Monday, October 29, 2007

Use me

I had wanted to look up all sorts of references on this, to encourage myself and my readers who share my faith. Perhaps I may yet, but I wanted to put this out there sooner rather than later, and at the moment, I don't know that I have the energy to do the kind of formal study that I'd really have in mind.

What I am offering is this: please, friends, let me pray for you. Our Lord's was a life of suffering, and he applied this suffering to our spiritual benefit. Those of us who follow him and are called to suffer are invited to participate in his suffering, and I am convinced that God may empower my earthly suffering to my spiritual gain and the spiritual gain of those for whom I pray.

I know that people are hesitant to burden me with their troubles, figuring that I may just have troubles enough of my own. Yet as I have become aware that people really do want to help me -- and I have to be humble and let them, for both our goods, fighting every instinct in my body that suggests I can do it myself -- I hope people will let me help them. I trust that my prayers, at this time, as I suffer and share my sufferings with Our Lord, sharing also in his, may just carry a weight beyond what they may at other times and places. Please, let me pray for you.

4 comments:

Steve said...

I'll take you up on that! Please pray for spiritual discipline and growth in my life; closeness and love within my family; and healthy spiritual, social, emotional, and intellectual development for my children.

Thanks...

Dennis said...

I'm on it.

Dennis said...

Dear Friends,

I don't necessarily intend for this to be a long list for public consumption -- if you're comfortable listing your concerns for all to see, by all means do so. If you'd rather not, you can just e-mail me. But again, I believe there is power in the prayer of the suffering -- whether mine or whoever -- and I believe this because this is the model of Our Lord. God bless,

Dennis

Anonymous said...

Hi Dennis,
Eloise here (Laura's mom). I am so inspired by the blog you have written. I especially like your quotes of St. Thomas. Thanks for your offer of prayers and please remember us as Laura begins her new family. We are here now to be with Laura as she begins her family.