Jesus Among Us
Sep
7
Written by:
Sunday, September 07, 2008
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 7, 2008
Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst
Matthew 18:20
As a priest, I can't count the number of times I have prayed at the bedside of a sick or dying person. Often, if the family is present, we will gather together around the bed, holding hands, the sick person in the middle as we begin to pray.
Christ promises us two things when we join together and pray "in his name": one, that we shall obtain what we ask for, and two, that he will be in our midst. We will always obtain what we ask for if we ask in faith and it is God's will; it will not, however, always be granted in this life. God has an eternity in which to answer our prayers, and if it is best that we wait to obtain what we desire, then we must wait. Also, in light of our Lord's promise of granting our requests, it is best to be careful what we are asking for.
The Lord promises to always be in our midst when we pray in his name. Seen in this light, the sick person we are praying around is suddenly revealed to be Christ himself, for it was Christ who said, I was sick, and you visited me." Matthew 25:36
Whenever we pray with others, Christ promises to be among us. But he will often take the face of the stranger, or the sick, or the relative in trouble that we are praying for.
Saint Edward has a very valuable ministry called the prayer chain. Members of the parish commit themselves to praying for others in need by name for a period of time. In this way, though not physically connected, these intercessors are gathered in Christ's name. He is revealed among us as being present in the very sick people that are being lifted up for prayer. At the same time, those who are praying are bringing Christ to the person who is sick, even though they are not physically present. Intercessory prayer is a truly great ministry.
If you or someone you love is in serious need of prayer, please let us know so that they may be lifted up in prayer for a period of time. You may do this by calling the prayer chain coordinators, Nancy Lamb 503-390-6852 or Cecile Beckerman 503-393-5041. Perhaps you may feel called by the Lord to be a part of our prayer-team. This type of ministry, which can be done at home, is so valuable to others. Please let us know if you would like to join.
Father Gary