Praying For Our Priest

It's not an easy thing to hear when we find out a priest takes their own life. Knowing how wrong it is and still they do it. What drives them to go to such lengths to stop living? Yet, they are not the only ones who have done this. Regular people have done the same. It is an area that no one seems to be able to find out why unless the person survives and talks about what they are facing to get the help they need. I wonder about those who take that route, do they seek help or just leave clues for others to direct them to the help.

Recently in our area we had a Priest who took his own life and that left behind many people who cared about him wondering why, because he was so well liked. Maybe that is why our Blessed Mother wants us to pray for her priests, so they will have the strength to do God's work and to fight the evil that assails them. Prayers that help them constantly. When we stop praying for others and especially for our priests, we don't help them. It's like leaving them to their own devices to fight the battle alone, a sad existence then. It already is hard for the priest today with so much that has gone on in the world to make their job even harder.

It is with hope that we as catholics and christians alike pray for our priests and ministers to aid them with the task of being sheperds of the flock.

Life and Death

There was a person in my town who has been on my thoughts since the first time I saw him. I've seen this young man twice in passing on my way to work or on my way home. His visage is etched into my thoughts due to the odd resemblance I saw in him with Jesus. His hair is long, yet his face is heavily lined as if he is aged beyond time. I have soon found out that this man is only 52 years old. I don't know this man personally, but from that very first time I saw him, he would occasionally come to mind.

I don't know the reason for it and now even as I write this, his face comes to mind. Why? For what purpose other than prayer. Yesterday on my way to Mass, there were many cars at a small convenience store that I stop at. Except it had nothing to do with the store. This young man lived in one of the apartments. As the day progressed I soon found out that this same man who kept coming to mind had been found in the basement, dead. He had hung himself. Now I wonder, was there something I could have done that I failed to do. Such as speak to this man when twice our paths crossed. Did I fail to reach out and extend the love of Christ to another without realizing it. Did I fail to smile at him, yet on recall I did smile, yet I was silent. Like so many others when we often walk by and don't acknowledge. I was able to offer his death in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Yet it was while he was living those prayers were needed more so, and here too, how often did I pray for him when he came to thought. It's a novel idea that has come to light.

It's called intercessory prayer, when our thoughts give inklings of how to pray and when it is for another soul. Upon this reflection of the brief time from the first encounter of this man to the day he died, I have come to the conclusion that each time he came to thought was a moment where I could and should have said a prayer for him. I wonder if anyone does this when out of the blue our thoughts are of someone specific, do we mentally pray for them then or just think that this person is thinking of us. Is it possible it is exactly those moments when we need to say a prayer for them to help them on their journey through life.