I've been praying for the Healing of the Family Tree. Believe me, there are some awful things in it which I won't go into publicly, but I know that these serious sins have affected my children and me. How do I know when this part of the family tree has been healed? For how long should I continue to pray for the healing of the family tree? Do you really ever know? Do you just keep praying until you die? I've very serious when I ask these questions. I'd like to know that there is healing or not. Thanks.
Rosebud,..I share in your same frustrations. The ones closest to me are so far away. I too cannot go into detail, but it can be so frustrating to the point that you just want to give up. But I think the tactic of the evil spirit is to sow discouragement and wants us to give up. We cannot see the fruits of our prayer,..unseen but known to God, I believe will bear fruit in His time. Sometimes we don't always stand by the cross but in fact are nailed to it. I sometimes think of what Our Lady said to Bernadette of lourdes,...I can't promise you happiness in this life only the next. Jesus embraced His cross, I'm still trying to get to that point. We need to keep praying the rosary every day, it is the weapon that will bind Satan. I also recall what Padre Pio said,..Pray,..Hope,...Don't worry
My own way of praying for saomething so serious and personal like this is to pray until I get an inner assurance I can stop. I prayed many htousands of rosaries over many years for my family that they should be all saved I think it took about seven or so years till I got the promise from Mary things would be fine. She kind of told me to stop bugging her I was driving her crazy which was fun. Several of the ones who did die dame back from heaven to say hi, which was so reassuring. I mena hear my immediate family of course. (If you get no such inner peaceful assurance all I can say is don't give up, pray for them till your last breath. Its horses for courses some folks need prayers like crazy. All I can say is I had six brothers and they were a handful.
Rosebud, I have the same questions. I did the same 14 day novena that rantingCatholicmom shared with you. I did it in November. I did it for my family tree. Then I did it for my husband's family tree. I experienced some unusually intense suffering during the novena which I just offered to God for breaking the grip of "evil". Then I decided to read about this ministry so I got the book His Power is Among Us from used books on Amazon. The priest talks about the importance of a healing your family tree mass. I really struggled with that because he suggests making a family tree and writing under the person's name what affliction they suffered or are suffering from ie...depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, etc. and also indicate whether a person was known for their holiness, generosity, compassion, etc. The family tree is to be offered up during the mass and following the mass, it is to be destroyed symbolizing breakage of the bondage of ill effects. Well you may well imagine how awkward it was to bring this up with some family members, but I just did it because I thought 'what do I have to lose?' I have 7 children ages 3-16 and the thought of them having some of the afflictions of my aunts/uncles/dad/ sisters and brothers really worries me. Anyway, I have a first cousin who is a priest in my family. I sent him the materials and he kindly called me and we discussed the Mass request but my preschooler started getting really fussy at the end of the call, so we didn't schedule anything. Then I waited for about 10 days wondering if this would take place or not and then on Saturday he said he would do the mass for Sunday. I emailed and called my siblings to ask them to attend the mass at the same time and gave them healing prayers to say. I live in So. Cal. so I could not be physically present at his mass, but I did attend at the same time. From right before the Eucharist until long after we got home. I could not stop weeping. The tears just kept coming and coming. (My mini warning (?)) I do believe I experienced some healing and I am very grateful. I emailed my priest cousin to thank him for the powerful Eucharist and he told me that healing doesn't come all at once, it is gradual and to pray united with other family members for the healing of a family tree is an extremely powerful thing and that we should see good fruits in time. I will keep you in my prayers, Rosebud, I know personally the pain and sorrow of tragedy in a family.
You asked...so I will answer...seek the will of God in everything...and you life will become a constant prayer unto itself. God has already heard your prayer...but sometimes we do not get to see the effects it has had until we enter into eternity. Know God has heard your prayers and it already is effecting change even though you don't see it...give God time and space, seek His Holy will and trust. In heaven... you will be thanked for stirring up the unseen hand of God.
Thank you for your responses. I do appreciate them. One of the reasons I had to ask this question was because the family tree was damaged a couple of generations ago by people I don't know. Their sin caused an individual who has died to sin in an even greater way. This grievous sin did a lot of damage which has come down through the years and caused a great deal of suffering in my family. This is why I have been questioning the "time factor." I know that in eternity there is no time, only now. Does that mean, my prayers have reached back there? I don't know if the sins can be undone because they were extremely serious and negatively influenced two generations of people. I am even wondering if this prayer will help relieve the damage done.
Oh all of you struggle the way I do and I can't be more grateful for what has been shared here. During a time in the hospital a few years ago, my father suggested I simply pray, "Father!" or "Mother!" over and over during the times of pain. Now when I feel I can't pray anymore, I carry my relic of Padre Pio with me everywhere, and just call out "Father!" It helps me to find peace, (before I bite someone's head off...)
This is a prayer I use at every Mass just before receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion,..I hope this helps;.... "Merciful Father, I place all sinners in the world and especially those in my own family, living and dead, in the Holy Chalice. Please Heavenly Father, have mercy on me and my own ancestors, living or dead, who have sinned against You including my children. Receive my prayer of mercy to allow Your Divine Son Jesus to cleanse the curses of sin with His own Precious Blood. Heal us all Father, so we may be spiritually and physically able to truly practice our holy Catholic faith and be drawn into a greater love for Your Son, Jesus, who is the Son of God and Son of Man. Thank you Father God for your mercy today and for allowing Your Son, Jesus to die on the cross for all my sins. Amen And then I just have to add,..."Jesus I Trust in You"
Have you looked on Spiritdaily? The Healing of Families, by Fr. Yozefu-B. Ssemakula, the best, most complete, most anointed and most powerful book on healing generational spiritual problems in years, by an expert who works with the world's foremost deliverance ministers. We all have issues in our families. In some cases, they are severe. Fr. Yozefu offers explanations -- and remedies, focusing on how to pray effectively for the most stubborn, threatening familial and personal illnesses and problems. Our highest recommendation! Step-by-step prayers for deliverance. (my note: It contains a CD and booklet to help with making notes also. Father is having conferences that are standing room only all over the U.S. right now!)
Thanks, MS7, I have this book and it's next on my reading list. I have been using one of the prayers he recommends. I guess that I just haven't found the peaceful response that Padraig was talking about. It's just that the grave sins that happened even before I was born cannot be undone, and due to the relationship, have deeply affected me and my children. I don't know if that can be reversed.
