(1) Is it intercession prayers necessary?
(2)What are 4 major categories of prayer
(3)When you pray, what Holy Spirit will you?
(4)What is the outstanding action of Fatima apparition?, after 99 years!
(5)Is it necessary that somebody else pray for you?.why God wants others to pray for you?
(6)Why Moses won the battle only when he raised his hands? What was the role of Aron and Hur?.
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Reflection for 16th October 2016 we are in Cycle 3: celebrating 29th Ordinary Sunday mass,Inviting us to analyze about value of intercessionary prayers.
Last few sundays we reflected on how to develop faith, leading from trust with God. Previously we concentrated the value of Charity. Today we concentrate how to maintain hope through prayers and value of intercessionary prayers.
Why we pray for others?. Others can be your immediate relatives or unknown person. We pray for the support of God to resolve their problems. Why God is eager that we pray for others?. These are the normal questions that we might come across
This shows the basic concept of Christianity. We believe humans belongs to one family with God as the FATHER. Normally other non God fearing religions, support other human, because of inter dependency of humans. You cannot live alone. For you to live you need the support of other person. Catholics have more reason to support any human, not only due to inter dependency but due to one family concept. That is Why we should feel the problems of other, whether they are associating with us or not.
Under the present communication explosion, any information of one corner of this globe will be informed to the other corner with a matter of a second. One family concept of God is achieving, making you as catholic to be aware about other human problem. The beautiful method Catholicism has provided is to pray for others. Be vigilant about others problems.
God in HIS own wisdom,showed us the value of going thru' Holy Mary, for us to mange our problems. He showed us that HE will give an incentive of new wine when we do that!. Similarly Holy Mary was requested to look after humanity. Holy Mary, unlike other saints, has been given a special task of looking after humanity. That is why Mary appeared in many places and provide us appropriate messages: for example take Fatima apparitions. When we analyze after 99 years, we see:
During first half of last century, you saw
(A)2world wars!(1914-1918)(1939-1945)
(B)Ideals,values &Institutions that has shaped &nurtured our civilization were overthrown &trampled upon
(C)Communism seized power in Russia 25days after(13/10),last apparition of Fatima
(4)she showed Hell.Mary gave timely messages for mankind of imminent catastrophic collapse of governments,justice,religion& morality which started in early 20th century&is continuing in various forms to effect us ever since!.
How Mary fulfill her promises
(1)Falling of Berlin Wall &Iron Curtain in9/11/1989, &changes in Eastern Europe
(2)Attempt of Holy fathers life,after64yrs13/5/1981,Pope St John Paul2 was shot&critically wounded in Vatican.JP2 at that moment, stopped,to bless girl who was wearing Badge Of Our Lady Of Fatima,this allowed bullet to strike in abdomen instead of his head!.
Only one request after 99 years are still pending that is she asked you to pray daily Rosary:
What is this Rosary?
Before Christianity, Hindus strung beads and used them to help count their prayers. Buddhist, Taoists and muslims have also used prayer beads to assist them in their private devotion. Hebrew used to tie 150 knots on a string to represent the 150 psalms of the Bible. According to pious catholic traditions, in the 13th century, Mary, the mother of God, appeared to St Dominique de Guzman, gave him a rosary and asked that instead op praying psalms on the beads or knots, the faithful pray the Hail Mary, our father and glory to be. Fifteen decades made up the original Dominican Rosary, but it was later abbreviated. A decade refers to 10 hail Mary's preceded by our father and ending with Glory Be. Today most Catholics used the 5 decade Rosary.
Last sunday, God revealed us when you are faithful to God, you can remove a mulberry tree and plant it in sea. In order for you to do that, you should develop faith with God. That means you treat God as master and you as servant. In order to treat God as master, you should follow his revealed truths, given in church traditions+follow his rules 10 commandments+avoid 7 deadly sins+ receive eucharist+carry out merciful actions.
Once you are faithful with God, do you need Mary or saints,for you to intercede God?. Today gospel clearly shown, when moses praying with raised arms battle is won. When his arms are tiered, other 2 supports to raise his hands.
Let's summaries today's readings:
1st reading Exodus: 17:8-13 says" as long as Moses keeps His arms raised to God in prayer,his people are successful in battle.
2nd reading Paul says to thimothians(2 Tim3:14-4:2)" all scripture is inspired by God: it is source of wisdom. Paul charges Timothy to preach this inspired word always.
Gospel Lk 18:1-8: to emphasize perseverance in payer, Jesus tells the parable of the widow who refuses to give up demanding her rights.
In order for us to reflect today's readings, let us first analyze:
What is praying?
Traditionally, Catholicism has 4 kinds of prayer.
(1) Adoration: Praising God
(2) Contrition: asking for God's forgiveness
(3) Petition: asking God for a favor
(4) Thanks giving: showing God gratitude
The church believes that the Holy mass is the highest and supreme form of prayer. So it has all 4 elements in it. Gloria is the adoration part, while the confiteor and penitential rite are the contrition part. The prayer of faithful also know as the general intercession, which is a prayer of petition. The thanks giving part comes after Holy communion, when gratitude is shown for all the graces given in mass.
How to pray?
You must never become defeatist in your prayer of petition. As long as Moses keep his arms raised in prayer to the Lord, his people are victorious in battle. When he drops his tired arms, they lose. Beside perseverance or consistent there are other important lessons in reading 1. It is obvious that God wants to hear us, but God obviously wants to asked. Again, we note the importance of the sign of raised up hands. Even word less signs can be prayer. Finally the reading brings up the importance of help in prayer. Moses could not have kept his hands outstretched without the help of Aron and Hur. It is a clear message, that more help we get from others in our prayer, the more effective it will be.
Answer to prayers:
While. God doesn't answer every prayer precisely as we want, HE does answer persistent prayer in a way that is help full for us. And the clue to what HE does is in the last sentence of today's gospel"if you then evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly father give the Holy spirit to those who ask HIM.(Lk 11:13).
Holy Spirit is given to us for 3 main reasons: as a source of guidance; is a source of resilience and strength, and as a consolation. HE comes to bring us through. Really,How often have you heard people say that God gave them the strength from somewhere? Our God is not deliberately deaf. HE tell us Himself that HE does listen
In conclusions:
Beneath the surface of celebration or normality in life, you have worry or anxiety or pain. If that is your state of mind, we pray that the Holy Spirit will bring you 2 of His greatest gifts; PEACE OF MIND AND THE GRACE TO COPE. And please don't loose your heart yourselves, as Matthew 11:6 says" BLESSED IS ANYONE WHO DOES NOT FIND ME A CAUSE OF FAILING"
Thank you
God bless you!
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