Friday, July 29 , 2022
Feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
““Prayer begins by talking to God, but it ends by listening to Him. In the face of Absolute Truth, silence is the soul's language.”
The Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, 1895-1979
Dear Friend,
As we’ve hopefully discovered over these past months as Disciples Together on the Way, a deep life of prayer is the wellspring of our life as Christians. The Gospels repeatedly remind us that Jesus himself always prayed before he acted. Prayer came first. As with Christ, so with us.
Traditionally the Church has identified four types of prayer: Prayer of Adoration. Prayer of Contrition. Prayer of Thanksgiving, and, finally, Prayer of Supplication or, as it is often known, Prayer of Intercession. Today and over the next month, I want to teach you a little about the theory and the practice of this type of prayer: Prayer of Intercession.
Prayer of Intercession is a very particular form of prayer that asks for favors on behalf of another. Here is how the Catechism defines Intercession: “Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one intercessor with the Father on behalf of all men, especially sinners.” (CCC 2634)
It goes on to say that “Since Abraham, intercession – asking on behalf of another— has been characteristic of a heart attuned to God’s mercy. As member of the Church, the Body of Christ, our intercession participates in Christ’s, as an expression of the communion of saints.” (CCC 2635)
Call to mind Abraham in Genesis Chapter 18, Verses 16-33 who, when God was going to rain down fire and brimstone on Sodom because of the wickedness of that city, begged Him that if there were 50 righteous men in the city that he spare the entire city for the sake of the 50 righteous men. God promises that if He finds 50 righteous men in the city that He will spare the city for the sake of the 50. Abraham pushes God several more times, asking what if there are only 45 righteous men? Then he asks what if there are only 40, then 30, then 20. Then in fear and trembling he asks, what if only 10 righteous men are found in the city? Will you, God, spare the city for the sake of the 10 righteous men? God promises Abraham that if there are 10 righteous men in the city that he will spare it. Abraham’s continual prayer of intercession seeks God’s mercy again and again. That is what prayer of intercession does.
Abraham by Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) ca. 1408–10
What does it mean, though, to be attuned to God’s mercy? Does it mean that we cultivate mercy antennae, so-to-speak, that are always seeking places and situations for God to insert His mercy and calling His attention to those places? It’s not as if God NEEDS us to call His attention to anything. But God certainly wills us to do so and, by so doing, to participate in His saving work.
This mercy impulse brings divine dignity to our fallen human nature that so often seeks someone to blame or to highlight the bad and intolerable in people. It takes that negative perspective and changes it by opening our hearts to see that everyone is broken but also that everyone is a temple where God could dwell or dwell more supremely. Thus we beg God to visit each temple we encounter with His mercy.
What does it mean that “Christian intercession participates in Christ’s”? On the Cross as well as throughout his life Jesus interceded for us with the Heavenly Father. We who are baptized have been incorporated into Christ’s body — into His life and His mission. So, Jesus is asking us to pray with Him from the Cross, for those people we encounter, for each other and for the world: “Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.”
It is as if — when we intercede for someone — we are being vessels of God’s Divine Mercy, and Christ uses us to pour out that mercy — His mercy — into their lives.
So here is this week’s challenge: Ask a family member, a friend, or a stranger if there is anything you can pray for, then commit to praying for that intention for the week.
You may find it useful to start a prayer journal so that you can remind yourself of the intention each day and also note the insights and graces that God bestows upon your during your time of prayer.
Until next week, may God bless you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Yours in Christ,
+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Here's a video version of this week's challenge. Do share it with family and friends. Thank you.
Watch: Every year a merry band of Catholic teenagers from Christ the King parish in Ann Arbor travel over 50 miles north to Flint in order to run a summer camp for children at Saint Mary's church on the city's east side.
"So many children [here] don't have a way to get engaged during the summer, they're out of school, they're getting into trouble, they don't have a way to get a meal," explains Sister Rachel Benjamin of the Servants of God's Love who coordinates the Flint Summer Youth Mission.
