Dec. 21, 2016

By Suzanne Pietropaoli
Staff writer

Malone - On the second Sunday of Advent, Catholics everywhere heard the words of Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.”

On Dec. 5, parishioners at St. Andre Bessette received special encouragement to prepare their hearts for Jesus’ coming. The evening included Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and a powerful reflection on prayer offered by three Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth from Jackson, Pennsylvania.

Sharing the fruits of their contemplative life, Sisters Grace Marie and Francis provided music while Sister Kelly Francis unwrapped the gift that is prayer.

Sister Kelly asked participants to consider who we are: sons and daughters of God, made in his image and created to share in his divine nature. Yet we, like Adam and Eve, can easily lose sight of this saving truth.
“They listened to the lies of the serpent and forgot who God was, and who they were,” she said. “They were like Gollum in the Lord of the Rings, who ceases to look up as the ring takes possession of him. He even forgot his own name as he was consumed by ‘the Precious.’  But Advent is a time to remember who we are, and whose we are. Advent reminds us that Jesus is knocking on the door our hearts. We do not want to tell him, like the innkeepers of Bethlehem, that there is no room here.”

Love is the key to opening our hearts to Jesus, Sister Kelly pointed out, a love that is expressed in very concrete ways. “If we want to meet God personally, we must, with childlike trust, be willing to be held in the arms of our Heavenly Father in prayer,” she said. “We cannot be ‘too busy to pray.’ To be too busy for prayer is not a virtue, but a vice.

“And prayer is not just talking; any relationship needs listening as well,” Sister Kelly said. “Mostly in prayer we seem to hear nothing because God is a gentle whisperer. He speaks quietly and we are very busy. But he is there when we open ourselves to him in prayer! It is never a waste of time to pray. Think about it: how many hours a day do you spend on TV, computers, smartphones—and how many hours a day do you spend listening to Jesus?”

This question can help us prioritize our time and re-orient our hearts towards God.  After all, said the Sister, “Prayer is giving one’s self and one’s time to God. We must remember to stop and pray throughout the day, but we must also set aside time specifically to be alone with the Lord.

“If you haven’t been praying intentionally in this way, start with 15 minutes a day,” she said. “Read a couple of lines of Scripture and just sit with it. Listen quietly and return to the words if you are moved to. Gradually add five minutes, and then five more to your prayer time. Start small and slowly work your way up.

“Your prayer will deepen and it will change your life,” Sister Kelly said. “This personal relationship with God is for EVERYONE. Holiness is not just for priests and nuns; ALL are called to be saints!”

In addition to making time for quiet prayer, Sister Kelly Francis reminded, it is important to treasure the sacraments.

“We come here to give praise and thanks to the Lord as he pours himself into us at the Eucharist,” she said. “The Mass is the greatest of all prayers!

“Another sacrament that is essential to our life with God is confession,” she said. “We may be afraid to let God see what is in our hearts, but he already knows it and loves us anyhow.  So, go to confession! Welcome him in!
“It is also important to pray with Scripture, and to pray the Rosary every day,” Sister Kelly said, “The Blessed Mother is very powerful! Remember that the devil hates Our Lady because she did what he refused to do. He told God, ‘I will not serve.”  Mary, at every moment of her life, said, ‘Thy will be done.’  Saint John Paul II said, ‘When you pray the Rosary, you are contemplating the face of Christ with Mary.’ What a beautiful description of prayer!” 

Praying also opens us to fasting and works of mercy, Sister Kelly explained.

“Fasting is important because it disposes us to live on every word that comes from the mouth of God,” she said. “To fast is to say, “Jesus, I love you more than all these things’; Jesus says the same to us. We need to say ‘no’ to ourselves in order to say ‘yes’ to his love.

“Fasting is never just a no,” she said. “Be creative when you fast. Fast from food, from talking, from electronic devices. Make it so you really feel it. This important sacrifice of love releases graces into the world.”
“Finally, remember to share the love of God with others by praying and fasting for them,” Sister Kelly said. “Pray and fast to help bring others back to Christ because Jesus died for you and for them. We can all do something. Give Jesus your heart, your love, your life. Give without counting the cost to the Lord who gave everything for you.”