I'm due to have an operation on my spine next week and would appreciate prayers for its success. It's not a very serious operation and only entails a day or two in hospital but I'm a bit concerned about it. I've heard good and bad stories about how effective it is. When last I saw my GP, he said it should be a last resort but I have tried the alternatives and only got temporary relief and now I can't walk more than a couple of steps and am in constant pain. Thanks to anyone who can spare a Hail Mary for me.
Thank you all so much for your prayers. It's uplifting to know that people are praying for me because I have a very low pain threshold. It's way past 3 a.m. and I have to be up and out by 7 to go for a cardiograph and the pain is keeping me awake despite strong painkillers which have a side effect of causing sleepiness.
I am just about to go to early morning Mass so I will offer it up for healing also my rosary, I will continue to pray to the Theotokos , the Mother of God through next week. I am so sorry that you are having all this great pain and struggle. A loving big prayer hug. Sometimes I wonder how the Good God, looking down on this poor suffering World bears all the pain that He sees. But of course He lies right on the Cross with us.
Again. many, many thanks for all the prayers. Powerful prayer warriors here. That's what makes this forum special. Had some relief from pain today. They told me to take double the the dose of painkiller and treble if necessary and I got some sleep. Prayers being answered already. "Am I not your mother?", Mary asked Juan Diego. She really, really is our Mother with a mother's perfect love. Padraig, that hymn is lovely but if you're ever feeling down, I recommend listening to John's Rebekah singing the Ave. There's a purity and sweetness to her voice that's simply heavenly. I watched a video yesterday of Fr. Mike Schmidt talking about offering up our suffering. He began by saying that it's ok to ask the Lord to take away our pain as Jesus asked the Father to let the chalice pass. Then he reminded us that Jesus added the words "not my will, but thine". So, Jesus picked up His cross, and sometimes, thanks to original sin, there are times that the chalice of suffering won't pass us by and we can suffer with Jesus for the greater good. Not sure I'm a good candidate for redemptive suffering so I'm clinging to our Mother's intercession, but God's will be done. I was thinking yesterday of those all alone in the world who aren't as blessed as I to have someone to take care of them when they are in pain and unable to help themselves.. It must be terrifying. May the Blessed Mother wrap her mantle around every one of them and may the divine healer come to their aid. There's a special place in Heaven for people like them who suffer without giving into despair or bitterness.
One of the lessons I take from meditating on the Luminous Mystery, 'The Wedding Feast of Cana', is the intercessory role of Mary. She kinda of puts her foot down with Jesus and demands He does something about the problem of them not having wine. Jesus kicks back to a degree arguing it is not His time. He uses the phrase, 'Woman', I think to remind her of her place. But she rolls right over Him by simply telling the servants to, 'Do as He tells you'. ....and that's that game over. I think something of this should be reflected in our own intercessory prayers. Some spiritual writers tell us to tag on things like, 'If it is your Will'. But I wouldn't be so keen to do that. I reckon that is taken as a read. So if we want something the path of Mary is way to go. Just barge right in and ask for it. Sometimes I ask for good weather for camping and the thought occurs to me, do you really mean for God to change entire weather patterns just to suit yourself? But then I think of Mary at the Wedding Feast of Cana and I just barge right on in there and ask for good weather. I think from the outside looking in Our Lady seems very cheeky in the things she does. But what can I say? God seems to like this cheek, this trust, this Holy Audacity. So, what can I say? If you want healing simply ask for it. No second guessing God. Just ask.
