From the Hermitage
Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Dear Friends,
Good morning. Later this morning I will be making what might be a last visit to a young woman parishioner. Her oncologists have concluded what treatments were possible for her brain cancer. Now it is a matter of time ... and some are wondering about the response of the Lord to their many hours of prayer for the young lady. As is often the case, she is very much at peace. Now she is praying, as she has been for several months, for the moment she has been awaiting. Very soon she will meet her God.
The psalm describes several way life has been a challenge to the people of David's time. Each of us, for sure, could compose a psalm like Psalm 69. Life is rarely filled with roses most of the time.
The challenge for us is for us not to forget that God does not ignore nor does He forget. Sometimes when we don't get the instant response, we tend to try, I repeat try, to solve the problem better or sooner than God. We have to trust. to be patient and live with the words in red at the top of this posting.
Perhaps you might do what one pastor said to a parishioner who was not satisfied with God's delay. He suggested to the party this exercise: list the answers, all of them, that you have received to your petitions, your prayers to God. Yes, you will find some not answered YET. However, if you are like most of us, we can list more than a few divine interventions.
I would add if there are only a few answered prayers, the following: (a) have you seriously prayed to God; (b) have you listened to God in quiet reflection (c) do you honestly believe, yourself, that what you are seeking is the best for you and at this time in your life?
Please Note: Tomorrow morning I will be leaving the Hermitage to attend the national meeting of the Knights of Columbus. It is a part of my new position as Maryland State Chaplain. I will try to prepare a posting for the days that I am away from the parish which will be until Friday evening of next week.
As I have noted in prior absences, you might consider visiting the daily reflection prepared by faculty members at Jesuit Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska at the following website:
Oremus pro invicem,
Fr. Milt
The challenge for us is for us not to forget that God does not ignore nor does He forget. Sometimes when we don't get the instant response, we tend to try, I repeat try, to solve the problem better or sooner than God. We have to trust. to be patient and live with the words in red at the top of this posting.
Perhaps you might do what one pastor said to a parishioner who was not satisfied with God's delay. He suggested to the party this exercise: list the answers, all of them, that you have received to your petitions, your prayers to God. Yes, you will find some not answered YET. However, if you are like most of us, we can list more than a few divine interventions.
I would add if there are only a few answered prayers, the following: (a) have you seriously prayed to God; (b) have you listened to God in quiet reflection (c) do you honestly believe, yourself, that what you are seeking is the best for you and at this time in your life?
Please Note: Tomorrow morning I will be leaving the Hermitage to attend the national meeting of the Knights of Columbus. It is a part of my new position as Maryland State Chaplain. I will try to prepare a posting for the days that I am away from the parish which will be until Friday evening of next week.
As I have noted in prior absences, you might consider visiting the daily reflection prepared by faculty members at Jesuit Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska at the following website:
Fr. Milt
