August 27, 2010
St. MonicaDear Family of Mary!"Dear children! With great joy, also today, I desire to call you anew: pray, pray, pray. May this time be a time of personal prayer for you. During the day, find a place where you will pray joyfully in a recollected way. I love you and bless you all. Thank you for having responded to my call."
(August 25, 2010)
Fr. Andre told this story at Mass yesterday.
Isn't it clever!
It might be very difficult to convince someone that God doesn't exist or there is no hell. But it is easy to tempt people into procrastination. And how much of life can be ruined by this slothful behavior! It struck me that Our Lady's message today is an invitation to act!
Now! She doesn't want us to put off prayer any longer. "With great joy, also today, I desire to call you anew: pray, pray, pray." This is a request filled with energy and joy! She sounds like a cheerleader! "Pray, pray, pray!" And then she adds, "May this time be a time of personal prayer for you." May this time be a time of personal prayer! This is the time, not tomorrow, not next week, but now! Our Lady wants to crash through our sloth, our dreamlike, distracted, busy state, and bring us into reality. This day, this very day, is a time for personal prayer for each of us! Denis reminded me of a story that Cathleen Martin told us years ago.
She was visiting us, and I offered her a cup of tea. She politely declined but told me a story about tea. When she was part of Our Lady's prayer group in Medjugorje, in the 80's, Our Lady asked the group to give up something they really liked, as a permanent sacrifice for her intentions. She told them that if they responded to her request quickly, within three days, the sacrifice would be quite easy and very possible. But if they waited, the grace would pass. Well, Cathleen felt called to give up tea, which was her very favorite thing to drink in all the world. She did it immediately, and has not had a cup of tea ever since. Each time she declines a cup of tea, she offers it up for Our Lady's intentions! And she says it is quite easy! Even natural! Wow! This "time of personal prayer" request seems to me to be a similar situation.
Our Lady is making a request of us, and there is a grace attached to the request. If we respond quickly and willingly, we will receive the grace to do it. We will receive this grace: "During the day, find a place where you will pray joyfully in a recollected way." We will be given the grace to have joyful, recollected, personal prayer! What a deal! No procrastinating!
Let's say "yes"!In Jesus and Mary!
Cathy Nolan
Posted via email from deaconjohn's posterous
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