The Year of Mercy is calling you to be a prayer warrior

Sister Lou Ella Hickman is a sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.

"Pray as if everything depends on God, work as if everything depends on you.” Sad to say, far too many people work as if everything does depend on them. You may even know a few of them—those who cannot delegate responsibility or whose dependability is compulsive.

But what if more people prayed as if everything depended on them? The results could be staggering. In fact, such a prayer life would be an apt description of an intercessory prayer warrior.

You attend daily Mass, prayer meetings and pray the rosary on a regular basis. Then again, you may not. What with your family obligations and the demands of your job just getting to weekly Mass might be all that you can muster. Either way, perhaps this Jubilee Year of Mercy is calling you to be an intercessory prayer warrior. This type of spirituality can turn even short time slots into high-energy bursts that can be life-changing both for you as well as for those you pray for.

Where would one begin, you might ask? Remember that parish bulletin you brought home last Sunday? If you cannot find it, make it a point to bring one home next Sunday and start with such groups as the parish staff, the sick list and, oddly enough, those who bought ads on the last page. During our difficult economic times, all businesses need our prayers not just our complaints concerning job loss. Many people would be surprised to learn that employees of upscale shops can also carry great burdens.

Circle the names of the various groups or committees and make it a point to pray for that group on the day they meet. As a reminder to pray for your parish, keep the bulletin where you can find it easily. This might be next to your bed or when you and your family eat supper together. Praying together as a family can help instill in your children not only a sense of intercessory prayer but an awareness of parish life as well. If you happen to meet one of the group members you are praying for, be sure to share what you are doing.

Many people have a sacred place where they pray. The bulletin could be used as prayer mat, which could be placed under such items as a rosary, a prayer book and a crucifix. A small bowl could be added to contain individual names or groups of people you wish to pray for. One friend of mine told me she uses one of her rosaries as an intention rosary. She created a list of those who most invisible in society, such as the siblings of child cancer patients, then one bead marks a prayer for that group on her list.

After a while, your intentions may slide into the “gimme, gimme” mode. Then take a few moments to think about how you can rework how you ask. For example, you might say, “Thank you, God, for inspiring more young people in our parish to consider a religious vocation.” Or “Help our parish (staff, committees, etc.) to find ways to…”

Years ago, one of my community’s prayer warriors mentioned once she watched the nightly news and read the daily paper in order to know what to pray for that day. Her weapons of choice were the rosary and daily Mass.

All of these are merely suggestions; the heart of being a prayer warrior is how one prays not just how much or how little. When prayer warriors pray, they pray deeply. Even though warriors may not be able to express, “I pray because it does depend on me” they do not need to; their example will be the telling of the tale.

“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” The advice of this old saying provides wise words for all prayer warriors. The world and its grief desperately need our prayer as well as our profound friendship in that prayer.

The Year of Mercy calls. And you, how will you answer?