Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

As believers, we understand the power of prayer. When someone is going through hardships, or confronted with a critical situation, a family member or friend will usually offer the consoling words, “I’m praying for you.”

Prayer is not a passive action; on the contrary, it is opening ourselves up to be used as instruments of God. It’s calling upon him to assist us, always with the supreme confidence that he will respond.

Fr. Mark Link, S.J. is renowned for his mission of helping people to pray through his extensive collection of writings. Personally, I enjoy his yearlong daily prayer reflection called “Vision: Praying Scripture in a Contemporary Way.” These writings encourage prayer, and in response, tens of thousands of people gather in small groups to reflect and pray.

Today, as we gather to pray, I’m sharing the words of 19th century novelist, Edward Roe, a resource for Fr. Link’s illustrated daily homilies. This is a reminder to us all of the importance of prayer.

“To a certain extent God gives the prayerful control of himself, and becomes their willing agent; and when all the mysteries are solved, and the record of all lives truthfully revealed, it will probably be seen that not those who astonished the world with their powers but those who quietly, through prayer, used God’s power will be the ones who made the world move forward.”

On this eleventh day of our “Fortnight for Freedom,” let us use the power of prayer to move us forward with confidence. We are God’s instruments, called to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Note: This blog originally appeared as a special July 1, 2012 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki for the "Fortnight for Freedom" observance. If you are interested in signing up for these emails, please click here.