“I became convinced long ago that the problem for many people is not that they don’t know good things, but that they don’t realize the good things they do know” (Blessed Manuel González, p. 22).
Something similar happens with prayer. We know the doctrine, we speak about it, and we teach it. Yet we do not put it into practice in our own lives. Is it out of ignorance? No, but rather because we do not realize, here and now—or do not want to realize, out of convenience—that this is the moment to pray. What matters is what we must do now, and the graces assigned to this moment, not tomorrow, are at stake. We can lose them miserably for the sake of a little pleasure, to avoid a task, or to satisfy something that seems urgent and necessary. In other words, we repeat what Esau did when he sold his birthright, and with it a special blessing from God, for a delicious bowl of lentils.
Isn’t this something that happens to you more than once? It could be happening to you right now. The time for prayer is now. The need to pray for priests is urgent.
Using these ideas about the present need for prayer, we can understand what happens to so many priests and religious, especially when they are on mission or engaged in apostolic work. In the seminary, there may be a temptation to slacken in the spiritual life, but the seminary’s own regulations and the example of a large, fervent community prevent the seminarian from systematically abandoning prayer. Then comes priestly ordination, assignments, the community shrinks, and there is so much work, so much to do. And since “we’re grown up,” we no longer need to be constantly told what to do. Prayer begins to be neglected, and the interior life begins to wither.
“He who prays is saved, he who does not pray is condemned.” Saint Alphonsus Liguori said this. If he said it of all Christians, can you imagine what he would say about a priest or a nun? How can a priest who does not pray be saved? How can someone persevere who does not implore for perseverance, which is the grace of graces? Their heart withdraws and hardens if they do not pray. If they do not pray more, if they do not offer themselves as a living victim, as Scripture asks, if they do not learn to forgive, the evil spirit—that bitter and violent spirit—will advance, envelop them, and make them justify all their criticisms, murmuring, and slammed doors. Poor priest, poor nun, trapped in the eye of the hurricane of passions! Unless God, in his mercy, sends his angel, or the Virgin herself, who in such Luciferian cases understands best…
But do you realize? For God to send the Virgin or those saving angels, for him to touch the religious with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and transfigure things for them, he waits for other souls to pray and pray, to plead and plead, asking for the grace of perseverance and sanctification for those priests. There is no doubt about it. Yet he may not do so and may let things take their course. Or he may not send extraordinary assistance until the souls called to plead for these graces appear—the guardians, the true mothers who, with their many tears, win the conversion of children they did not conceive in the flesh, but who now are offered in prayer and suffering. Fragile priest, you did not pray as you should have. You did not remember that Jesus told the apostles, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” You did not strengthen yourself when you should have. Honestly, I am not talking about “that priest,” because that could be me. But what about the kindred spirits called to support the consecrated man who did not pray today? Yes, it is true, they did so “last time,” but why not today, when he needed you most?
Let us help one another! But today I need your prayers. You can count on being at all my Masses and Adoration services, but I need you to pray well. In the chain of grace that descends from Heaven, you are a link—a key, fundamental link. Let it not be broken…
But do you realize it? For God to send the Virgin or those saving angels, and for him to touch religious men and women with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and transfigure all things for them, he waits for other souls to pray and pray, to plead and plead, asking for the grace of perseverance and sanctification for those priests. There is no doubt about it. And yet he may not do so, and he may let things take their course. Or he may delay extraordinary help until the souls called to intercede for these graces appear—the guardians, the true mothers who, with their many tears, win the conversion of children they did not conceive in the flesh, but who are now offered in prayer and suffering.
Fragile priest, you did not pray as you should have. You did not remember that Jesus told the apostles, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” You did not strengthen yourself when you should have. Honestly, I am not speaking about “that priest,” because that could be me. But what about the kindred spirits called to support the consecrated man who did not pray today? Yes, it is true that they did so “last time,” but why not today, when he needed you most?
Let us help one another! But today I need your prayers. You can count on being present at all my Masses and Adoration services, but I need you to pray well. In the chain of grace that descends from Heaven, you are a link—a key, fundamental link. Let it not be broken…