Engage

We slide into our pew with one minute to spare, and I have a feeling that Mass is going to be a struggle for our family. By the time the priest finishes reading the Gospel, I’m frazzled and overwhelmed. Then during the Creed—as I am stifling down the urge to shout, “We are not taking any more trips to the bathroom!”—my busy three-year old licks the pew while my seven-year old tells me he is thirsty again and asks what con-sub- stan-tial means. Going to Mass is not always easy. I feel discouraged and even ashamed for not paying better attention at Mass. How am I supposed to worship God while juggling the many demands on my attention? The answer: a heart of simplicity.

I used to think the phrase “active participation at Mass” meant absorbing the deep meaning of every single word I hear. But in this season of life, having focus is a luxury. Now as I raise my children, I begin to understand that God does not hold back His invitation or His Presence just because my life gets messy. He loves me and accepts me as I am—mess and all—even amidst the chaos of a hectic Mass experience. If we remember this, you and I can take simple steps to prepare our hearts for God’s supreme gift of Love in the Eucharist.

Discover a Short Phrase

I am often overwhelmed by the number of words I hear at each Mass. My attention falters, and I struggle to follow many of the spoken parts. If you navigate this challenge too, know that you and I are still called to listen and be engaged at Mass. How? Simplify. Listen for a short phrase that catches your attention. Reflect on it. Repeat it. Bring it to Jesus and ask Him to show you why it is important. Hold this phrase in your heart throughout the Mass and let it become an anchor for your attention while you attend to your family responsibilities. Your open heart is a landscape for Christ’s grace.

Gaze With Love

Love does not always need words. Sometimes a simple glance can communicate an ocean of love. If words wash over you, engage your heart and direct your love to the Lord by focusing your eyes on a Crucifix or a Station of the Cross. Reflect on the details you see: Christ’s face, His crown of thorns, His bleeding heart. Each detail you intentionally take in draws your heart closer to Jesus and prepares you to receive Our Lord’s immense gift of Love in the Eucharist.

Bring Your Heart

If all else fails, bring yourself to Jesus as an offering of love. The Lord knows your intentions and your true desires. If you feel frazzled and unfocused by things beyond your control, you can still come before the Lord with a heart willing to worship Him, to receive Him and to love Him. Stir the affections of your heart and repeat “Here I am Lord. I choose you. Transform my heart!”

Our Lord rejoices every time we encounter Him at Mass, regardless of our circumstances. Jesus was human—He got tired, He got interrupted. Our Lord understands the mess of life! And even in the midst of it, He wants to give Himself to you in the Eucharist. So next time you go to Mass, give Jesus your willing heart, your “yes” to come before Him as you are. Christ’s love is bigger than whatever family chaos is happening in your pew.

They happen every day but we seldom notice…

I want to tell you two stories of grace, wonderful grace that came just when I needed it, in fact, just when I asked for it. I think these experiences of grace were miraculous, and before I share them with you I’d like to reflect a bit on miracles.

People will tell you that miracles don’t come on demand… and they are right. Miracles don’t come on demand. But Jesus tells us to ask, and promises that if we ask, we will receive (Matthew 7:7). I firmly believe that when we ask, God hears us and gives us what we truly need.

We need to acknowledge that miracles are a mystery that transcends human understanding. We get glimpses, we have intuitions, but we can never fully understand or explain the workings of God’s grace manifested as “miracles.”

 I Got Nothing!

Many scoff at the notion that “if we ask” we will “receive.” “I asked and got nothing,” some will say. That adds to the mystery. Jesus was a miracle worker, but He didn’t heal everyone in Israel. Millions go to Lourdes, but few miracles are documented. Can we say that people don’t ask “right” or don’t really need what they ask for? No! Only God reads the heart; we cannot judge.

But my experience and that of many others confirms that Jesus spoke the truth when He told us to ask and expect a response from God our Father. So, I believe in miracles, which are simply manifestations of God’s grace— sometimes in dramatic fashion and sometimes not so much, sometimes so obvious that anyone can recognize them and other times so subtle and disguised as “a coincidence” that only eyes of faith can perceive them.

Miracles should be expected…like children expect their mothers to feed them when they are hungry. But kids can’t control the menu. Mom decides the menu otherwise kids would eat mac and cheese every night. Moms never tire of feeding their children. Similarly with God. He never tires of our requests and like our moms He gives us what we need and not the junk food we want.

