This month, Jane Langham, who has been involved with Marist Laity for more than 30 years, gives a personal perspective on the power of interceding for others and having others intercede for you. She talks about the ‘scaffold of prayer that supports us…’ and how the Lord hears our prayers and resolves our situations.

For the reflection material click HERE

 

An easy-to-print Marist Laity guide can be found HERE

 

Begin your meeting with a prayer, then take turns to read the following passages from Scripture,                with a pause between each one.

 

Mary Intercedes:

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine….the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”  John 2:1-3

 

 

Jesus prays for his disciples and the world:

I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.  Luke 22:31-32

Holy Father, keep those you have given true to your name, so that they may be one like us.   John 17:11

I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe that it was you who sent me.    John 17:20-21

Persistence in prayer and community support:

As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage went to Amalek. But Moses’ arms grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and on this he sat, Aaron and Hur supporting his arms, one on one side, one on the other; and his arms remained firm till sunset.          Exodus 17:11-12

Help from the Spirit:

For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words and God, who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the Saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God.                Romans 8:26-27

 

 Now listen to, or read, the Reflection

To listen to the Reflection online, click HERE.

 

 

  

 

Share your responses:  Simply use the questions as starters to guide your sharing.

* Look again at the Scripture passages.  What is your response to any of them, in the context of the reflection?

* “our Marist tradition helps us with it’s stress on Marists as ‘instruments of Mercy’, who do a great deal of good in a hidden way.” Jan Snijders SM  What do you think of this, when praying for the needs of the world?

* Have you experienced someone ‘praying on the spot’ for you?  If so, what effect did it have on you?

* Have you a story to share of when you prayed for others in this way?

* Do you have a special story of group intercession? (it could be with any group, or with your family)

 

 

Prayer Time for your needs

Pray for family, friends, local community … and any other needs.
(Do you sometimes remember to pray for all those expectant mothers given into the care of Mary, Mother of Good Hope?  These mothers are promised the prayers of Marists for their unborn babies)

 

Pray together:

Help me, Lord, to hold others in my heart the way you hold me in your heart.

Help me to trust that your plan for each one of us is a plan of love.

Give me words of love and compassion at times when I need them for others.

Give me your heart of love  – always.