As a member of the Seven Sisters’ Apostolate, I have the privilege of spending one Holy Hour each week in prayer for a particular priest. The demands of the priesthood are many, and the blessings that flow through his ministry are invaluable to the life of the faithful, and to those who do not yet know Christ. How blessed their ministry is to have inspired one woman to offer a Holy Hour for the priest who has been a blessing to her life! This one Hour was the foundation for the Seven Sisters’ Apostolate, which has now expanded exponentially to all 50 States in the US, and beyond! When the Holy Spirit offers an inspiration, and the recipient has listened, heard and responds, the results are no less than miraculous! And of course, the blessings flow not only to the priest, but through him to his flock, through them to their extended relationships, and to the Sister who is praying. Another example of the ripples of grace that flow from prayer 🙂
I’ve always stopped to reflect when I read in the Scriptures, “they saw the grace of God.” What does that look like? How can I tell? My Seven Sister membership brought me to a moment when I saw and experienced God’s grace at work. I’m a sub for a group that prays for a very holy and wise retired priest, now 97 and in an assisted living facility. He is sharp and filled with wisdom, a man of great intellect and compassion. Six of us joined him for Mass and then a time of fellowship before his lunch hour. His walk is slow and deliberate, using a walker for stability. With the dignified manners and respect of his generation, and of his own character, he greeted us all and expressed his gratitude for our gathering, and for our prayers. He said that as he was no longer giving homilies, he wanted to continue to share from his treasure house of years of prayer and study, and so began to write poems. The one I heard this day is a meditation on Christ’s Passion, which will remain with me and has deepened my own appreciation of what the Lord has done for me.
In a voice deep and sonorous, at a pace that is slow and thoughtful, he read us his poem. His pauses, inflections, and obvious feeling for the words he had written created an atmosphere of holiness, in complete listening silence. The very many years of his personal contemplation of the Passion of Christ were skillfully woven into a beautiful tapestry, which we were so blessed to receive. It was an intimate prayerful gathering, and indeed, it was here that I “saw the grace of God.”
He began with the repetition of one word, “Pain.” Hearing him speak this word, and seeing his face as he spoke it, revealed the depth of his understanding of Christ’s suffering. He wrote of the wound that hurt Christ the most, in His shoulder from the carrying of the Cross. I’m reminded of the prayers of St Bridget of Sweden, where she also remarks on this particular pain, and how much sorrow it caused our Lord to know that despite all His sacrifice, there would be many who would turn away. The final words of this extended meditation came to the Resurrection, and to His invitation to us as Friend, to stand on His right beside Him.
How grateful I am to be called to pray for this holy priest of God, and to have been a recipient of His recitation. May God continue to bless his days, until he goes to meet His Savior, his Friend, face to face.
Father God, thank you for the gift of the holy priesthood! Thank you for raising up the Seven Sisters Apostolate to offer holy hours for Your priests.
Thank you for calling each of us to appreciate and pray for them, to enter into Christian Friendship with You and with one another…
Spiritual Sun Pennies 