Miracles are not God performing tricks so we can brag, “Look what God did for me!” God’s miracles answer the deep longings of our hearts reminding us to always rely on Him. When God grants us miracles, He uses them to point to the grace that is all around us in life’s ordinary moments—each day’s sunrise, a hand extended in apology, a hug of forgiveness, an act of selflessness. Only if we recognize life’s ordinary miracles can we expect to see the extraordinary ones.

Miracles build faith, they don’t replace it. When we are constantly seeing miracles, we don’t need much faith. But when God is silent and obvious blessings are removed, we have an opportunity to live our faith more deeply. That’s why we may see more miracles when we are new in the faith than when we have matured.

Story One

Years ago, my wife Nancy and I taught in a summer Ministry Institute at a large Catholic urban university. Each summer we put on a show of dance and drama which we wrote and rehearsed during the six weeks of the Institute. Our performers were Institute students who came from all over the country and all over the world. After five years of creating these moving and exciting programs we were well-known and respected by Institute students and faculty alike. We cherished this amazing opportunity to impact ministry professionals from all over the world as they learned from us how to use the performing arts as a powerful resource for ministry and education.

But prior to our sixth summer we were told we would not be directing our summer production any longer and were invited instead to teach a course. We accepted, and taught our class, contributed artistically to liturgies, and tried to be as “present” as we could, but it just wasn’t the same. We missed the work, the interaction, the creativity, and the unique contribution we had made each of the previous five summers.

Walking across the campus one day I found myself feeling dispirited about our diminished role. I entered a university building from the south end lamenting to the Lord that I needed some evidence that our presence mattered, that we still made a difference. I walked through the building atrium and by the time I exited the north of the building my prayer was answered. Standing at the top of a long set of steps I saw a car suddenly stop on the street below. With the engine running, the driver jumped out and called my name.

“Oh, Graz,” she said, “I’m so glad to see you. I wanted to tell you how glad I am that you are here at the Institute. You and Nancy make such a difference, it just wouldn’t be the same without you. Thank you for everything you do.” And with that, she hopped back into her car and drove off. “Wow, Lord,” I thought, “that was fast!”

Story Two

 Flash forward a dozen years. I am the director of an Archdiocesan office in Chicago. I am having a hard week, feeling discouraged, not sure whether I am doing what God wants me to be doing. I am in the kitchen of our office building, washing my lunch dishes and I pray, “Lord, You used to give me little signs that You were taking care of me, that I was doing Your will…I need one of those signs now.”

The next morning, still despondent, I decide to skip work. It’s summer, the kids are off school, so I announce: “Dad’s playing hooky today. Who wants to go to a Cubs game?” I don’t even know if the Chicago Cubs are in town, but we check and they are, and off we go.

We drop the kids off at one of the gates to stand in line for tickets and head off to park. Parking is always a challenge at Wrigley Field. Either you park very far away and walk, or you pay a fortune in a parking lot. Neither option is realistic—we’re running too late for a long walk and paying an exorbitant parking lot fee would destroy my budget. I make the ridiculous choice to look for street parking.

Impossibly, directly in front of the entry gate there’s a spot at a parking meter. For two dollars I will get a maximum of two hours, which means I will have to leave the park, feed the meter, and return to the game (I don’t realize that leaving and returning is not allowed). As I exit my car, I see a woman on the opposite side of the street getting ready to pull out of her parking spot. That side has no meters! I run to her, explain my situation and ask if she will wait until I pull out so I can take her spot. She happily obliges.

I have got free street parking one minute away from Wrigley Field. Unbelievable! Nancy and I hurry to the children where an even bigger surprise awaits. Our daughter calls excitedly, “Dad,” she says, “we got free tickets.”

“What?” I ask in disbelief.

She explains: “A man asked me and Christopher if we were going to the game. I said yes and he said he was here with a big group and some people didn’t show up, so he gave me two tickets. Then I said, ‘What about my mom and dad?’

‘Oh, your parents are here, too?’ Here you go. Two more tickets.”

Free parking and free tickets to a Cubs game! God gave me my sign.

Objectively, you might say all I got was a little affirmation one time and some freebies the next. However the fact that God graciously provided exactly what I needed just when I asked for it, that was the miracle.