"So we had this brilliant breakthrough Holy Spirit moment where we said 'Yes! Teens plus children, it's a match made in heaven," adding "that's [also] where we meet Jesus to -- they meet him in us and we meet him in them."
The Flint Summer Youth Mission helps local kids to have fun while also learning more about Jesus Christ. The mission runs one day every week for four weeks in the summer. It is provided for free and is sustained by donations and volunteers organized through Christ the King which is the sister parish of the Catholic Community of Flint. Watch this video to find out more.
Read: Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing has publicly expressed his appreciation to Jim Harbaugh after the University of Michigan’s head football coach braved public opinion to articulate his opposition to abortion.
“Jim Harbaugh has eloquently spoken-up for two of the most vulnerable groups in our society: mothers in crisis pregnancy situations and their unborn children. What is more, he has done so with great courage, compassion and, indeed, common-sense,” said Bishop Boyea, July 28.
“Across the Diocese of Lansing, there will be many people – and not just Catholics – who are enormously encouraged by Coach Harbaugh’s public witness to the sanctity of human life. For that he has our gratitude and, of course, our prayers.”
Coach Harbaugh, who is a Catholic and a parishioner within the Diocese of Lansing, was a keynote speaker at the Plymouth Right to Life fundraising dinner on July 17, 15 miles down the road from the University of Michigan, where he himself played college football and has been head coach since 2015.
The theme of the evening was “We Were Made to be Courageous.” Coach Harbaugh talked about the courage needed in today’s society for individuals to be able to stand up for their convictions.
“I believe in having the courage to let the unborn be born,” he said, according to the Detroit Catholic. “I love life. I believe in having a loving care and respect for life and death. My faith and my science are what drive these beliefs in me.”
“Quoting from Jeremiah, ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'”
Coach Harbaugh’s wife, Sarah Harbaugh, also shared her pro-life testimony during the event and spoke of how they promote their values as a married couple.
Following the publication of his comments, Jim Harbaugh was subject to some criticism on social media from pro-abortion advocates. Despite this, the Michigan Wolverines’ head coach chose to elaborate on his stance.
Following the publication of his comments, Jim Harbaugh was subject to some criticism on social media from pro-abortion advocates. Despite this, the Michigan Wolverines’ head coach chose to elaborate on his stance.
In an interview with sports broadcaster, ESPN, July 26, Coach Harbaugh shared how he has told his family, players, and staff members that if they found themselves in an unplanned pregnancy and could not take care of the baby then he and his wife would raise the child.
"I've told [them] the same thing I tell my kids, boys, the girls, same thing I tell our players, our staff members. I encourage them if they have a pregnancy that wasn't planned, to go through with it, go through with it," Coach Harbaugh said.
"Let that unborn child be born and if at that time, you don't feel like you can care for it, you don't have the means or the wherewithal, then Sarah and I will take that baby."
He added, "Any player on our team, any female staff member or any staff member or anybody in our family or our extended family that doesn't feel like after they have a baby they can take care of it, we got a big house. We'll raise that baby."
• Additional reporting courtesy of Catholic News Agency
Read: FAITH Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Father Dwight Ezop, has just celebrated 25 years of priesthood. Congratulations Father Ezop. Ad multos annos!
In the latest edition of FAITH, Father Ezop is interviewed about his quarter of a century as a priest. What has been his biggest joy as a priest?
"The Eucharist. And the people. These two joys are interlinked in such amazing ways. The people think that we are the holy ones, but they’re the holy ones who inspire us priests," says Father Ezop.
"The biggest surprise to me was the blessing of the Sacrament of Reconciliation – when people need forgiveness, it’s there. I’ve seen them walk in hurt and walk out healed. It has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with God’s power in that sacrament." To read Father Ezop's interview in full, click here.
