Sometimes, before Mass, I feel called to go up and visit Our Lady of Guadalupe, a beautiful wooden carved statue to the right to the altar. Our conversations are brief. Me: "Thank you".She: "pray." Me:" Take this, I don't know what to do with this.". She: "Pray". One day, when handing her the names of some non- believers, she said: "Make a list." I never thought of that but I can do it. My list is growing and I speak the names daily and mention the need. Many are on Twitter who seem to be at the end of their ropes. Poor, homeless, despairing, all are lifted up to the heavens in a connection that cannot be understood..
When I had lunch with my new friend, Mary, on Tuesday, she mentioned a childhood friend of mine, Timmy, who is her uncle. We were kids on Long Island and had so many adventures. We found a grey and white kitten once and named her Shadow. We planted a dogwood, called it Fortis Arbor; it still grows in the yard that used to be mine. Strong tree, indeed.When his father was dying of a cruel cancer, he would come to my house and watch me do homework. And we would laugh., how we would laugh. After I got married, he went off to the seminary but came home after only 6 months.Years later, he would travel to the Catskills to attend my sister's funeral. That gesture shines like a glimpse of sunlight in my memory..
Now we come to today's reading from Henri Nouwen; " If you want to follow Jesus, you must control what you take in everyday...it is good to have a prayer on your lips wherever you go.There are so many moments when you are free to pray....."
And 1 Thessalonians 5: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Somewhere along the way, perhaps because of many losses, my friend lost the faith that we both shared those many years ago. I would love to sit on a bench in a quiet morning with my friend him and hear about the road he took to unbelief. When he walks his 13 miles a day, what path do his thoughts take? For now, he is on my list. Between his niece praying for him and being on my prayer list, he is being held in a Love that is indescribable. One day, he will see.
1 comment:
Yes, one day all of our deep heartfelt prayers for those who encircle our lives will be saved, that's the Christmas promise. I'm so happy for your close Advent walk with heaven, we can never go astray that way. Reading your beautiful stories embellish my personal journey with God, so I'm thankful for you each and every day...keep writing!
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