Re-discover an age-old method to solve your problems today!

Political and social activism has become a frequent occurrence. Emboldened by their ideas to make much needed changes people jostle and campaign for what they consider to be essential for the betterment of the world as a whole.

Social media memes urge us on: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

But how do we discern what changes in which to invest our time and money? What causes to support? There are many charitable organisations out there who could use our donations of time, talent or money.

Let’s be honest, there are lots of things we’d like to see change in our present circumstances, in our communities and churches and in our countries.

I mean, I have a hard enough time convincing my children that shoes and jumpers are necessary items when the weather is cold how could I possibly change the mind of influential world leaders?

The stark reality is that I can’t. But that does not make me powerless or impotent.

Swap ‘Be’ more

Instead of being the change that I want to see in the world I need to be praying the change that I want to see. But wait, I hear you say, isn’t prayer rather passive? Shouldn’t we be doing something well…active?

There is nothing passive about prayer. It is many things—contemplative, structured, unstructured, routine, meditative—but certainly not passive. Certainly, there are active ministries within our communities. But without the contemplation to fuel our action, our actions fall short and vice versa.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul explains what happens to our active ministries when we do not have the spiritual underpinning:

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13: 1-3)

Instead of spreading disunity by opening disagreeing, lacking due charity, with the current- Pope, bishop or priest whose take on the faith has drawn my ire—I need to pray for them. The same can be said for anyone in leadership that we disagree with, our circumstances outside of our control that have wreaked havoc in our lives. I cannot control what other people think, say or do, but I can control my response. And prayer, as simple as it may sound, is always a good option.

Re-discover

If you are a consummate tech savant then you know your way around an online search engine. And I can almost guarantee that whatever you’re dealing with or suffering through – there’s a prayer and/or patron saint for that.

In all honesty, there are a treasure trove of prayers out there. Sometimes just reading through the compilations of adoration, supplication and petition is a comforting one. It is easy to feel alone in our struggle and forget that others have had similar experiences to ours.

Suffering with depression and anxiety in these unpredictable times then Saint Dymphna is your go-to girl. Want to see global equality between people of all races and creeds? Look no further than Saints like Josephine Bakhita. Worried about social activism, or the plight of refugees and our environment? Petition the likes of Dorothy Day, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini or Saint Francis of Assisi.

Pause before you act

When all is said and done, we could argue that there are troubles aplenty in the here and now. Some are big and within our immediate power to change. Others are on a global scale and our efforts would be like a drop in the ocean.

Pausing to spend time in prayer and discernment before deciding on any course of action is a prudent one. Perhaps your heart really goes out to the local food van which caters to the homeless and you’d love to volunteer but actually you are a stay at home mum of twin toddlers and time is a commodity that you don’t have right now.

Pray, discern and reassess when constraints on your time permit. Maybe you will be involved at some stage in the future, trust in the guidance that God gives you in prayer.

Take your cares, dreams and desires to Jesus in prayer. Michael Jackson may have encouraged: “If you want to make the world a better place then take a look at yourself and make that change”. But truthfully, it’s simpler than that.

If you want to make the world a better place: pray. And the rest will come from there.

The cure for loneliness is right beside you!

During the ‘60s the rock group Three Dog Night, had a pop-hit, One is the Loneliest Number, that addresses the pain associated with isolation. In the book of Genesis we see that Adam was living in the Garden by himself. Sure, he was given permission by God to name all the other creatures as a sign of his dominion. Nonetheless, something was lacking: he felt alone because “there was not found a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:20).

Unconditional

This drama of solitude is experienced by countless men and women today. But, it need not be, because the cure for this loneliness is right out there in plain sight: The Family, which Pope Francis reminds us is the “fundamental cell of society” (Evangelium Gaudium, 66). As such, the family is where young people can see with their own eyes that the love of Christ is alive and present in the love of their Mom and Dad, who testify that unconditional love is possible.

That’s why we are not meant to live as isolated, autonomous, self-reliant individuals , but rather we are meant to enjoy ‘I-Thou’ relationships with other persons, which is why God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (2:18). These simple words show that nothing makes a man’s heart happier than to be joined to another’s heart like his own. A heart who loves him unconditionally and tenderly and takes away his sense of being alone. These words show that God did not make us to live in isolation, which inevitably fosters gloom, sorrow, and anxiety.

