The Power of Prayer

 

A Sonshine friend shared the following story about the power of prayer.

 

As you know I like you have witnessed the power of prayers.  One instance I carry in my heart to this day.  I was shopping in the outlet mall in a men’s store before Christmas about 5 or 6 years ago and while looking at the merchandise the elderly salesman was straightening the merchandise in the other isle, when an elderly gentleman came in that he knew.  

 

After greeting each other the salesman asked him how is your dear wife doing?   He replied it’s a miracle her cancer is gone!  What happened that’s wonderful.  He replied three months ago the doctors told us the cancer is no longer in remission and she has about six months to live.  We were shocked and in a few days she asked me if we could try one thing more.  I said of course, she said let’s go to Lourdes with the Grotto where the Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Bernadette.  

 

So I told her to make the arrangements. I took money out of our savings and we went to the Grotto at Lourdes on a religious tour.  I thought it’s the least I could do, because I didn’t know what else to do for her.  We visited the grotto and we prayed, on our flight home she said, I think I will go and see the doctor because I believe something has changed.  

 

So we went to see her doctor and she asked him if he could rerun the tests he did a month ago, which he did.  We got a call a few days later and he wanted to see her again.  We went to see him and he examined her and asked a few more questions.  He said I cannot see any signs of cancer. The tests came back negative and I don’t know how to explain it. She is cancer free, of course the doctor wants to check her out in six months.  His friend was speechless. I managed to leave the store unnoticed.

I swear by the grace of God that I witnessed this story and it has stuck with me forever in this detailed description. Your Sonshine stories brought this miracle back to life.  I know you must have witnessed many such miracles as well, to know and believe.

Thanks for this memory dear friend.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends and everyone on our prayer list.

In April, I visited the Mother Cabrini shrine in Golden, Colorado. Her grotto has a spring that people believe has miraculous powers. People are allowed to take this sacred water home.  Father Alphonsus, pastor in Denver delivered a vial of this sacred water to me to share and bless anyone in need. Kindly forward your email if you would like a blessing with the Mother Cabrini sacred waters. Located at the Mother Cabrini Shrine, it honors St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. The site features a beautiful chapel and serene natural surroundings. Sacred waters are believed to have healing properties, attracting many visitors. The shrine includes a statue of Mother Cabrini and scenic hiking trails. It serves as a place for reflection, prayer, and spiritual renewal.

 

 

Wear Em Down

 

We’re going to protest on Saturday. Here I am a 75 year old retired priest encouraged by his spouse to get out on the streets with my neighbors and “wear em down.” Perfect timing when we look at the lesson of this Sunday’s Gospel story.

Jesus suggests that there may have been some judges in his day who weren’t exactly on the up and up. In fact, the judge in his story admits to having no fear of God or respect for anyone.  Sound familiar? I guess some things never change.

Naturally, we’d love to believe that every jurist who has donned the black robe will be a paragon of wisdom, logic, fairness, and impartiality. I am not naïve to think, that since our judges are elected and reliant on the goodwill of certain unions or other monied interests, it’s entirely possible their judgements might be a trifle skewed in favor of one party over another.

It’s pretty easy to believe the game is rigged against us, and simply let ourselves sink into the lake of hopelessness and drown without even trying to swim. But the little widow lady in Jesus’ story isn’t going to go under quite so easily. She’s not going to let him get away with injustice. No sir. She’s going to raise holy hell until this guy caves and does the right thing. In the end, it turns out she has more power than he does. Jesus praises her for her persistence.

And this is how our Lord tells us to pray—with persistence. I can understand why people would ask what the point of prayer is. After all, if God is going to do what God does anyway, why bother? But there’s power always in our prayers.

We can pray prayers of praise, prayers of intercession for our neighbors, and prayers of petition for our own needs, fears, wants, and whatever. Our prayers may not change God, but they will always change us. Prayer is the necessary medicine for the sickness of cynicism and disillusionment. To be in constant prayer is to affect your whole view of the world and your outlook on life. It changes you.

