We Mutually Seek the Lord’s Plan
/“Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in Him, and He will act.”
Greetings to dearest Sisters in Christ – the entire month of May finds itself within Eastertide. It is truly a merry, Mary month! Together – let us be overcome with Paschal joy!
May this JOY be our sure guide in discernment this month, as we mutually seek the Lord’s Plan for involvement in the Apostolate: to re-commit our prayer efforts, to additionally commit to prayer for another priest/bishop, to depart from the Apostolate work. Prayer will make things clear. And JOY will assuredly persist in embracing God’s plans! Kindly let your Anchoress know as soon as you know your intentions for the upcoming year, so she may plan accordingly.
Despite the start date of a Seven Sisters group, each is asked to re-commit with its members as near to the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus as possible (this year, June 24). This united, worldwide commitment brings an invisible, yet vital, integration to the Apostolate work: one heart of prayer. This concerted time annually commemorates and links the beginning of the Apostolate through the initial 7 groups in June 2011. To mark the occasion, many groups attend Mass together (Solemnity on Friday or Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Saturday), gather for the shared prayer following Mass, and partake in a meal together for fellowship, testimonies and expression of gratitude from the past year. May is the perfect time to plan!
The Commitment prayer (composed by the Founding Chaplain) is downloadable from the Website in both English and Spanish. In that prayer we individually and collectively commit to one hour of prayer in Our Lord’s Eucharistic Presence each week for one year to intercede for a particular priest/bishop. We implore these graces for him: strength, perseverance, guidance, consolation, hope and manifold blessings. We also beseech graces for ourselves: to be like Our Lady and St Mary Magdalene – faithful, selfless, humble. We close the prayer seeking merciful love for the Pope, priest/bishop we commit to pray for, all bishops/priests, ourselves, all Seven Sisters and the whole world. We bear all in heart and mind!
Much can come against our prayers of promise, but the graces are sufficient to persevere. Van Gogh’s familiar Starry Night depicts a lit, awake Church with its defining steeple in the very heart of the painting. The eye might easily pass over it by the lure of the unsettling, flaming edifice in the left foreground and the captivating, whirling skies. Each, in its own way, distracts. Yet, the Church, albeit small in scale, seems to stand firm and alive “in the night” despite both the raucous and appealing movements round about. And so may it be with our heartfelt commitments to pray. The distractions, both ambiguous and attractive, seem to loom unceasingly. Likewise, we come to grasp that our commitment to prayer is both a particular moment and dynamic process.
At the annual Chrism Mass, celebrated on or near Holy Thursday, priests worldwide offer their annual re-commitment prayers too. The bishop pointedly invites prayers of support for priests. Seven Sisters have whole-heartedly responded! After the homily, the bishop speaks with the priests in these or similar words: + Beloved sons, on the anniversary of that day when Christ our Lord conferred His priesthood on His apostles and on us, are you resolved to renew, in the presence of your Bishop and God’s holy people, the promises you once made? Priests: I am. + Are you resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conformed to Him, denying yourselves and confirming those promises about sacred duties towards Christ’s Church which, prompted by love of Him, you willingly and joyfully pledged on the day of your priestly ordination? Priests: I am. +Are you resolved to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God in the Holy Eucharist and the other liturgical rites and to discharge faithfully the sacred office of teaching, following Christ the head and shepherd, not seeking any gain, but moved only by zeal for souls? Priests: I am. Then, turning towards the people, the bishop continues: + As for you, dearest sons and daughters, pray for your Priests, that the Lord may pour out His gifts abundantly upon them, and keep them faithful as ministers of Christ, the High Priest, so that they may lead you to Him, who is the source of salvation. Those gathered: Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. Bishop: + And pray also for me, that I may be faithful to the apostolic office entrusted to me in my lowliness and that in your midst I may be made day by day a living and more perfect image of Christ, the Priest, the Good Shepherd, the Teacher and the servant of all. Those gathered: Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. Bishop: + May the Lord keep us all in His charity and lead all of us, shepherds and flock, to eternal life. All: Amen.
Similarly for the priests their renewal of commitment is both a moment and a process, all at once. Their promises are worth pondering. Together with our offerings in the annual commitment prayer, they can assist us as Seven Sisters to form our prayers for them. Our commitments are a process, and thus beckon continual prayer support. Let us allow sacred Scripture to guide: Commit your way (and the way of the priest/bishop for whom you pray) to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act (Psalm 37:5). Let us remain mindful that Scripture never returns void.
United in prayer and mission...that our prayers may find the heart of every bishop and priest......
eternal gratitude continues as you each remember to offer a wee Hail Mary for me every day.... “One Ave Maria makes hell tremble” (St John Vianney). Pray that I will not 'spoil the beautiful work that God has entrusted...' (St Teresa of Calcutta) ... your kind emails and notes and phone calls and generous support always arrive to my heart door at the right moment! Your financial sacrifices are for 100% furtherance of Apostolate. THANK YOU! The letters of testimony are so beautiful and edifying! What glory is given to God through your writing! Eternal gratitude is mine for YOU! Be assured of my continued daily prayers for you at the altar.
Janette (Howe)
+JMJ+
sevensistersapostolate@gmail.com