Learning to Pray with the Heart - Part 4

Even in our deepest pain, we must learn to forgive ourselves for not being perfect.  We must forgive ourselves when we sin.  We must seek a reunion with God through the sacrament of confession.  When reconciled with God, forgiveness of self opens the heart to God. God’s healing graces flow into the heart, opening that heart to a closer union with Him.  As we grow closer to God, we desire to be a  source of honor and glory for Him in our lives. Through prayer with heart, we find God.  With an open heart, God is able to work in our souls, molding us and changing us bringing us closer to sanctification.

When we sin, and never doubt that each of us will sin again, praise God for the gift of His Mercy.  God’s Infinite, Divine Mercy is another gift to mankind. Our God is a God of Love and Forgiveness, but we must seek this gift. Pray, ”Lord, forgive me."  Next, seek reconciliation in the confessional.  As difficult as confessing our sins might be, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the absolution of the priest, we are granted both pardon and peace.  Through the spiritual direction of the priest in the confessional, God speaks to us and sends healing graces as He speaks to us through the priest. Pardon and peace.  When our hearts are at  peace, God draws us deeper into His Most Sacred Heart.  Grace upon grace.  Blessing upon blessing.  Prayer opens the heart and gives us peace. 

For some, to pray with heart is simple.  Those blessed souls enter into God's Presence with great humility and love.   For most souls, the journey is challenging and filled with steep mountains to climb and deep valleys to navigate. Through the sacrament of confession, each fall from grace is forgiven, if we seek reconciliation with a sincere heart.  God, like the loving Father He is, gives us the chance to walk in His ways.  The final stop in our journey is heaven.  With God's infinite graces, and with the barriers that sin removed, our souls grow in prayer of the heart.  Prayer allows God’s mercies to flow freely.  Prayer of the heart is love.

My Lord, My God, My All!
I praise You and I thank You for all that You have given me.
I praise You and I thank You for all that You have not given me.
I praise You and I thank You for Your forgiveness.
I ask that You bless me and my family.
I ask that You bless those I love and those I don't love.
I ask You that You to heal me and heal those I love and those I don't love.
Bring us all into Your Mystical Body
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We are yours.  We open our hearts to You and Your healing.
Thank You, Father.
Thank You, Jesus, our Brother and King.
Thank You, Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
May Your Will be done.
Amen.

Learning to Pray with the Heart - Part 3

We must bless and forgive those who have harmed us.  God will be their judge just as He will be our judge.  We must forgive.  When we feel that cannot bless those who have hurt us, then we must ask God to bless them. We must ask God to forgive us and bless our enemies.  When we do this, we entrust our hurt and pain and healing to God,  knowing He will work in our lives and in their lives, and we will all be closer to His Sacred Heart.  Your forgiveness will save souls.  In return, you will be blessed.

When we lift up forgiving hearts to God, our burdens are lessened. Our hearts are more open to God.  Our thoughts are not on our pain, our thoughts seek our God who is Love Eternal.  We begin to pray with our hearts.

 At last, God has the chance to work in our lives.  We are open to His Unending Love.  We seek God's Will in our lives.  No longer do we demand that God work in our lives according to our thoughts and desires.  We give God the opening in our hearts to fill them with His Love and wait for Him to heal that which needs healing. 

To demand that God do our will places God in a secondary position in our lives.  This is sin, but God's Love is everlasting and unending.  His forgiveness is Love.  Through the sacrament of confession, we can ask God for forgiveness, and this gift will be granted when our repentance is sincere.  Through the absolution of the priest in the confessional, we are once again reconciled to our Triune God.

Lord, this is harder than I thought it would be.  I want grow in Your Love and Graces.  Thank You for this chance.  I am having a hard time forgiving.  I can only say that I choose to forgive those who have hurt me.  I still hurt, but if this is Your Will for me, I accept the pain for Love of You and Love of Souls.  I ask You to bless those who have hurt me.  I ask You to give them the graces you give to Your most beloved souls.  Lord, I am yours.  I do forgive.  Give me the strength.  Thank you.

Learning to Pray with the Heart - Part 2

When we pray with the heart, God will be in your heart.  Open your heart to Him.  Listen for His silence.  Feel His Love envelope you.  Draw closer to His Sacred Heart.  Be an intercessor for those who need you. 

You know that lady that sings loudly and off key at church?  As others complain about the distractions she creates, intercede for her and them before the Throne of God.  You know that cousin you don't like, that neighbor who drives you insane, the child of your heart who causes you great anxiety?  Pray for them, opening your heart, so that you may be a source of grace for them.  By loving our sisters and brothers in Christ, forgiving them, and praying for them, God’s love pours down on humanity when we bring these souls to God.

Forgive them their faults.  Small things are easy to forgive.  We can overlook the unkind comment of our best friend who had a rough day.  We can forgive  the mom with 3 small children at the grocery store who is not able to control her small children when they crash their cart into yours.  These things are easy to forgive.  Say a quiet prayer asking Our Loving God to bless them and strengthen them.  Remember, forgiveness begins with a decision to forgive.  The emotions will follow later.

When the hurts are grievous, we must forgive.  When those we trusted with our love  and life cause us the greatest pain and sorrow, we must forgive.    We must forgive the deep, unspoken hurts.  There are no injuries beyond forgiveness, although many of these wounds feel this way.  When the pain is intense, we must forgive.  Forgiveness sets us free and brings us, and those who have injured us, to God.  Forgiveness begins with the decision to forgive.  Ask God for the grace to let go of the hurt and pain.  Invite the Holy Spirit into your heart to heal your soul.  When you do this, you open the door for God’s healing and mercy.

To pray with the heart, we must peel off the layers of pain and sorrow.  We must let go and let God heal these wounds.  When anger and bitterness eat at our souls, the loving, living waters of God's graces fall on dry soil.  When we forgive, and forgiveness begins with the words, "I forgive”… our hearts open and healing begins.  Even when the emotions are raw and painful, the soothing balm of God’s love fills the cracks and crevices in our souls.  God knows our hearts.  The emotions will be soothed, in time, with God's healing graces, but we must begin with the words, "I forgive..." 

Next, we must pray for and bless those who have hurt us grievously.  As unfair as this might seem, we must be intercessors for all of God’s children.  Forgiveness comes with time. You must forgive those who hurt you, often many times a day or many times an hour.  God’s unending love will envelope you in the loving graces you need to forgive.  He will soothe your aching heart.  He will pour His balm of love into your soul.  He is a God of love.  He is a God of healing.  He is the great I AM.

After forgiveness, healing begins.  As we are healed, our hearts are begin to open to God and His Ways.  His ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.  He knows what is best for us.  When we acknowledge His greatness, we come to Him in humility, with an open heart.  This humility allows God to draw us closer into His Sacred Heart.

Lord, I am broken.  I am in pain.  Forgiveness is so difficult, but I choose to forgive.  I ask You for the graces to let go of the pain, to let go of the hurt, to let go of the anger.  Lord, I choose You.  I am Yours.  You shed Your blood for me.  I thank You for the gift of salvation. Lord, I am Yours.  Help me.  Thank You!