Prayers of praise keep us focused on how good God has already been to us. The discipline of praise reminds us that we’re not as totally screwed as we may think we are. In fact, the crappiest day we’ll ever spend on this earth will be full of more blessings than we can count. If you’re not living on the street, you’re doing pretty okay. If you turned on your tap this morning and drinkable water came out, you’re ahead of the game. Despite the high cost of groceries, if you have food in your house, you’re doing better than most families.

Our prayers for others that you forward to our Sonshine are equally essential. When our friend gets a cancer diagnosis, our prayers for their healing keep their circumstances before us. We continually practice empathy and compassion, and such empathy and compassion will lead us to action. Whether our prayers for a loved one encourage us to visit them or undertake some task they can’t do for themselves, or if our prayers for peace on earth lead us to social action, volunteerism, or protest, the prayers we pray have an effect.

Our personal prayers before God, aren’t just a matter of bathing in our own depression and disappointment. Prayer is our hope. If hope is dead, faith will follow it to the grave. Like the widow in the parable, we are called to “pray without ceasing.” Even if one avenue appears to be closed, our constant prayer of hope will lead us down another path. Despair is not an option.

We pray our earthly judges will all be fair and impartial and seek that which is best for all concerned. We can be thankful that our Heavenly Judge is merciful and always partial to the needs of his children.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are out on the streets protesting. The sign I am carrying has this slogan: “Despair is Not an Option. Pray for our Judges.” God bless you for reading this week. Please leave me a comment if you are so inclined—and keep praying even if you’re not inclined!

 

 

 

Prayer Walk Thru the Woods

 

If we take seriously that prayer is “lifting mind and heart to God” then every feeling and every thought we have is a valid entry into prayer. This morning I took a walk through the woods during morning fog and share this this mediation walk for you.

What’s important is that we pray what’s inside of us and not what we think God would like to find inside of us. 

Fr Marcus son Mauricio recovering from car accident, my brother priests attending clergy conference in Lancaster, NY,  

Shanna cancer treatment in Roswell, Carol recovering from cancer surgery in North Java, Tim cancer treatment in Nashua Jerry cancer treatment in Lancaster, Kathy cancer treatment in Rochester, Ted cancer free in Farmington, Aunt Shelia cancer free in Webster, Tina cancer free in Strykersville,  

Sandy in North Java, Sherry in Lancaster. Pati’s mom Madeline in Buffalo hospital, Mary S in Buffalo, Theresa in Bennington, VT., Kerry in Fairport, Devon 8 years old & his parents Alicia and Nick, Bob G.in Lancaster, Mary Z in San Antonia, TX,  Jerry in Fairport, Matt in Batavia,  

Patty’s parents Madeline & George W in Buffalo, Beau in Spain, Sister Ann Marie and Sister Miriam in IL. Monastery, Cheryl in Florida, Mary Hills in Toronto, Jane in NC, Ricki & Marina in Brockport, Fr. Donald F in Florida, Melanie in Attica,  Alivia and her dad Art, Bob & Kathy in Macedon, Beth in Massachusetts, Stan In Greece NY, Steve in North Java,  

Will in Canandaigua, Ruth in Rochester, ospital, Fr. Don & Yvonne in Batavia, Brad in Akron, Tony in Greece, Diane in Virginia, little Henry in Ohio, Paul in Lancaster, O B in North Carolina, Jane in Lockport, Maggie in East Bethany, Kathy in Farmington, Nelson in Buffalo, Joe & Carol in Rochester, Tracy in Fairport.

 

 

Kindly add intentions of your own....

 

Blessings & take good care of yourself,

fr. matt 

Prayering When We Don't Feel Like It

 

Most of us find it difficult to pray. We want to pray, make resolutions to pray, but never quite get around to actually praying. Why?

It’s not so much that we are insincere, ill-motivated, or lazy, it’s just that invariably we are too tired, too distracted, too restless, too emotionally preoccupied, too angry, too busy, or feel ourselves too distant from God to feel that we can actually pray. We have too many headaches and too many heartaches. And so we come home after a long day and simply can’t work up the energy to pray and instead call a friend, watch television, rest, putter round the house, or do anything to soothe our tiredness and wind down from the pressures of life, except pray.

So how can we pray when both our bodies and our hearts are chronically stressed and on over-load? By understanding what prayer really is. Prayer, as one of its oldest definitions puts it, is “lifting mind and heart to God.”