He did not create us to be alone. He made men and women for happiness, to share their story and journey with another until death do them

part. Man cannot make himself happy. Woman cannot make herself happy. But, sharing their journey with someone complements them, so that they can live the awesome experience of love and to be loved, and to see their love bear fruit in children. The Psalmist puts it this way: “Like a fruitful vine your wife within your home. Like olive plants your children around your table. Just so will they be blessed who fear the Lord” (Psalm 128:3-4).

Defending Dignity

This is God’s dream for His beloved creation: just as God is three persons sharing one divine nature, just as the Risen Christ is forever united to His Church, His mystical Body, so, too, is creation fulfilled in the loving union between a man and a woman, rejoicing in their shared journey, fruitful in their mutual self-giving.

This is the same plan which Jesus envisions for humanity. “From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female’. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So, they are no longer two but one flesh” (Mark 10:6-8; cf Genesis 1:27, 2:24). And, he concludes, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder” (Mark 10:9).

This last line is important because in the Creator’s original plan, there is no do-over. It is not that a man marries a woman and, if things don’t go well, he repudiates her and moves onto Plan B. No, rather, the man and woman are called to recognize each other, to complete each other, to help each other to realize their purpose and destiny.

This teaching of Jesus, grounded in the opening chapters of Genesis, is the basis of the Sacrament of Marriage, which is a divine mandate as revealed in Scripture and through the very words of the Son of God. Contrary to contemporary whims, it is not a historical or cultural construct no matter what a legislative or judicial institution says.

The teaching of Jesus is very clear and defends the dignity of marriage as a union of love between a man and a woman, which is constitutive. Anything other than this is simply not marriage. Moreover, the union of a man and woman implies fidelity. What allows the spouses to remain united in marriage is a love of mutual self-giving infused by Christ’s grace. But, the nurturing of this union takes hard work: if the spouses pursue their private interests, the promotion of one’s egoic satisfaction, then the union cannot endure.

Either spouse or both may behave in such a way that places their union in crisis. That’s why Jesus brings it back to the beginning of Creation to teach us that God blesses human love, that it is God who joins the hearts of a man and woman who love one another. He joins them in indissolubility just as He is united with His Church. That is why the Church does not tire of confirming the beauty of family as it was consigned to us by Scripture and by Tradition. At the same time, she strives to make her maternal closeness tangible and comforting to those who are experiencing relationships that are broken or continue to be difficult and painful.

God’s way of acting with His broken and often unfaithful people, teaches us that wounded love can be healed by God through mercy and forgiveness. For this reason, the Church does not lead with censure or condemnation. On the contrary, Holy Mother the Church is called to show love, charity, and mercy, in order to heal wounded and lost hearts to get them back to God’s embrace.

Let us remember that we have a great ally in the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Church, who helps married couples to live together authentically and renew their union, beginning with God’s original gift.

Here’s a way to let go of your worries…

With each day comes the opportunity to change our mindset and our heart. While I advocate strongly for prayer, in practice it isn’t always my default action. Like so many, I tend to worry rather than pray, letting myself get caught up in ‘what ifs”. Over and over, I need to learn the lesson of changing my mindset, which in turn, changes my heart. Jesus exhorted us not to worry, and so daily I am striving to shift my worries into prayers and thus let them fly away.

Through much of 2021 I saved up to attend a popular Catholic conference. But the costs turned out to be higher than I anticipated. I had been wanting to attend this conference for years and didn’t expect that this would be the year the opportunity would open up. A dear couple who are close friends and have been influential in my life called to tell me they would be attending this year and strongly encouraged me to attend. There was something in how they spoke that told me this was the Holy Spirit nudging me. After that call I knew without a doubt that I needed to attend the conference this year. The thought of attending filled me with joy and expectation.

As the costs related to attending the conference continued to rise, I noticed myself falling into the worry trap. Instead of remembering how God has always provided, I worried about whether I would have the necessary funds in time. 

One day, I was prompted to stop worrying and instead to turn to God, the giver of all good gifts! As the worry turned to prayer, a smile settled onto my face. I remembered that God is faithful, and would make sure I had the finances to attend. “Heavenly Father,” I prayed, “thank You for every opportunity You have given me. Please provide for my needs for the conference. Thank You for always providing for me in Your perfect way.”

