Unexpected Prayers

Mary, Immaculately Conceived, pray for us! Maria, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, ruega por nosotros! These are invocations for St. Mary’s intercession that we need to be invoke these days. First, we ought to do it because the proper feasts occur this week. Secondly, Mary is the great intercessor who prays for her Son’s family of faith, the Church. Thirdly, Mary, most pure, is the patroness of the United States, Nicaragua, and the Philippines and thus we need her protective intercession. And, Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, is the patroness of Mexico and other Latin American countries, as well as the Patroness of All the Americas. In these times of COVID-19 and the subsequent difficulties, disease, economic loss, and death, we need to be reminded that Mary, Our Mother, is praying for us to bear the burdens. We need the assurance of her prayers for us, always. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and [until] at the hour of our death. Amen.

Thanksgiving Day, after the end of the 9:00 Mass, after everyone had left, three homeless men came to the doors. They needed to use the bathroom. So, we let them in. One of the men is well-known to me. He introduced me to the other two. They were very grateful for access to the bathrooms. One of them was very inquisitive about the church and our faith. He stepped into the church itself and was amazed at its size and beauty. The other was telling me about the death of his mother some years ago and his sadness. I told him that he ought to ask her to pray for him. He looked at me with surprise. That idea had not occurred to him. The other man overheard me and with surprise said, “You can do that? Ask dead people to pray for you?” I said that people have done it for thousands of years. We ask the saints to pray for us all the time. I explained that this is the reason we have statues, paintings, and stained glass windows of the saints.

Then, the man surprised me and asked if I would pray a blessing over the three men. I did so. Then, he asked if the three of them could pray a blessing over me. I accepted. He started to pray and I felt his sincerity. But, he kept praying and praying, and I knew that one man had not yet used the bathroom. So, when the man paused in his prayer I said, “Through Christ our Lord,” and we all said “Amen.” I told him that we needed to conclude, because there were practical things that needed to be completed! He understood as his friend hurried to the bathroom.

Peace, Fr. Andy