That sounds simple but it is hard to do. Why?

Because we have the wrong notion of what it means. We unconsciously nurse the idea that we can only pray when we are not distracted, not bored, not angry, not emotionally preoccupied, and not caught up in our many heartaches and headaches so that we can give proper attention to God in a reverent and loving way. God then is like a parent who only wants to see us on our best behavior and we only go into his presence when we have nothing to hide, are joy-filled, and can give God praise and honor.

If we take seriously that prayer is “lifting mind and heart to God” then every feeling and every thought we have is a valid entry into prayer, no matter how irreverent, unholy, selfish, or angry that thought or feeling might seem. Simply put, if you go to pray and you are feeling bored, pray boredom; if you are feeling angry, pray anger; if you are feeling grumpy, pray grumpy, and if you are feeling full of fervor and want to praise and thank God, pray fervor. Every thought or feeling is a valid entry into prayer. What’s important is that we pray what’s inside of us and not what we think God would like to find inside of us.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we try to pray precisely when we most need it, that is, when we are feeling bad, irreverent, sinful, emotionally preoccupied and unworthy of praying. All of these feelings can be our entry into prayer. No matter the headache or the heartache, we only need to lift it up to God.

Feedback from a Sonshine Friend

 

Dear Fr. Matt 

By the blessing of God you have you have touched my heart ❤️ as you described being greeted by a furry friend.  As I feel the unconditional love 💕 of my kitty each day.  Her loud purring every morning as we greet a new day that God has given us!  

I truly believe that unknown to us God gave this beautiful creature to us at the animal shelter for a special reason.  God knew that my Rosemary would be getting sick and when the ambulance took her away on the night before New Year’s Eve she would never return to our home.  For the next 10 months of 2023 our faith would be tested with hospitalization’s and rehabilitation and finally death.  Our kitty became my companion that greeted me each day.  I believe that the 10 months before her passing was God’s way of preparing me for her passing.  The purring kitty was God’s way of telling me that I’m not alone.  As I fed this creature of God it reminded me that she depended on me for her care.  Her companionship was God’s gift to me because for some reason God chose to spare me.

When cancer took over my body this year and my daughter became involved in my journey along with my other dear family members.  God was good to me.  I keep searching for an answer as to why He provided me with the comfort of you, my Priest friend, who is so versed in the ministry of death and dying.  What does God have in mind for me?  By the grace of God I believe that I should pray for others that they should be healed.  Pray for others for the love of Jesus !  

Thank you dear friend for inspiring me on my journey.
God bless you,

Ted

Faith in All Living Creatures Great and Small

 

There is a story about a boss at the shoe store where the person worked: Whenever one of the employees would whine, “Hey Boss! Can I take my break?” He’d snarl back, “I gave you a break when I hired you.”

The message is pretty clear. You don’t get any special treatment or extra pay for doing what you’re supposed to be doing anyway. When the apostles ask Jesus for more faith, he’s quick to let them know they already have enough to get the job done. Before they start asking for an increase, they should take a look at the blessings from God they currently possess.

St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is celebrated on October 4^th is a great example of taking a mustard seed’s worth of faith and using it to change the course of Christian history. This guy is probably the most popular canonized saint in history next to Saint Nicolas (It’s hard to beat Santa!). As a young man Francis had everything going for him. He came from a rich family and was in line to inherit his dad’s lucrative commercial silk business. But, to his old man’s great displeasure, Francis gave up the family money and the prospect of becoming a big shot silk merchant and embarked on a life in service to the gospel without a penny to his name. He became a beggar so he could minister to other beggars.

Francis did what he thought he ought to do—live a life in imitation of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t have a bank account either. Jesus hung out with the poor and the sick, so Francis did the same. Jesus trusted in the Father’s goodness, and so did Francis. The result was that Christians were attracted to the poor missionary’s Christ-like simplicity and sincerity. Men and women joined the religious order Francis created, wanting nothing but to be faithful servants who made others fall in love with the goodness of God.