Becoming aware of my worries has turned into a light bulb moment. The light goes on and I remember to turn my worries into prayers. My mind eases, and so does my heart. I remember that my Heavenly Father has consistently provided for me in every area of my life. Why wouldn’t he provide for me in this area? Now, I strive daily, in every area of my life, to develop the habit of shifting my worries into prayers and thereby let my worries fly away. 

God provided marvelously and I was able to attend the conference. Though a snowstorm on the morning I was to leave threatened to cancel my flight, God prevailed and I arrived safely and on time. I marveled at the beautiful conference venue and my comfortable hotel room. It turned out that I had saved up more than I needed to cover my expenses! Why had I worried? God the Father did what He always does best and provided for the needs of one of His children. I’m grateful for this experience and for learning once again to turn my mind to God rather than to worry. As we change our thoughts, so we change our lives. As we turn our hearts to God instead of to negativity, we become more like Him. How less anxious would we be, and how more grateful to our Heavenly Father, if we consistently shifted our worries into prayers? How much more peaceful would life be if we let our worries fly away? Thank You, Heavenly Father, that You are only a prayer away!

With over 40 years of experience he had accomplished great feats; but interestingly he found true joy elsewhere

When I was 11 years old, a bad leg injury from a motor vehicle accident led me to choose my career. After multiple reconstructive procedures I began to say, “When I grow up I’m going to be a plastic surgeon.” I feel blessed that I was able to fulfill my dream of mending lives.

When I tell people that I’m a plastic surgeon many are curious about my cosmetic surgeries, but they rarely ask about the reconstructive procedures I perform. The chief difference between the two kinds of surgeries is that most cosmetic surgery is a “want” while reconstructive surgery is a “need”. Surgeries in the “need” category are procedures for maxillofacial trauma, skin cancer, burn care, skin grafts and flaps, complex wounds, hand surgery and others.

However, in third world countries like Mexico and the Dominican Republic, many patients desperately need and want reconstructive surgery. Sadly, either because they don’t have money or because there is no reconstructive surgeon available, their needs go unmet.

To help such patients, I went on medical missions to both countries to volunteer my services with a loving heart. I dealt with two cases there that I would probably never have encountered here in the United States.

The first was a woman so poor that she had never owned a pair of shoes. Therefore, the big black mole on the top of her foot was easy pickings (and peckings!) for her chickens. It typically bled, often became infected and always hurt. She begged me, “Por favor Doctor, quiteme este lunar” (Please Doctor, remove this mole). In less than 30 minutes her problem was resolved. A simple but real medical need. She was so appreciative that she hugged me and thanked me profusely.

The second patient was a 16-year-old boy with a very wide cleft lip that left his prominent front teeth always exposed. He told me there was a girl in school he really liked but he was too ashamed and embarrassed to ask her to be his girlfriend. In about 2 1/2 hours I was able to change his life. When he was coming out of anesthesia, he looked in a mirror and saw a huge smile with no teeth showing. At his follow up visit, I had to ask, “Que dijo la muchacha?” (” What did the girl say?”) He responded with an emphatic, “Dijo que Si!!!” (“She said yes!”)

Like the other seventy or so patients on whom I have operated, these two patients were extremely appreciative. But I also found true joy of my own by mending lives with a loving heart—seeing their smiles, their tears of joy and receiving those warm hugs. My experience frequently reminds me of what Jesus says to His disciples in Matthew 20:28, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve”. I thank the Lord for blessing me with skills to mending the lives of those most in need.

Question: Is it true that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation? What about all those who do not believe in Him, like some of my family members? Can they be saved?

Indeed, Jesus makes some bold claims about who He is. He says that He is “THE way, THE truth, THE life”—not just one way among many or one path to life. He goes on to say that “no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6).

As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ alone is the Savior of the world. Anyone who is saved finds salvation in and through Jesus—His death and resurrection, which took away the sins of the world and reconciled us to the Father; and through our faith in Him, which allows us to access His merits and mercy. Salvation is through Jesus alone—not Buddha, not Mohammed, not any other great spiritual leader.

