Given that our God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, doesn’t it sometimes seem a little silly that our prayers to Him can change things? And yet, we know that God explicitly directs us to pray. “Ask!” He says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Mt. 7:7). What a gift, that the maker of all that is visible and invisible would allow us to ask Him for anything, that He would grant us the dignity of working side by side with Him in the course of our own salvation history. And what a gift, to understand that our one crucial job is to be childlike: to fully trust and surrender to the will of our gracious and generous Father.
It seems to me that we have to learn that particular lesson – about the importance of being childlike – again and again in this life. But I also know that the more we do it, the easier it can be because the Father sends such abundant graces – such good ‘positive reinforcement’ – when we do surrender!
For example: it has become my habit here to hang out in the chapel in various poses (kneeling in a solemn hour, standing against the wall while my lunch is in the microwave, cheek pressed against the tabernacle in a stolen moment…) to beg the LORD to send me His people. “Send me more, Lord. Whoever you wish. Send me your people. I promise to love them.”
And so He has, most especially for Alpha and RCIA, but in other ways also. (If you’re reading this, I count you in.) I asked one of our RCIA candidates why he drives here all the way from a fairly distant suburb and he said, “I don’t know; I just heard a voice telling me to come here.”
“Oh that was ME!” I laughed. (Nah, it was Jesus.)
Anyway… since such persistent, childlike prayer does make a difference, please join me in joyfully praying for all those who are approaching the sacraments of initiation this spring, most especially those who have been placed here at the Cathedral for their formation. Below is a list of their names to keep near/on your Bible, table, bedside, car, or mirror. Thank you!
Marian Bart
Evangelization Coordinator
Please pray for:
- Ashley Adams
- Scott Chue
- Jerome Golson
- James Jones
- Erin Miller
- Al Powell
- Damaris Romero
- David Salamas
- Frances Sims
- Laurence Sims
- Larry Walthall
- Lisa Williams