Christian Reflection and Prayer

For any who feel wordless, even in their
attempt to pray, I offer this story.

A young boy, age five or six, was impressed
by the Russian Army,  As he grew older, he
retained a simple cognizance of his
Jewish heritage, despite Russian urging to
forget.  In his teens, the spark in his soul
ignited, filling him with the desire to
return to Jewish tradition.  He found a synagogue,
in which men wrapped in prayer shawls cried
out to God even into the late afternoon. 
Childhood memories returned, and reflecting over
his years of separation, the adolescent began to
weep.  He entered the synagogue and opened
a prayer book,  The letter seemed familiar, but he
couldn't put them together into words.  Turning
his eyes toward heaven, he cried, "God, all I
remember is the Hebrew alphabet.  I will read
the letters; You put them into words.  And
forgive me,"  AND GOD DID.

Didn't St. Paul say something like this to us?

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too
deep for words".  (Romans 8:26)

(C. John Weborg)

Scripture:

"I was hungry and you gave Me food. I was thirsty
and you gave Me drink. I was a stranger and you
welcomed Me. I was naked and you clothed me.
I was sick and you visited Me. I was in prison and
you came to Me ... I tell you solemnly, as you did
it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you
did it to Me" (Mt. 25:35-37,40).

Reflection:

The weak and the helpless and the lonely and the
disenchanted and the dispossessed are His brothers
Can you even imagine that?  These are the people
who are his brothers and sisters?  This Jesus Christ
is the person that so many claim to love and believe. 
This is the Son of God!   Then why DON'T WE CARE?

HOW ABOUT YOU!     ARE THEY YOUR BROTHERS
AND SISTERS?    .

Paul tells us "Give courage to those who are
apprehensive,care for the weak and be patient with
everyone," the Apostle Paul exhorts us (1 Thes. 5:14).

ASK YOURSELF, DO YOU CARE FOR THE WEAK?
ARE YOU PATIENT WITH EVERYONE?

Their are so many people in need.  You and I need
to love them, we need to serve them, we need to
help our brothers and sisters NOW!

Prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me sow love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . . hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . . joy
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled . . . as to console
To be understood . . . as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . . that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.

Ephesians 6: 10-17

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his
mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of
God, so that you can take your stand
against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our
struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full
armor of God, so that when the day of evil
comes, you may be able to stand your
ground, and after you have done everything,
to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt
of truth buckled around your waist, with the
breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness
that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In
addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming
arrows of the evil one. 17  Take the helmet of
salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with
all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in
mind, be alert and always keep on praying for
all the Lord’s people.

BE STRONG!