A Heaven Sent Comment

Just when I thought my blog wasn’t being as effective as I hope to make it, I got a comment from an old friend and co-worker today:  “I haven’t been here in a while but I remember our talks and still have the Rosary that you gave me.” He signed it “Anonymous”, but I know exactly who it is and I am grateful for the timing of his comment.  He may not realize it, but this simple comment provoked me to a deeper meditation on the Gospel than I’ve had in quite a few weeks with the hope that he will read today’s entry and use that rosary I gave him.  It’s such a powerful prayer!  And it was given to us by our Blessed Mother herself to bring us closer to Jesus Christ through meditations and reflections on His life, death and resurrection.  I'm quite sure the Holy Spirit used this comment (and by extension, my friend) to help me realize I've been getting lazy in my meditations. 

Normally, I would be praying the Joyful mysteries on a Monday night.  But since tomorrow’s gospel is Luke’s account of the Transfiguration (Luke 9: 28b-36), I thought that tonight I’d meditate on the Luminous mysteries….at least on a particular part of the account:

"Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray.  While He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white."

I can imagine the dazzling white garment.  I can picture Jesus' face transfigured so brilliantly that only a divine power could transform it.  But these aren’t the point of the gospel.   Jesus didn't go up the mountain to put on a show.   Rather, Jesus "went up a mountain to pray."  And furthermore, this fantastic transformation occurred "While he was praying."  Prayer, then, was the matrix for the Transfiguration.  Prayer was the "takeoff" point of this supernatural event.

Every time Jesus prayed, something "ignited."  Not always so dramatically, but always His communication with His Father was powerful, like touching a lit match to gasoline.

When we pray, we too can "ignite" supernatural communication with God.  It needn't be dramatic.  It may not even be verbal, or visible.  It can be as quiet as a thought, as unnoticeable as the blink of an eye.  But does God see us?  Yes!  Does God hear us?  Definitely!  Does God understand our hearts, as well as our words?  Absolutely!  And is it worth it?  Totally!

Whenever I get in a “prayer slump” all I need to do is ask Jesus to help me.  ‘Lord, help me to pray, right now, even if only for a moment.  Lord, You have taught us how to pray in so many ways, with the help of the Holy Spirit, with the words of the "Our Father" with our hearts and our hands, just to name a few.’

We may not "go up a mountain" to pray.  We may not have our clothing turn dazzling white.  We may not even have our facial expressions change.  But prayer always, ALWAYS changes things.

Prayer changes US.  It changes our hearts.  It can change our circumstances, or the way we look at things.  So, Anonymous, don’t just remember that I gave you a rosary.  Pick it up once in a while and remember me in your prayers, won’t you?