But does this mean that only Christians go to Heaven? That depends on whether or not someone has heard the Gospel. If someone has never heard the Name of Jesus, then they can be saved, since God has placed on every human heart a “capax Dei” (a capacity for God) and natural law (the innate sense of right and wrong written on our hearts). Someone who has never heard the Gospel preached is not culpable for their ignorance of Jesus, and by seeking God as best as they know how and by following natural law, they can be granted the grace of salvation.

But if someone has heard about Jesus and chooses to reject Him, then they have chosen to reject the salvation that He has won for them. Sometimes people choose not to follow Jesus because their family would reject them, or they would have to give up a sinful lifestyle, or their pride does not allow them to acknowledge their need for a Savior. How sad it would be to turn away from the incredible gift of salvation that Christ desires to give each of us!

With that said, we recognize that we cannot judge any individual soul’s salvation. Perhaps someone heard the Gospel but it was distorted; maybe all they know about Jesus comes from The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live; maybe they are scandalized by the bad behavior of Christians and thus are unable to accept Christ. A famous—if possibly apocryphal—story of Gandhi tells of the great Hindu leader’s admiration for Christianity. He loved to read the Gospels and relished the wisdom contained therein. But when he was asked, “Why do you not convert and become Christian, as you evidently believe in Christ?” he famously responded, “Ah, I love your Christ, but you Christians are so unlike Him!” It was the poor example of Christians that prevented this great leader from becoming one himself!

So, to sum up the answer: God, in ways known to Him alone, can save those who have never heard of the Gospel—or perhaps have not heard it preached or lived well. However, those who have heard the Gospel but reject it have turned away from the gift of salvation.

Knowing that souls hang in the balance, we who know the Lord are given the critical task of evangelization! We must pray for our non-believing friends and family members, witness to them with our joy and our love, and be able to give them “reasons for our hope” (1 Peter 3:15). Perhaps our words or our deeds will bring a soul from darkness into the saving light of faith!

Hanna Alice Simon was born blind, yet she sees beyond what most of us see! Here’s a story from her life that’s sure to touch you

Being a very emotional person, I used to become tearful at the silliest of things, until the day, two years ago when I was invited to a church to speak to a group of children. I was happy to have this opportunity to meet them and confidently set out. Little did I know what awaited me.

On my arrival, they took me into the church and I waited for the children to come in after their lunch. Slowly, one by one, they came in and crowded in around me. They talked about how weird I was and some of them called me a ghost. It seemed they had showed me things with their hands, but I didn’t know what was happening. As their cruel words sank in, I felt that I was about to break down and cry. As the tears prickled my eyelids, I began to silently pray, but all I wanted was to run away from that place. I still kept praying in my heart to God, “O God…please…I don’t want to cry in front of them…please help me to be strong…”

My mom who was watching all this told me, “Hannah…this is not the time to cry and although it’s not the time to get angry, you should tell them what they did is wrong. They should not do this to another person. You should tell them this.”

With trepidation, I faced those children who had insulted me and suddenly God put the right words on my lips. I told them, “You might call me weird but I am not. I am special. I am special to God. I am beloved to Him. The next time you see a person who you think is different or weird, go up to him and say to him ‘You are special and I love you for that.’

That day God worked a miracle on me and on that whole crowd of children. After I finished speaking, they all came up to me and those children who had insulted me apologized, but that is not the best part. In the midst of the crowd was another girl, younger than me, who was also differently abled. She came up to me and said, “Even though I have faced a lot of insults at school, what you said today strengthened me. I realized that I am special too.” Then it dawned on me why God had allowed me to face all those insults. My destiny was to give strength to that one person in the crowd who needed it.

In the book of Genesis, chapter 12, verse 2 it says, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.” So, cast your heartaches and your fears to God. Even if the whole world is against you and there is not even a single person who loves you…even if your day is as dark as night, know that there is a God who cares for you…who loves you more than anything or anybody else in the world. Know that you are wanted by God, you are precious to Him. You are a blessing!

EXCERPT from the talk given by Hanna Alice Simon for the Shalom World program “Triumph”. To watch the episode visit: shalomworld.org/episode/triumph

Struggling to pray when you don’t know how to pray? Read on and you will surely find the key to God’s heart!

Saint Therese of Lisieux once explained that prayer is a “surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward Heaven, it is a cry of recognition and love, embracing both trial and joy.”

