Prayer, Affection, and Love

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Prayer, Affection, and Love

Relationships are a tricky thing. On my own, I am separated from other people, and separated especially from those close to me. My husband, my family, my dear friends. Not to mention acquaintances and those I meet. We are all isolated, one from another.

I don’t care whether you think the separation comes from fear, anxiety, anger, or coldness. Apathy, or indifference. That isolation can also be called sin. God provides a remedy for that separation. God encourages togetherness, affection, caring, and love. Thank You, God.

Dear Lord, I know I have a problem with sin. With separation and isolation from You (vertically) and from others (horizontally). Thank You for the possibility for love. Love from You, and love from others. Help me to care for others, especially for my dear ones. Allow each of us to be warm and affectionate in our relationships, instead of cold, heartless, apathetic and uninterested. Please, Lord, support each of us in our commitment to others, and give each one a portion of Your endless, abundant love. In Jesus’s precious, transformative name, amen.

@chaplaineliza

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Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

Through Two Women

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Saturday, December 12, 2015

Icon of the Visitation

Through Two Women

It’s true. The Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament are heavily male-centered. When I think of the events listed in both testaments, the bulk of the activities involve men (with the occasional boy). Even the few women listed are almost always spoken of in relation to a man: Abraham’s wife, Sarah; Judah’s daughter-in-law, Tamar; Samuel’s mother, Hannah; Mordecai’s cousin, Esther; Aquila’s wife, Priscilla; Jesus’ mother, Mary.

Today’s reading in this Advent meditation is about Mary, though. Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. Henri Nouwen says, “God has come to [these two women] to begin the salvation promised through the ages. Through these two women, God has decided to change the course of history.” [1]

Not only does God shake the earth and change history through these two women, but God does it in a way that lifts up community, togetherness, and friendship.

Yes, Mary helped Elizabeth become more understanding of what it meant to be the mother of “the prophet of the Most High.” (Luke 1:76) And, Elizabeth not only aided Mary in learning more about what it meant to be the mother of “the Son of the Most High,” (Luke 1:32) but also to draw together in community. In friendship. In relationship, one with another. Yes, both were pregnant. And both assisted each other in a positive, encouraging, helpful way.

Today is the feast day of our Lady of Guadalupe. Whether we observe this feast day with special thanksgivings or acknowledge it as a day to remember Mary, the mother of Jesus, I suspect Fr. Nouwen would encourage us in carrying out the Advent Action of today’s meditation. “Offer gentle assistance to someone in your environment who is in need: of praise, of a good word, of day-brightening laughter.”

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] Advent and Christmas: Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen (Linguori, Missouri: Redemptorist Pastoral Publications, 2004), 28.