Does God Answer Our Prayers?

Well, I think He answers my prayers, SOMETIMES.  AT Times I don't like the answer; sometimes I feel like He isn't listening. The truth of the matter is that God hears all of our prayers.

Admittedly, many days I feel very close to him and it is often on days that I least expect to find any kind of peace or solace that I experience it. I live with a chronic, often very painful, syndrome that is basically a ticking time bomb in my body. I know that it is fatal but we are all dying so that thought really doesn't bother me. After all, you do have to die in order to be with our Lord and hold his hand or be held in his embrace. Truly, I long for that day however I wouldn't do anything to speed the process along; I have too many things I want to accomplish here before that happens. There are days, though, that I am wracked with so much pain that I have curled up into my bed and under the covers. On those days I have cried out to him to relieve the pain and yes, with the help of things like Advil and warmth the pain is alleviated.

Almost a decade ago I met a man. The moment our eyes met it was like the world stopped and I got hit by a lightning bolt at the same time. We got very friendly very fast and when I was with him, even if there were hundreds of people in the room with us, it was like we were the only two people standing there. I can't even count how many nights I tossed and turned and wrote in my journal all because of him. The first few years it was agony and ecstasy as any new relationship is. You know how it is, you think of your love night and day and can't wait to see them, even if it is just a glimpse of their smile. You don't have to go anywhere or do anything special, just being with them is special enough and you want to spend all of your free time with them. The only problem was that there wasn't any sunsets and rainbows in our future. There wasn't even any dates or stolen kisses in the present. I was gob-smacked, over the moon, crazy in love with a man that was totally and completely off the market and there was no way that was going to change either. It was sheer torture. Now I'm a reasonably level-headed gal. I do not give into flights of fancy and my feet are pretty grounded in reality but the man just overwhelmed me with emotion. After a few years of intensity I finally dropped to my knees in my bedroom one night and prayed fervently that God would lift this burden from my heart. He did just that and He also knocked me on my butt for a few years too. When I saw the man a  year or so later my heart still leaped, I can't lie, but at least I was able to talk to him without blushing wildly like a school girl. God answered my prayer yet I also got the opportunity to distance myself from things so that a clearer head could prevail. He is such an awesome God for doing that for me. It does show me, though, that even if you are truly, madly, deeply in love with someone that doesn't mean that you are meant to be together. It isn't a fun part of life yet it is a fact of life (and no he was not a married man, not in the traditional way anyway).

It is mentioned in the Bible that God does not answer all prayer. John 9:31 states, "We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will." Well, since we are all sinners, I am certainly flawed as you have read, does this mean that only a select few receive his response to our prayer? Seems so. I guess, if you are living a life that is rife with mortal sin don't expect to be hearing from Him anytime soon. You must have a penitent heart, turn your life to Him, and live in the graces that He has given you. If it is His will and in your best interest He will heed and answer your prayers. It takes courage and hard work to follow in His footsteps in this day and age. That is why the sacrament of Confession is such a beautiful thing. I find comfort and solace in knowing that I can unburden myself of my sins weekly, if need be, and then go on living my life with and for Christ.

There is a beautiful prayer, The Divine Mercy Chaplet, that can and should be said daily, though it is for the dying. Jesus said that ALL should say this prayer daily. This prayer is one of penitence that asks God to forgive all of your sins. It is said on a rosary. In the interest of space I will provide you with a link to our Prayer Page on the website. The link is above. This is said at 3:00 P.M., which is the holy hour. Another great habit to get into is to meditate on your sins before bed and then say an Act of Contrition. That is on our Prayer Page as well. Another wonderful prayer is The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows. Also on that Page. That is said while you meditate on your sins and Mother Mary's sorrows. They are special beads that are available. Contact us for availability. The link is at the top of this blog.  Divine Mercy, Divine Child of Jesus, Rosary for Life, the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows and a Chaplet to St. Benedict are some that are available at the moment. 

I can promise you, if you put God first in your life, He will put you first as well. Have a great week.

Mare

Confession, It is Good for the Soul

I have a confession to make. I love to go to confession. Right now I feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders and that I floated home from church. Personally I know a LOT of people and of the ones that are Catholic very few of them go to confession. Most believe that you do not need to go to confession anymore but it is still recognized to be a sacrament in the Catholic faith, mandatory and suggested to be done often. But to me? Confession IS mandatory in order for ME to receive a Eucharist into my body. Yes, that is something that I was taught growing up and  schooled in during my formative years, but it was not something I fully embraced the concept of until I was an adult.

As a native of Staten Island, I went to Our Lady Star of the Sea Grammar school, which was one town over from where I lived.  I remember they used to march us over to our little church on Huguenot Avenue for confessions and mass for all kinds of feast days, first Fridays of the month and other occasions. Each and every time I went to confession I was quaking in my saddle shoes and hoped and prayed that the priest was not going to recognize me or my voice through the lattice board that separated us. My boiler plate sins were confessed (I lied to my Mother and hit my brother) and with my knees still knocking I was forgiven and given my Penance to say. Even if I did not lie to my Mother nor hit either of my brothers (who were both older and bigger than me so there was a slim to none chance of that happening) I would say it anyway.  My how things have changed.

Today I went to the 11:00 mass and then headed over to the Adoration Chapel. The last few weeks, especially last Sunday, I have been overwhelmed with a desire to go to confession. Most of the time I do what my gut tells me, but last week when it was strongest, I put it off and instead just chatted with my friend Fr. Basil after the mass. Of course it has been nagging me for a week now and as I was leaving the Chapel this afternoon I happened to hear someone in the Sacristy of the church. Quietly I walked into the church and sat down and thought, well,  God, if you want me to confess my piddilly little sins send whomever that is my way; which he did. So the little girl that used to pray that the priest would not recognize her voice is the same little girl that said today, Father, do you have a moment to hear a confession? We sat side by side, I spoke and he listened and then he said a special prayer to Jesus to lift my spirit and for me to feel it in my heart and soul that I have been absolutely and completely forgiven. Beautiful. That is exactly what Jesus sent the Apostles out to do - forgive sinners and preach the good word. Boy am I glad that he did that.

Maybe it is because I just finished reading The Mystical City of God, which was about Mother Mary, her life, and her constant communion with her son. Maybe it is because little by little I am falling apart physically.  Maybe it was the fact that I missed a mass, which is still a MORTAL sin in the Catholic church. Whatever the reason why I had such a desire to head to confession or to even write about it now is a mystery to me but I am darn glad that I did it. As I have read somewhere, or maybe everywhere, when you die you are judged immediately. When you die it is too late for confession and any type of atonement. It is too late to turn your life to Jesus. If I have to shove that camel through the eye of a needle to make it to heaven and my blessed Jesus well by God that is what I am going to do. Thank you dear Father in heaven for putting Fr. Emmanuel in my path today. I am humbled and blessed and burden free at the moment and I adore you and praise you for that gift. In this valley of tears it is not very often that we get that opportunity, so I thank you for blessing me today with the gift of the sacrament of confession.

Just as milk does a body good, confession does the soul good.  Regardless of your religious affiliation or belief system change your life, make a good confession and follow Jesus to eternity.

Have a blessed week. Peace

Mare


PS: Oh! They still have the lattice board between the priest and penitent in most Catholic churches today for those that still shake in their shoes.