Nestled in My Heart

It wasn’t until my husband and I became foster parents that I experienced that “heart surge” in a whole new way, feeling helpless at the prospect of meeting the needs of three frightened, traumatized, and helpless human beings, and feeling woefully under-qualified. They were cute children—a girl, age 4, her brother, age 2-1/2, and their infant sister, just 6 months old.

As we made it through those first few sleepless weeks, we established a pattern that gradually made it possible for me to resume my theology studies, and a couple of times a week, I would slip into the chapel and revel in the quiet. And yet, my mind was in a whirl. By that time it was clear to me that I was in over my head with these three children, each of whom was struggling to adjust to life with us after being taken from their first parents and older brother. And yet I also knew that if I was unable to care for all three of them, it was unlikely that I’d be able to keep any of them—including that beautiful, little, brown-eyed baby girl who had nestled her way into my heart.

Late at night, I would sit in the rocker, snuggle with one of the children and ask God what He wanted from me. By the time we’d had them nearly a year, it was still unclear whether we would be able to adopt them, or they would return to their birth parents. (While reunification is the primary goal of foster care, a significant number of these children never return home.) And so, I looked for the key to God’s heart—on how to pray. It came in the form of a prayer one of my seminary professors had given me by Blessed Charles de Foucauld. Called the “Prayer of Abandonment,” I was sure God had given me a lifeline in that particular prayer which contained the following lines which I repeated over and over.

Whatever You may do, I thank You;

I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only Your will be done in me,

And in all Your creatures,

I wish no more than this, O Lord.

I found that this posture of abandonment can be a powerful intercessory tool on how to pray when you don’t know how to pray—essentially the key to God’s heart. When we profess our desire to do what God wants—and acknowledge our difficulties in discerning what that will might be—God will guide us each step of the way. This is not a passive “digging in” or spiritual stalemate, but a childlike trust in Jesus who, in the words of one great old hymn, “doeth all things well.”

I have found this to be especially true when it comes to Mary, the spiritual mother of all believers. As a new Catholic, I was reluctant to cultivate my own relationship with Mary because I had always prayed directly to God. But when I was still single, shortly after being confirmed Catholic, a friend gave me a Miraculous Medal and encouraged me to “tell Mary about it” whenever I felt lonely. I had recently relocated and soon found my prayers for companionship answered in an unexpected way. Three weeks in a row, I asked Mary to send someone to sit with me at Mass and three weeks in a row a different stranger stopped by my pew. From that time on, I came to regard Mary as someone who understands my human needs and weaknesses, and who prays for me when I do not have the words to offer God on my own.

Three Prayers when you don’t know how to pray

As my children have grown (we were able to adopt the younger two, while their older sister was adopted by another family) and launched themselves into young adulthood, the kinds of prayers I pray for them have changed… but at times I still feel stumped about how to pray for a particular situation. When that happens, there are three prayers that can turn the key to God’s heart. They help me clear my mind, and invite the Holy Spirit into my heart in a fresh new way:

Lord, thank you

Even on the worst days, God is so generous with us. Acknowledging His generosity and protection—for ourselves and our families—helps us rise above the mundane and the petty and helps us listen to what He wants to tell us. Opening the Psalms and praying along with the Psalmist helps me name the things that are pressing on my heart.

Lord, forgive me

Even on the best days, there are moments when I do not conduct myself with as much grace as a situation requires. Acknowledging our shortcomings makes it easier to forgive others who annoy or hurt us. A friend wisely prays a “Nine Annoying Things Novena” to turn her daily annoyances into opportunities for greater faith.

Lord, help me

It is said that “God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.” When God asks us to stretch our faith (or our parenting skills) in new ways, He always grants the wisdom we need to do the job well–if we ask for it. We might be tempted to run ahead and handle it on our own, but if we entrust each task to God, He will show us how to handle them with love.

Imagine having to meet secretly in underground catacombs to celebrate the Eucharist. Such was the plight of Christians in the Third century under the persecution of emperor Diocletian. Imprisonment and even death could be the punishment for anyone discovered to be a Christian.

