The United Nations tells us that there are 195 countries in the world. In this 20th year of our Lay Fast for Priests, Catholics, in numbers that can't be counted, from every one of these countries have participated in this year's Lay Fast for all priests, those who were, those who are, those who are yet to be ordained.
When the sun rose over New Zealand yesterday, October 18, the first prayerful sacrifices were raised to Heaven for the souls of all priests. When it finally set over American Samoa , millions of people had united in our prayerful, hidden Fast for priests who were, who are now, and who are yet to be ordained. St. Therese, Patroness of the Lay Fast for Priests, had led us all, silently and prayerfully, in our hidden fast for these, Alter Christus, and Therese's mission to protect their souls was rekindled by Spirit Lord in every one of us. We fasted from food, talking, internet, social media, unnecessary travel, and many more gifts of small sacrifices, parceled up in our prayer. Yesterday, we may have embraced our frustrations with joy ... and Spirit Lord may have blessed a priest with an abundance of patience in confronting a spiritual challenge; we may have been tormented by doubts about our faith and endured a glimpse of "dark night" in our souls ... and Spirit Lord may have blessed a priest in doubt, gracing him with God's Light; we may have experienced strong physical hunger, unexpected in its intensity, if we fasted from food ... and through our small act of mortification, Spirit Lord may have protected a priest's soul from any "food" that could endanger his relationship with God.
Every hidden sacrifice and small act of self-denial that we may have endured in loving prayer for priests has been transformed by Spirit Lord into powerful intercessory prayer to protect their souls. Yet, all the while, in His great love and generosity, God doesn't forget us, His 'Fast-ers'.
St. Ignatius of Loyola reminds us: "God will not be outdone in generosity". And the generosity and love of God, grateful for the sacrifices we've offered Him for Alter Christus, touches all of our dear ones from years gone by, all who are facing challenges today in their lives, and all of our little ones held lovingly in the Mind of God until it is their time to be born. Love soars beyond space and time.
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers, that, you do unto me (Matthew 25: 40).
There are hundreds of thousands of testimonies to the power of this year's Global Lay Fast for Priests. Among the millions, there are members of the American Armed Forces, mothers of current or future priests, whole organizations like the Serra Club, the Cenacle for African Priests, Legion of Mary communities, Carmelites world-wide, millions of individual 'Fast-ers', like you and I, and so many many more. We have been deeply humbled by the astonishing bravery of persecuted Catholics all across the globe in countries where our priests have been and are being attacked.
Our hearts may join in the Hymn to Our Lady for all priests, sung so beautifully by a brave group of young students from Nigeria AT THE LINK BELOW (for their safety and protection, we have removed the video of their 3 Pm Closing Prayer Service for Priests. May God surround them and their teachers with His protection because "the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him" - Psalm 34:7).
LINK (please press): https://drive.google.com/file/d/17bFfIsZV_0zXpya1wQHn_eY94mVxcU1t/view?usp=drive_link
St. Therese said that she would "let fall a shower of roses" after her death. What has arrived in our website and social media has not been a "shower". We have received nothing less than a magnificent deluge of roses from her. One rose for each person who offered their sacrifice for all priests this year.
May St. Therese's deluge of roses continue to fall on the whole world of Fast-ers on October 17, 2026.
In Carmel,
In Christ Jesus,
Anna and the Lay Fast for Priests team
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you and may our tender God continue to bless you with His great Love.
ARK MINISTRIES - www.annaprae.com