Saint of Silent Strength
We who are often so busy we have difficulty finding
time to pray, have our own patron saint. St. Luke writes that Martha,
sister of Mary and Lazarus and friend of Jesus, was so busy doing for
others that she didn't stop even when the Lord was in her home. (Someone
had to cook the food.) Jesus tells her that listening to Him is the most
important thing she can do. (Luke 10: 38-42)
Apparently, Martha took his words to heart because the
next time she appears in the Bible, is after her brother has died. She
runs to meet Jesus before he reaches her town and declares her belief in
Him and His power. "I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give
you. Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son
of God." (John 11:22, 27)
St John records the last mention of Martha with two
simple words. When Jesus joins Martha and her siblings for dinner, John
says Lazarus sits with Jesus at the table. Mary, in a dramatic gesture,
anoints Jesus' feet with oil and dries them with her hair. And Martha?
"Martha served." (Jn 12:2)
As we exercise our "silent strength" and persevere in
prayer for our prodigal Catholics, let us remember St. Martha who, with a
firm belief in the power of Jesus and an unfailing trust in His mercy,
quietly did what was needed for the welfare of others. St, Martha, pray
for us.
~From
THE Silent Strength Feb,
2008
Thoughts
on the Way of the Cross by Vicki
As I pray the rosary novena to our Lady of Sorrows, I
know I need to practice all the attributes mentioned when praying for our
children to return to the Sacraments. Who doesn't need an increase of
patience, trust, and love? But, as I started praying the "Parent's Way of
the Cross” I began to see the strength that comes from this devotion.
In the First Station, Jesus has His trial. We, also,
have our own trial. We blame ourselves and ask, "What did I do wrong to
cause my children to leave the church?"
Our Lord carried His cross and was finally put to
death. He suffered so completely so we could have life in heaven with
Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. What better example could we have as
parents? We must die to our trying to control the situation with our
children. And as Jesus did when He commended His spirit to the Father on
the cross, we must learn to commend the lives of our children to Him for
their return to the Sacraments and the Church. Wait on the Lord and your
reward in Heaven will be great God Bless.
~From
THE Silent Strength Jan,
2005
The Best
Possible Time ~Name
Withheld by Request
Before my son was born doctors couldn't detect a heart beat. I begged them
to do a c-section. He was born on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Shortly after, I left the Church.
Later, I had a conversion experience, received an
annulment and my new marriage was blessed. I tried to instill in my
children a love for the Church, but, it didn't work out the way I had
hoped. My son left home after an argument. I didn’t see him for five
months.
I often went to pray in the Chapel on the military
base. One day, while praying as tears fell on my son's picture in front of
me, I heard Navy personnel say, "She’s in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.”
I gasped when I my son walked in. We were there, with
Jesus, for some minutes before I turned to my son. His reason for coming
was to borrow some money. I knew it was Jesus who had found him and
brought him back to me.
Soon, he met a lovely Catholic girl whose good example
led him back to the Sacraments. Today, he faithfully attends Mass with his
family.
Now, I pray for two other sons to return to the Faith.
I believe that as it happened with one, it will happen with them. Jesus I
Trust in You. I struggle to not try to "push" my non-practicing sons back
into the arms of Christ and His Church. I trust when I do my pleading with
God instead of with them, it will happen at the best possible time.
~From
THE Silent Strength Jan,
2007
The
Starfish
Note: As you read
this story by anthropologist Loren Eiseley,
envision your prodigal loved one in place of the starfish.
As the man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a child picking up
starfish and flinging then into the sea. The man asked why he was doing
this. The child answered that the starfish would die if left in the
morning sun.
"But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish," said
the man. "How can your effort make any difference?"
The child looked at the starfish in hand and then threw it to safety in
the waves. "It makes a difference to this one. “
Lord,
To Whom Shall We Go? by Carole
My son and I were both home alone since his wife and
children were in Illinois at a wedding, so, I called him and said, "David,
want to go to Mass with me this morning?"
"Not today. I have a lot to do before Tracey and the
kids get home." His cell phone rang. Seconds later he called back.
"Mom! They are rushing Derek (age 7) to the hospital.
He’s been vomiting and now is unresponsive. Shall I pick you up or you
pick me up?" Did David want me to rush to Illinois with him?
"To go where?" I asked,
"To church, of course." On the way, Tracey called.
Doctors suspected a knot in the intestines. His veins were collapsing, At
mass, David and I knelt and prayed. When we received the Body and Blood of
Christ, we both felt a wonderful peace. My son knows when he needs HIM
most, he goes to the Eucharist.
After Mass, we learned Derek was responding and doing
so well that doctor planned to release him after a couple of hours of
observation. They came home that night. In the Eucharist, we found peace,
and a quick answer to prayer!
~From
THE Silent Strength Jan,
2007
Be
Still and Know That I Am God by Joyce
When our priest spoke of different kinds of prayer last Sunday, I
understood—especially when he said prayer can be just listening and
letting God speak.
For years I had been in a bad situation which was
getting worse. I didn’t know what to do. One day, during my Adoration
hour, I just sat and looked at the Eucharist. Suddenly, I knew what I had
to do. It was difficult, and took me a year to accomplish, but, I knew I
had been given my answer and could not waiver in my resolve.
After I did my part, I gave it over [to God]. In two
months, like a miracle, the situation resolved. It was as if God were
waiting until I had done my part. All I had to do was listen.
~From
THE Silent Strength Jan,
2007
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