"Elizabeths"

They rejoiced with her. (Luke 1:58) 

Who are the “Elizabeths” in your life? Who do you know that is hurting right now? Or feeling lonely or forgotten? There are so many in the world. It could even be a member of your family or an old friend. 

In today’s Gospel, we hear about a hard-won, jubilant moment in Elizabeth’s life: the birth of her son, John. She and Zechariah had been looking forward to this momentous event for years. Elizabeth, advanced in age, had been barren, which many people back then took as a sign of God’s displeasure.

Try to imagine the anticipation that spread in Elizabeth’s village once the news of her pregnancy broke—coupled with Zechariah’s story of an angelic messenger and his mysterious muteness. Then imagine how great the celebration must have been when she had a safe delivery. Finally, God had shown “great mercy” toward her and her husband (Luke 1:58)! 

We are two days away from Christmas, and as joyful as this is, there are surely people around you in difficult situations, “Elizabeths” who are still waiting for God’s mercy. Maybe there’s someone whom the Lord would like you to “watch and wait” with—or, as Pope Francis would say, “accompany.” 

Does someone come to mind? A friend? A family member? A neighbor? Or how about the homeless man you pass on your daily commute or the co-worker who suddenly seems withdrawn? Then there are the millions of refugees who will be away from their families and homes this Christmas, the victims of war and famine, even the people in your own town who are living without adequate food, clothing, or shelter.

Take a few minutes, and make a list of these “Elizabeths.” Watch and wait with them. If you can’t be physically present to them, accompany them by asking God to show them his mercy. Then, when you see their prayers being answered, celebrate—just as Zechariah and Elizabeth’s neighbors did. 

“Holy Spirit, show me who could use a little extra prayer and attention. Come and pour your mercy on every ‘Elizabeth’ this Christmas!”

from wau.org

The power of prayer

Helen was almost late for a job interview for which punctuality was a must. As she drove into the parking lot, she could see it was filled. Panicking, she prayed, “Lord, please help me find a parking spot.” As she rounded the corner, right in front of her was an empty space. “That’s okay, Lord,” she prayed. “I found one myself.”

We may chuckle at this story, but it raises a good question: why are we so quick to look for natural solutions and slow to look for the supernatural answers? Could it be a lack of trust in God? We read self-help books to cope with the challenges in life. We go to friends for advice on how to handle troublesome situations. We automatically call a doctor when a loved one gets sick. But we don’t think naturally about taking our challenges to Jesus, either for his intervention or for his help in persevering.

Isn’t this what happened to Jesus’ disciples when they were unable to heal the young man possessed with demons? It seems that they were relying on their own abilities instead of God’s power. Jesus told them that they were unsuccessful because “this kind can only come out through prayer”—something it seems they hadn’t done (Mark 9:29). 

This story shows us how crucial intercessory prayer is. It tells us that we can bring all of our petitions to the Lord and that he will act. Remember, you are not merely a “natural” person. Created in the image and likeness of God, you have a “spiritual” dimension as well. As you pray, you can connect with the Holy Spirit and make a difference in this world. You don’t have to be subject to every bad situation that comes your way. Neither do you have to think that your loved ones are stuck in their ruts. You can pray, and lives can change! 

No matter how powerless you may feel today, tell yourself that Jesus is with you anyway. Tell yourself that he can help you to reach out to people and pray for them. Go ahead; ask, seek, and knock. Surely God will answer.

from wau.org

The joy of prayer

Our Father . . . (Matthew 6:9)

Perhaps you’re having a conversation on your cell phone, and suddenly, the other person is just not there. Maybe something went wrong with their phone or with your phone. If it keeps happening, and you realize the problem’s on your end, you know it’s time to get a new phone or change your phone service. It’s frustrating to have spotty connections with people—especially important people!

