Sometimes What's Needed Is....

I can be dense. I freely admit this. I ask God to speak, but I don’t always hear His response. Sometimes, maybe even often, I’m not really listening. My thoughts and my mind are filled with too many butterflies. These butterflies are the concerns, worries, fears and anxieties, duties, dreams and desires of my day and life, and they make so much noise that they drown out whatever Divine Response He may wish to make.  Because of this, He sometimes needs to give me a jolt.  The more distracted I am, the larger the jolt I need and may receive.

This time the jolt came from out of the blue, and it was a large one.  The passing of a good friend is never easy and when it is unexpected, it is even more difficult to process, to deal with.  Questions fill my head and sorrow and pain fill my heart; not only for the one who passed, but for those left behind.   There is a blessing in this jolt, though it is not at first apparent. 

I am reminded of God’s promise to his faithful ones that they will be with Him in paradise.  That is His promise and He always keeps His promises.  My friend is at peace.  Thank you, God.

I am also reminded of the fact that those who pass before us may need our help through our prayers, suffrages and good works.  Although I had been aware of this, it was Father Tom Fogarty who instilled in me a true devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory and to those who died unexpectedly or unprepared.  It was he who gave me the wonderful prayers to help ease their time of purification, and perhaps shorten it, or, in the case of those who are likely to pass on (or do pass on) unprepared or unexpectedly, to gain the grace of final penitence.  So the second part of the jolt I received was to rekindle this devotion.  If the souls prayed for do not need the prayers because they went directly to, or have now entered Heaven, my prayers and actions on their behalf will still be beneficial to some other soul. Nothing will be wasted. 

Here are two simple prayers can be said every day, as many times as desired for these souls:

For the Souls in Purgatory:

Eternal rest grant to the souls in purgatory (or insert name(s) here), O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.  May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.  Amen.

For Those Who Will Die Unexpectedly or Unprepared:

Lord, for those who are going to die unexpectedly and/or unprepared this moment and this day I pray in union with the prayers and intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph and all the Masses being said throughout the world.  

Father Benedict Groeschel recommends this prayer, or something similar, be said every day as well: (This is for those who have no one to pray for them or don’t have enough time or the inclination to prepare for a good and holy death.)

“If there’s a soul, a person dying alone today, in the world, and there’s nobody with them, by my prayers I want to go with them up to the last judgment.” Amen

He said that this type of prayer can be said for anyone in any situation from the mundane to the dramatic, from the unexpected to the tragic and sad...and that these souls will be very grateful for such a prayer.

So this was the first jolt I received with my friend’s unexpected passing. The next jolt was a reminder that time is short.   None of us knows how much time we have on this earth.  God alone knows and has known from the beginning.  I must be appreciative of all the gifts and opportunities I have been given. Life is too short to spend on frivolous, questionable, or sinful activities.  I must adjust my priorities.  Is God my Center, my Goal, my Raison D’être? If not, why not…what has pushed Him out of first position?  Time to take stock and adjust if necessary. What must I change? Rearrange? Get rid of?

Time is passes quickly.  I can’t put off what needs to be done. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Now is the time for action. The present is all I have.  It is God’s precious gift to me. May He grant me the grace to see His will in it and the courage and strength to do His Will to the best of my ability.   May He grant that I, and all those I love and care about, not to be caught unprepared when He calls us home.  If I strive to amend my life now, with the help of His grace, I will be ready when He comes—and that is a great comfort.

I pray for the repose of the soul of my friend and ask for prayers in return. The prayers of the Holy Souls are powerful and I know they will pray if we ask. 

Sometimes it takes a jolt to emphasize what is important.  I pray that one day that will not be the case, that my ears will be open to hear, my eyes to see, and my heart to understand.

Rest in peace, my friend, and may the light of the Divine Master Shine on You always. Please pray for us as we pray for you.  Amen.