"Heavenly Father, walk with me today, and grant that I may hear your footsteps and gladly follow where they lead. Talk with me today and grant that I may hear your tender voice, and quicken to its counsel. Stay with me today and grant that I may feel your gentle presence in all I do, say, and think. Be my strength when I weaken, my courage when I fear. Help me to know that it is your hand holding mine through all hours of the day. And when night falls, grant that I may know I rest in your Sacred Heart. Amen"
Anointing of the Sick - I must say that growing up I never thought I would receive this sacrament until I was a frail, wrinkly old man, but God had other plans for me and being anointed for the first time on Saturday was a beautiful thing. Fr. Daniel, with his normal scatter-brained humor and prayers anointed both Sarah and I. Jesson was with and also provided from Blessed Sacrament a "prayer shawl" but rather than making it a shawl they did kind of a mini blanket or a ginormous scarf. This is one of the ministries at BSac and a sign and remembrance that the whole community is in prayer for my healing and the healing of others afflicted with pain. On the shawl is also a medal of St. Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer patients. Also, with some Divine Providence, Jesson was just given a small piece of cloth that was blessed and touched to a relic of St. Peregrine.
My healing has begun and my strength has grown to allow me to endure this challenging road. Perhaps I will weaken, but with the strength of prayer, power of the Holy Spirit, and positive spirit I will overcome. I believe that the anointing, both on Saturday and then again on Monday night with Fr. Jordan has given me the mental, spiritual, and physical strength to endure today.
Sarah and I were talking this morning and I'm ready to go in and start the medical part of the healing. I'm not excited since this treatment makes you sick to make you better, but I'm not anxious like I was a few days ago. Prayer has brought me beyond that. The grief has wore off, the sadness and uncertainty has lessened, and the time to beat this is here. I believe it is this acceptance that will help me through the day and upcoming days. Acceptance for me helps me to give it all up to St. Peregrine, Mary, and Jesus to heal me.
I appreciate all of the prayers. Never stop. It will heal me and it will heal you as well. He is amazing. I know I have a ways to go to completely open my heart, but I was once told that "Every saint had a past and every sinner has a future."
This is the end of the prayer from above that my dad passed along (his mom gave it to him):
"My child, I love you" Trust me! I know what you need to be healed. I will supply the means and the opportunities, all I ask of you is willingness. Live this moment in my love.
Live is too short. Make sure to find happiness in every day. Smell the roses. Today my rose might stink like poisonous drugs, but I'm still alive in well, won't be able to say the same about other cells in me :-)
Keep praying!!
Andrew
Always praying. "No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it."
ReplyDelete1 Corinthians 10:13
God bless you, AJ, and your lovely wife, too. May your spirit gain much strength through your human weakness--for in our weakness is His strength made perfect.