Sometimes we can feel that way about our prayer life. We want to have a life-giving connection to God, but it doesn’t always seem as if he hears us—or as if we’re hearing him. What can we do about this? Maybe the answer lies in the way Jesus tells us to pray: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). 

If you’re a father, you know how much you love your children. If you’re not a father, think about the love your father had for you. And if he didn’t model that kind of love, think of other fathers you knew who did. Think of how dedicated they were to their children, how affectionate they were, and how creative they were in their parenting. Now take this dedication, affection, and creativity and multiply it by one thousand. That doesn’t even begin to describe the way God our Father deals with us!

That’s something to keep in mind when you are struggling with prayer. Try to focus on the reality of your Father’s love and mercy rather than how hard you’re trying to pray. Try to imagine him sitting next to you, with his arm around your shoulder, rather than seated on a courtroom bench.

When you pray today, don’t forget who your Father is. Try to let go of your worries and fears. Quiet your mind and heart, and just sit with him. Before you tell him your needs, thank him for his love, and praise him for his grace—in your own words. And if you’re at a loss for words, just read today’s responsorial psalm out loud, slowly and carefully. Let your Father, who is “close to the brokenhearted,” lift you up with his love (Psalm 34:19).

from wau.org

Crossing boundaries

How much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? (Luke 11:13)

Were you ever taught the saying “Don’t wear out your welcome”? One way or another, we all learn boundaries in relationships—how to act with tact and to avoid making presumptions about others. Lessons like these teach us to be considerate and help us build lasting relationships.

So Jesus’ story in today’s Gospel reading can make us cringe a bit. This guy wakes up a friend to get some food for an unexpected guest, and he won’t stop knocking until he gets it. What is his friend going to think of him the next time they see each other? Even more to the point, what should I take away from this story? Does Jesus want me to be pushy and aggressive as well?

But don’t stop reading there! Jesus is not telling us how to treat our friends. He is telling us how to treat his Father in heaven. Children don’t learn the same kinds of boundaries with their parents as they do with their friends and acquaintances. That’s because parents love to provide good things for their children. It’s also much harder to impose on a parent than on a friend. So God won’t be offended by your persistence, even if it seems like nagging to you!

Do you believe that God loves you this much? That he wants you to go to him the way a child goes to his father for help? If you’re finding it hard to grasp this truth, take note of what Jesus says. The Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask not just because the Spirit is the greatest gift he can give us, but also because it’s the Spirit who can help us experience the Father’s love more and more deeply.

So push yourself to cross boundaries with God today. Pester him, hound him, open up your heart to him. Watch for those internal checks that tell you, “Don’t go too far with God; you may make him angry.” Whenever thoughts like these surface, tell yourself, “No, this is my Father I’m dealing with. I know he’ll take good care of me.”

“Father, help me to trust more fully in the love that you have for me.”

from wau.org

He hears

Father, I thank you for hearing me. (John 11:41)

You have probably prayed many prayers this Lent, maybe even for those who are sick or departed loved ones—the “Lazaruses” in your life. But does the thought ever creep in: God, are you even listening?

Perhaps we can take a cue from Jesus as he prayed for his friend Lazarus, who had just died. Rather than starting off with his specific request, he said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me” (John 11:41). Jesus offered words of gratitude for the greatest gift of all: God’s friendship and love. He trusted that his Father knew what he needed before he even asked. He knew that his Father would give just the right gifts at just the right time—even if it meant that Lazarus wouldn’t rise until the end of time.

Mary and Martha, women of great faith, expected that Jesus would come as soon as he got word that Lazarus was sick. But he delayed. As time passed, they too must have thought, God, are you listening? By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus was already dead and decaying. But Jesus’ delay had nothing to do with indifference. He was so moved by the women’s distress that he wept at Lazarus’ tomb. In the end, his delay led to an even greater miracle: not just a healing but an actual rising from death!

