“I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Phillipians:4, 6-7
In Maria Shriver’s weekly newsletter, “Sunday Paper” on November 7th, 2021, she took the opportunity of her birthday to reflect on her life-lessons. She entitled the edition, Let’s Light the Way. I read it several times. I sent it to my children and to several of my friends. I read it out loud to my hubby, Sandy. I then copied it and stored a copy of it in my Pages documents.
I guess you can figure out that I loved it; actually loved it. I found it meaningful, it filled my heart with all the good things I like to feel, hope, faith, joy, strength, gratitude and compassion, not just for myself but for humankind. One of the many wisdoms she shared was that she daily calls on “God, Mother Mary and her Guardian Angels for guidance.” I too ask for daily guidance from my Holy Family and always say “thank you” to my Guardian Angel for all the hard work she has had to do to keep me on God’s path or to get me back to it.
I haven’t written a blog in a long time. I keep getting muddled by my feelings around our “war on Covid.” I have met people who claim this virus has not had any effect on the way they live their lives. I believe, however, that they are the exception. It seems to me that most people, myself included are still struggling to find solid ground after having the rug pulled out from under us. I’m such a proponent of choosing our perception of our experiences but I think there are some events we need to fully experience, both the good and the hard, before we can view it from the sunny side. For me, this pandemic fits that category.
In speaking with a few dear friends about Covid, I have found myself sharing the blessings we’ve experienced but always adding an apology for sharing the upside of what we have found during this time, especially when we have had so many deaths and so much more suffering through this pandemic. Yes, there have been struggles for me too, loss even but I still find myself focusing on the blessings.
I have a young neighbor who is dealing with metastatic lung cancer. She’s been on this journey now for almost three years. Her husband provides us with updates and always includes a scripture quote with them. They are a very faith-filled family. Phillipians:4, 6-7 was one of the first ones they shared with us. It’s also one of the first I ever memorized. When I read it I knew that’s how I wanted to feel when I asked Jesus to help me or my loved ones and friends. I wanted to let go of the anxiety and feel “the peace that transcends all understanding.” One of the updates we received from our friend's husband was that she had recently shared with him that “this had been the best two years of her life.” She wanted him to tell us how meaningful it had been for her to be so cared for and about.
I’ve recently taken up a new prayer, “Merciful Father, in the name of our loving Jesus and our Holy Mother, all our angels and saints, I ask you to set me on fire with the spirit of your love and to give me the grace to deeply love you.” Truly, I don’t know if it’s my age and because I know my days before me are far less than my days past or if I’ve been given this gift of time to continue to work on my relationship with Christ, but lately there has been a shift and I am grateful.
I’ve carried my faith around in my head now for decades. I’ve prayed for years that it would overtake my heart. The examples of faith-filled friends and acquaintances have helped me with my intention, like that of my young neighbor. I know well the practice of “turning ‘it’ over to God” and I know that for me, I usually have to do that over and over and even then it may not happen. I still feel I need to be in control but what if, what if I could really and truly let go of my concerns and even in the middle of a dreadful diagnosis, think that because of my Lord and Savior I am still having the best time of my life? I want that. I crave that. The older I become, the more I feel I need that.
Because of this desire, my studies have become even more faith focused. I have always been a fan of good inspirational material and have for my whole adult life, focused on material that inspire and uplift. It’s still true but I am steadily choosing information that reaffirms my desire to believe my God is not a god of history and instead is a living God, here and now present in this world. I began reading, Miracles Today by Craig S. Keener.” 
It enthralled me. I knew extraordinary miracles (Is that an oxymoron?) happen in places like Lourdes and Fatima and even unofficial places like Medjugorje but I have never heard of the miracles reported and confirmed like the ones in this book. I have visited one church in Quebec, St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal where crutches line the entry but I thought that was ancient history. I now find out, miracles are happening daily and I don’t mean the miracles of the sun rising or the leaves turning color. I mean the type of miracles where the blind see, the deaf hear, the crippled and maimed, are made whole; mind boggling events! I needed to hear this news. I needed to know there was concrete evidence of Jesus’ continued presence in this world today. Yes, all the miracles in “Miracles Today” happen in the name of Jesus. Not everyone healed is a Christian or even a person of faith but everyone healed is healed because of prayers to Jesus Christ. I have never actually asked for healing for someone in Jesus’ name. I have prayed for so many for their well-being, for their health, for remission, strength, hope. I have, however, never asked for a miracle and I’m not sure my prayer would affect that change but I have decided to give it my best. “In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask that you be fully healed.” It’s a prayer I’ve taken into my heart. I know it may not happen but I do believe that Jesus is alive today and perhaps my heart-felt prayer may happen and even create another miracle that Craig Keener can add to his list in his book. Now, that would be an amazing way to see a serious challenge turn into a blessing.
It enthralled me. I knew extraordinary miracles (Is that an oxymoron?) happen in places like Lourdes and Fatima and even unofficial places like Medjugorje but I have never heard of the miracles reported and confirmed like the ones in this book. I have visited one church in Quebec, St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal where crutches line the entry but I thought that was ancient history. I now find out, miracles are happening daily and I don’t mean the miracles of the sun rising or the leaves turning color. I mean the type of miracles where the blind see, the deaf hear, the crippled and maimed, are made whole; mind boggling events! I needed to hear this news. I needed to know there was concrete evidence of Jesus’ continued presence in this world today. Yes, all the miracles in “Miracles Today” happen in the name of Jesus. Not everyone healed is a Christian or even a person of faith but everyone healed is healed because of prayers to Jesus Christ. I have never actually asked for healing for someone in Jesus’ name. I have prayed for so many for their well-being, for their health, for remission, strength, hope. I have, however, never asked for a miracle and I’m not sure my prayer would affect that change but I have decided to give it my best. “In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask that you be fully healed.” It’s a prayer I’ve taken into my heart. I know it may not happen but I do believe that Jesus is alive today and perhaps my heart-felt prayer may happen and even create another miracle that Craig Keener can add to his list in his book. Now, that would be an amazing way to see a serious challenge turn into a blessing.
