Thousands of prayers, millions of prayers, wonderful words of life

Second Sunday of Easter, April 16, 2023

Sunday of Divine Mercy

(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)

Thousands of prayers, millions of prayers, wonderful words of life

A special ed teacher asks her students when they are upset, “Do you want to be helped, heard, or hugged?” Kids love choices and so, to a point, do their adults (except for toothpaste and shampoo). We have five love languages (time, talk, touch, tasks, and treasures). And we often want to be helped, heard or hugged. What do you need right now? Can I ask you, before I just assume?

Seems appropriate to me on this Sunday of Divine Mercy to realize how often I think I know what Margaret needs before I ask her. As she often says or implies, I don’t need to be in such a rush. Do I rush to help, so I can get on with something else? There is always more than I can do, more than I will get to. If there wasn’t, I’d find more anyway. It’s that adrenalin, that fruit juice kick, the sugarblush energy that my body craves – the mark of some of kind of -aholic, I’m sure.

Lord, have mercy.

They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to prayers.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. As the priest told the pilgrim in The Way of a Pilgrim, say that prayer a thousand times and come back tomorrow. Then tomorrow he’ll just tell me to say that prayer six thousand times and come back tomorrow. And then he’ll tell me how well I’m doing and to be on my way. Let the prayer fill me up so I am praying it when I wake up in the morning.

I guess you could call that an addiction too, but it sure is a good one. Hail Mary, full of grace, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, praise for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Another compelling way to spend my time – praying the Rosary, with all its mysteries and Our Fathers … and then come back tomorrow.

Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need.

And today, the Feast of Divine Mercy. 3 pm, every day, and come back tomorrow. Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

For the sake of his powerful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Let these prayers pour into me and out of me, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

(Acts 2, Psalm 118, 1 Peter 1, John 20)

(posted at www.davesandel.net)

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