Jesus hears every prayer you make, even if he doesn’t answer you right away. He weeps with you in your sorrow. He is with you, even when he is holding back his healing touch. He may not give you what you ask for, but he will give you something good—perhaps an increased compassion for other people’s suffering or a greater healing further down the road. Best of all, he will give you the greatest of all gifts: an ever-deepening relationship with him.

So run to the One who hears all your prayers. Go with confidence and trust. Jesus is with you. He will not abandon you!

“Lord, thank you for hearing me. I treasure the incredible gift that you are to me!”

~taken from wau.org

Ask … seek … knock. (Matthew 7:7)

Ask … seek … knock. (Matthew 7:7)

There are a lot of less than ideal things we do just to save time. Fast-food restaurants are convenient, but we know that they’re not as nutritious as a home-cooked meal. Speed-reading courses help us get through a book quickly, but we risk coming away with less depth and clarity than if we had taken our time. If you’re single, you may have even tried speed dating and ended up meeting a lot of people, but only superficially.

Clearly, there are some things you shouldn’t hurry!

That’s also true in the spiritual realm. Sometimes we want something so badly that we try to take shortcuts. Maybe we set out to find peace or fulfillment on our own, when we might do better to listen for what God has to say. Later we realize that if we had taken time out to ask, seek, and knock, we would have found something far deeper, something that doesn’t ebb and flow with our circumstances.

If you want to see good and lasting results, you need to exercise your faith and trust. And sometimes, that means waiting patiently for the Lord to act. When we wait on the Lord like this, it shows that we believe that he hears us. It shows that we trust that he will give us bread, not a stone.

God will take care of you! He will answer you in the way that’s best for you—and at the time that is most helpful for you. A good father doesn’t always give his children exactly what they want when they want it. He knows it is far better to give what that child needs, when he needs it, in the way that will help him the most.

What do you need the Lord to help you with? Go ahead and ask him for it. Tell him that you’re willing to wait for his wisdom and his timing. As you do, you’ll find him eager to fulfill your needs and to further the plan he has for you in just the way he has intended. He really does want to bless you!

“Lord, open my eyes to your wisdom and generosity. Thank you for being not just a provider but a Father who wants the very best for me and for those I love.”

taken from wau.org 

The prayer effect.

This kind can only come out through prayer. (Mark 9:29)

Like noisy gulls screeching and squawking over picnic remains, the disciples and the scribes argued. Possibly the contention centered on the disciples’ inability to drive out demons or whether they even had the right to try. Either way, the scene was messy. Try to picture grown men disputing with one another, while a crowd forms and a father pleads frantically for help as an evil spirit tosses his son about. It’s ugly and noisy—definitely not peaceable or inspiring!

Then Jesus wades in. The mess doesn’t get in his way. He remains focused on the one who is suffering, not the diversion caused by crowds and controversies.And that, in part, is why Jesus said prayer is necessary. Through prayer, we put aside the noise of the world so that we can see more clearly what needs to be done. When we come into contact with the Lord, we allow him to influence us and guide us. We don’t get bogged down in distractions or needless controversies.

Do you believe that this is possible for you? It is! You have the Spirit in you, ready to give you his wisdom. You even have Jesus’ promise that everyone who comes to him finds rest (Matthew 11:28). God has poured his love into your heart through the Spirit, and he longs for you to encounter that love in prayer.

It all begins in prayer, but it certainly doesn’t end there! Prayer is not a moment of time with Jesus, followed by many more moments of thinking and acting the same old way. Prayer is meant to change us so that we think and act like Jesus. Prayer opens our eyes and makes us aware of things that we used to overlook, like the suffering of the poor or the marginalizing of those who don’t measure up to society’s standards. Prayer makes us more loving and considerate. 

In prayer, the Lord shows us how to live and how to love. So let him quiet the noise around you. Come away with him, and listen. He has something he wants to say to you today.

“Holy Spirit, fill me with your peace and gentleness. Help me bear good fruit wherever I go today.”

taken from wau.org.