Forgive me if I already posted this, but I don't think I did.
A few months ago, I found a little gem of a book in the “free” stuff outside our Adoration chapel. The little book is a book of Carmelite mediations. It has no copyright, but it does have a Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur from 1965. As I glanced through the meditation titles, one particular one caught my attention. It was titled “Praying Backwards.” As soon as I read it, I knew it was too good to keep to my...self.
PRAYING BACKWARDS
We can never have too much confidence in the good God; He is so mighty and so merciful; as we hope in Him, so shall we receive." St. Therese
There is no such thing as time in God's sight. Time is only for us to use as a path to eternity. For God there is no past or future; all persons and events are before His eyes this present moment and every moment. Christ, as we know, was comforted by our love and reparation as well as grieved by our sins during His Passion. This thought should be a great consolation to us, especially when we are worried about the salvation of a loved one. Was that soul prepared for death? . . . Did I pray enough? . . . Did I sacrifice enough? ... If only I had done more we say to ourselves anxiously over and over again. In¬stead of grieving as one who has no hope, we should realize that there is still time to pray and will be time as long as we live.
Let us trust then in God's eternal mercy and pray and sacrifice as though that loved one were still on earth. No matter how great our love for that soul, God's love is infinitely greater. He sees our tears, He hears our prayers, and He will judge with a just but loving judgment.
I think it is very comforting to know this, especially when praying for those who have committed suicide. How consoling to know we can still pray for their eternal salvation.
A few months ago, I found a little gem of a book in the “free” stuff outside our Adoration chapel. The little book is a book of Carmelite mediations. It has no copyright, but it does have a Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur from 1965. As I glanced through the meditation titles, one particular one caught my attention. It was titled “Praying Backwards.” As soon as I read it, I knew it was too good to keep to my...self.
PRAYING BACKWARDS
We can never have too much confidence in the good God; He is so mighty and so merciful; as we hope in Him, so shall we receive." St. Therese
There is no such thing as time in God's sight. Time is only for us to use as a path to eternity. For God there is no past or future; all persons and events are before His eyes this present moment and every moment. Christ, as we know, was comforted by our love and reparation as well as grieved by our sins during His Passion. This thought should be a great consolation to us, especially when we are worried about the salvation of a loved one. Was that soul prepared for death? . . . Did I pray enough? . . . Did I sacrifice enough? ... If only I had done more we say to ourselves anxiously over and over again. In¬stead of grieving as one who has no hope, we should realize that there is still time to pray and will be time as long as we live.
Let us trust then in God's eternal mercy and pray and sacrifice as though that loved one were still on earth. No matter how great our love for that soul, God's love is infinitely greater. He sees our tears, He hears our prayers, and He will judge with a just but loving judgment.
I think it is very comforting to know this, especially when praying for those who have committed suicide. How consoling to know we can still pray for their eternal salvation.
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