Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

I make no secret about my admiration for our first president, George Washington. If you were to visit me at my residence, you would discover a portrait of George in my living room, a depiction of his Mount Vernon home and George posed at a podium ready to address the nation. But my favorite is the one that hangs over the fireplace: George Washington kneeling in prayer. When Cardinal Francis George visited me, he exclaimed, “What is this, a shrine to George Washington?” 

It’s “tough” being a leader; I assure you, it doesn’t take seven degrees to figure that out. But one thing I am sure of is that every true leader knows that they must rely on a greater power to guide them through the most difficult times.

In the movie “Patton,” the general called upon the chaplain to pray to God for good weather, to complete the rescue of trapped American troops. It was beyond his control. It is also true that Rev. Martin Luther King, when his life was threatened over the phone by a racist, became frightened and feared that he lost his courage. He turned to prayer as he stated, “Lord I’m taking a stand for what I think is right. But now I’m afraid, terribly afraid. People are looking to me to lead them. But if I appear to be frightened, they too will become afraid. I am at the end of my rope. I don’t know what to do. I can no longer face this responsibility alone.”

In each of these instances, it is prayer that establishes our connectedness to God. This allows us to acquire the inner strength needed to fulfill our task.

We don’t have to be a president, military general or spiritual leader to know that only our reliance on the power of prayer will see us through the most difficult of situations. At the bedside of a sick family member, during a change in employment or any uncertainty in life, we should always turn to prayer. It is in prayer that we acknowledge God’s primacy in our lives and it is at these moments that we profoundly discover that God is for us and with us. After all, He sent us His Son in order for us to learn how to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the July 21, 2015 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.