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a daily basis: pray to the Lord? We all
pray to the Lord in our own way for
blessings- not for worldly possessions like
more money, or a better car or house,
but rather the spiritual blessings we hope
to receive from the Lord to enrich our
lives. In Zechariah’s case, this was the
blessing of a child for him and Elizabeth;
this might be something that some of us
ARE praying for, but it can be widened
to a myriad of options depending on
each of our unique lives. And doesn’t the story get to the essence of what we ALL must
have in our lives, and that is faith in God? We must have faith in that which we cannot
see or touch, but must KNOW and BELIEVE deep in our souls, that God is there, He
does hear our prayers, and He WILL bless us in ways that we may not always see coming
our way. We must continue to pray, we must continue to have faith in God, and we
must believe that through those prayers and faith, blessing will be bestowed upon us.
I struggle with this often, because I go through my daily life focusing on what is right here
in front of me: my family, my job, my house, my possessions, my friends, etc. We can
ALL get lost in that daily life without stepping back, reflecting on our Catholic faith and
our God that matters far more than what we see and touch and live on a daily basis.
THAT is where the real blessings will come from, but to receive them I must focus more
on my faith in God, offering my prayers, and preparing myself through my faith and
prayers to be in position to receive those blessings, in whatever form they do come and
whenever they do come- without faith and prayer, I will essentially wander aimlessly
through my daily life, leaving myself unprepared to potentially receive the Lord’s gifts and
blessings.
Prayer
Lord, grant me the wisdom to have faith in you everyday, to believe in you and to live
my life everyday in a way that honors that faith. Grant me the vision to see what I cannot
touch and trust in its beauty and purity.
_______
Michael James
Parishioner / member of Holy Family School Board
Wife Julie, sons Owen (HFS Kindergarten) / Ryan (HFS 4
th
Grade)