.

Yes, February!

You got it! Sometime in February I will be moving.
I'm not exactly sure when, but it seems like time has sped.

Tick - Tick - Tick

Yesterday at Mass, someone asked me how much longer. Without
thinking, I remarked, '2 months'.
2 Months!!! Oh no!!!
Wide-eyed, I looked at my parents, who attended Mass with me, and I must have
had a look of fear or trepidation on my face because my mom
started laughing. Of course, she's feeling the same.

Tick - Tick - Tick

I went to Confession this past Friday and the Priest made a
remark that really hit me - I am being tempted and succoming
to those temptations.

Okay, Priests & Religious everywhere... Help!
How do I combat these temptations? The fears, anxieties of leaving
'home', leaving the 'comforts' of 'home', leaving my parents & family
behind, managing to remain sane as I walk (actually I feel like I am running)
toward God and His plan for me? How did you do it?

Tick - Tick - Tick

2 Months!
And before I know it ... 1 Month! YIKES!

It was so nice to be able to say 'in a year & a half' or 'in 6 months'
because it was always far ahead in the future...
but as the clock keeps ticking, so does the time ... away.
And before I know it -

Tick - Tick - Tick

2 Months!

TOCK!

Changed by the Eucharist

I recently had a learning experience about the Most Holy Eucharist.


At Mass & Adoration, I understand (granted I may understand although I do not fully comprehend) that Jesus is present, really and fully, although it's so magnanimous that it is difficult to comprehend it all. Yet, it's still Jesus & me...separated. I'm in the pew or the chair/kneeler and Jesus is present in the Eucharist on the Altar on in the Monstrance...in the same room but independent of each other. (photograph by Mike Hoyt) I would allow Jesus, even invite Him, pleading with Him, to enter into my heart. I thought this was all there was ... Jesus knocks on my heart, I open the door & ask Him to enter.


That is until I attended a session about the Eucharist after Saturday Mass a couple weeks ago.

The Gospel reading was about the Parable of the dishonest judge (Luke 18:1-8). The Pastor remarked that the widow refused to enter into the judge's world. Instead, she pleaded with him every day until he was so exasperated with her nagging that he decided to render her a just decision - just to get her off his back. In effect, she pulled him into her world.

Is it not the same with Jesus and us at Mass & Adoration? He wants us to join Him in His world - not ours. He wants us to experience Him in His Heavenly world, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, all the Saints and Angels.

Jesus IS the Head of the ecclesial Body. He asks us to partake in His divinity through this Body ... and through Him.

I have heard many Priests & other religious teachers explain how Jesus is not alone in the Eucharist. He is the second person of the Most Holy Trinity and cannot be separated from the Father nor the Holy Spirit. He is also present in 'real' time not at one moment in time. He is, at this moment, in Heaven, with the Father, the Holy Spirit, Mary, all the Saints and Angels...and He is inviting us into this Heavenly mixture - to experience the Heavenly bliss through Him, with Him, and in Him.

I understand yet I can not fathom the greatness of this experience. What joy to be drawn into Him and His world ... the fullness of joy I can only imagine.