When Feeling
the Need to Pray
When Feeling The Need To Pray...
To pray is to talk to God. He should be the centrepoint of our life, constantly in our thoughts. If you really want to know him He is found in His Word. His word is there everyday in the readings of Mass. The bible is the story of God's revelation of Himself to man.
Set time aside each day to read the bible particularly the New Testament. Read prayerfully and ask God to open your mind to understand his Word, to show you how to apply it in your daily life.
St Jerome told us - unless you understand the Word, you will never understand the Eucharist. Each precious Mass contains the Word of God and the Eucharist. What a wonderful gift from our Saviour. How he loves us. How can we refuse His invitation. Our souls cry out for His love.
The Word of God has the power not only to inform - but to reform and transform lives. It has the power to heal. Through its influence countless people have been given the strength, an unerring purpose and a sure hope in life. To the dying it has brought peace and an assurance of eternal life. It has brought blessing to millions in every land and age.
It also brings news of the harsh reality of sin.
Whilst we like to or have a tendency to ignore it these days, Revelation 21, tells us who will be saved but 21;8 tells us 'But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulpher.
In John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him 'if you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'
In John 6:51 Jesus tells us
'I am the living bread that came down from heaven. if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever.
What a loving God we have. Reading the bible , understanding and keeping his word, true Confession of sins and receiving his body on a regular basis will surely guarantee for us eternal salvation. He has assured us of this.
The sacrifice on Calvary was sufficent to save all. However in Mark 24 in His own words when He instituted the Eucharist Jesus said, 'This is the Blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many'. It is these words that are reflected in the new translation of the Mass
Let us therefore be his disciples by our knowledge of his Word, his Eucharist and His love for us.
God has chosen certain times and places to to enable people to experience in a special way his presence and his grace. Such a place is the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Krakow. To this place millions of people from all over the world make pilgrimages. For those who cannot come and yet desire to unite themselves in prayer in this place, the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy have prepared a 24 hour online transmission from the chapel where the miraculous image of Merciful Jesus and the tomb of St Faustina are found.