One day, as the bishop was about to celebrate Holy Mass in one of the catacombs, he received a letter from Christian prisoners requesting he send them the Eucharist. As soon as the Mass was over, the bishop asked who would be willing to carry out this dangerous task. Young Tarcisius—an altar server—stood up and said, “Send me.” The bishop thought the boy was too young, but Tarcisius convinced the bishop that nobody would suspect him precisely because he was just a boy. All the Christians knew of Tarcisius’—a boy with deep love for Jesus in the Eucharist, and so the bishop accepted the boy’s offer.

The Blessed Sacrament was carefully wrapped in linen cloth and placed in a small case which Tarcisius hid within his tunic, just over his heart. On the way, he passed a group of his schoolmates who called to him to join their games, but Tarcisius refused saying he was in a hurry. Seeing that he was holding something close to his breast, they became curious and together tried to pull away his hands.

As they struggled, one of the boys heard him whisper “Jesus” and cried out to the others: “He is a Christian. He is hiding some Christian mystery there.”The boys struck him and kicked him fiercely to make him loosen his grip. When a man passing by heard that the boy was a Christian, he gave a cruel blow that threw him to the ground. Just then a soldier dispersed the attackers, lifted Tarcisius onto his arms and hurried off to a quiet lane.

Tarcisius opened his eyes and recognized the soldier as a Christian whom he had often met in the catacombs.

“I am dying,” he said, “but I have kept my God safe from them.” And he handed his precious treasure to the soldier, who placed it reverently inside his tunic. “Carry Him to the prison for me,” said Tarcisius, and with a gentle sigh he fell back into the soldier’s arms. His little soul was already with God for whom he so willingly had given his life.

Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Young Tarcisius as a boy martyr of the Eucharist gave his life for the Friend of friends, Jesus the Lord.

Does my trust in God rely heavily on my bank account, property and resources? Or do I really put my trust in God without borders?

A missionary family came to stay with us at the Lord’s Ranch for a time of rest after returning from a mission post in a third-world country. At lunch, one day they shared a wonderful story about the Lord providing. They were living in a very poor neighborhood and people often came to them asking for help. The missionary family received a monthly stipend for their living expenses, and usually by the end of each month finances would be tight. They did not have a refrigerator in the house or even any cupboards, so whatever food they needed for that day they would buy at the market and that’s what they would eat.

One month as they were looking at the budget, they saw that they were down to the bare minimum—hardly enough to eke out some simple meals until the next stipend arrived. And then they heard a knock at the door. A knock at the door usually meant that someone in need was coming to ask for something. The parents told the kids, “Don’t open the door. We don’t have anything to spare.” Mom and Dad knew they hardly had enough to feed their own family. But the kids, horrified, told their parents, “Where’s your faith?!” One of the kids said, “If you trust in yourself, you leave no room for God to do marvels.”

Chagrined and corrected by the response of their children, the parents opened the door. Indeed, it was someone asking for help, and the kids gave away everything they had on hand to a family needier than themselves. “Alright, here we are,” the dad said after he closed the door. “We’re going to be very hungry this week.”

Relating the story to us, he then said, “Oh me of little faith! You should have seen the provision that came flowing in that week! Somebody brought us some rice, another person brought a wheelbarrow full of coconuts, somebody else brought by sugar cane. We also got invited out to eat that week. We were shown yet again the truth of God’s Word, ‘Give and it shall be given to you.’”

He was quoting Luke 6:38 when Jesus tells His disciples, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

When I reflected later on this wonderful testimony, I asked myself, “Where is my trust? Is it in my resources, my bank account, my property? Or is it in God?” I thought of what one of the missionary kids had said, “If you trust in yourself, you leave no room for God to do marvels.” Do I leave any room in my life for God to do marvels? Is my trust without borders?

As we approach the season of Lent, the Church invites us to an increased practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Almsgiving, especially when we give sacrificially and not just out of our surplus, can stretch our hearts and rid us of some of our selfishness. Let us put our trust in God without borders. It can also help us make room in our lives for God to surprise us with His marvelous and bountiful care and provision.

This Lent, let’s prayerfully ask the Lord how we can be more generous with the gifts that He has blessed us with, be it our time, our energy, our smiles—but especially our pocketbooks. As you follow those prayerful nudges to give alms, don’t be surprised when God fulfills His promise in Luke 6:38 of topping whatever we give with “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over…” As my dad often said to us, “You can never outdo the Lord in generosity!”