Because of his love for the earth and all living things, Francis is known as the patron saint of animals, and it’s become traditional to bless animals on his feast day. I have a spouse who has a great passion for animals, especially orphaned kitties. She serves as a coordinator for Volunteers for Animals, an organization helping foster moms with potential adopters. Sue receives calls daily from the foster moms seeking advice how to care for a sick kitten and restore the furry creature to health.

I like to think that an adoring pair of eyes and purrs greeting you as you return home from a trip of any duration would be a reminder of God’s unconditional love. I hope that we, like Francis, would feel the wonder and the mystery of God in all living things—plant or animal—about us, and grow in true love, respect, and admiration for the blessed gift of this earth.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who have “fur babies” in their homes and like to offer this blessing prayer for your pet companion. “Good and gracious God, we give you thanks for the animals who share our lives and have done so in the past. We thank you for the joy and comfort they have given us. We humbly ask you to protect them from illness and injury and grant them long, happy lives. May they, through our hands, feel the love you have for all you have created, and may we, through their selfless love and companionship, be ever reminded of your constant presence, love, and care for us. We ask this in Christ Jesus, Our Lord.

If you would like to make a donation to help “fur babies” click link below:

Click here to make donation to Volunteers4Animals.

 

 

No Applause, No Nobel Peace Prize

 

This gospel passage reminds me of a Reese's Cup. Part chocolate, my favorite, and part peanut butter, something I really could easily live without. I'm not crazy about peanut butter, and my apologies to Reese's. Give me the chocolate, you can keep the peanut butter. Part favorite, part not so much, that's this gospel. The part that's my favorite, it always inspires me when Jesus teaches us about the mustard seed. If you have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, you'll be amazed at what you can do. Just need a little. And yet we really struggle to believe. And it always reminds me of God's great power, faith the size of a mustard seed. 

But then in the gospel there's this peanut butter part. Not so favorite. Jesus says when you're doing the will of God, when you're serving people, loving God, bringing justice, sharing peace, do not look to be thanked, or even recognized. Hear these challenging words. When you have done all that is commanded of you, you say, "We are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty." Just doing our duty? 

I got to admit, I'm not all that crazy about that. I don't mind the doing my duty part, I'm all about that. But being honest, I kind of like to be thanked. Or at least acknowledged. Have you ever given somebody a gift, and they never even acknowledge receiving it? And they never say, "Thank you." It's not very satisfying, is it? In fact, it can be highly demotivating. I'll go where my gifts are appreciated or wanted, thank you very much. My neighbor is not big on saying thank you very much. I’m glad the nurse and physical therapist show up to her home just the same.

But these words of Jesus, "We are unworthy servants. We've only done what was our duty." These words of Jesus make me think about Fr Erick. He should be the patron saint of anonymous service. Poor Fr. Erick, when his parish was struggling through shock and disbelief that they would be homeless, Fr. Erick was there. When the parish had to relocate to a new building, Fr Erick was the moving van that took the altar, pulpit, altar rail tabernacle and statue of Our Lady of Gaudeloupe and relocated into a neighborhood mall. When you walked into their new worship site everything was in its place like before. Eventually after the move, all the extra statues he placed in storage pods. I know because I was with him setting up for Holy Week where he found the statue of Jesus lying in the tomb in one ot the pods. Fr Erick just quietly goes about following Jesus without recognition or special treatment. Fr. Erick: quiet, faithful, almost anonymous.

Think about it. Some of the most remarkable people in your life are just like that, aren't they? Stuff just sort of gets done and nobody really knows who did it. The meal just got delivered; the church just got cleaned up; the home visitation ministry just helped some seniors; the dishes just got washed; the bus for the youth, it just got driven; the chapel just got unlocked for morning Mass. 

What do you do that no one else really notices?

Are you faithful in the little things when nobody's paying attention? Are you good with serving and doing things without recognition? No plaque, no banquet, no applause, no Nobel peace prize. Fr. Erick understands that we all serve an audience of one. And he was good with that. He preaches the gospel every Sunday from his heart and his people benefit from his humility and generosity.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are challenged with these tough words, "We've only done what was our duty." Expect no gratitude, expect no praise, expect no recognition, we have only done what was our duty. And that's the thing about Reese's Cups. If you like the chocolate, you got to eat the peanut butter too.