Prayerful Presence

In your charity, would you please say a prayer for Scott, Bob and Marlene? All are facing serious medical problems and have asked for prayers. Scott underwent surgery for cancer and his young son is already dealing with issues of loss;Bob is awaiting a heart transplant, and Marlene is awaiting test results after having symptoms notoriously linked to cancer. Sometimes I worry because now when anything happens at work, people come to me to ask me to pray for them. Not everyone is going to get the answer they seek, so all I can do is ask God to grant them what they ask for and if, in His Divine Wisdom, He sees fit to do otherwise, I beg that He will grant them the grace to accept what He has willed. Why do I say I worry? Because I don't want people to think of my prayers as if they're some kind of magic. A co-worker who is not religious and did not even baptize her children recently asked me about my brown scapular. I was disappointed when she asked me one day if I wanted to wave it over someone who was giving me fits. Her ignorant remark lead me to believe she didn't understand what I told her at all and that she was mocking the significance of the scapular. On the other hand, the fact that so many people do ask for my prayers tells me that I have been a satisfactory witness to the faith and have, through the grace of God, demonstrated my commitment.

Another thing happens after people who don't know me have been around me for awhile. They are very careful not to take the Lord's name in vain in my presence and they're also careful about their language. The latter doesn't bother so me much as the former. A priest once told me that every time we hear someone use the Lord's name in a profanity that we should stop immediately and offer some ejaculation of love, such as "My God, I love You!". It's a good practice, well worthy of exercising whenever the opportunity arises.