Oratio Fidei | Prayer Offered

"And the prayer offered in faith ..." - James 5: 15

James 5:13-15 says, "Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven". 

His point is, are you suffering? Pray.  Are you happy? Pray. Are you sick? Pray. 

It appears that your first response should always be God. You should be so in love with God.  When you are madly in love with someone, just as you have good news or bad news, you want to tell them first. That is the idea behind this, that God is the core - the center of our life. 

If I am going through a hard time, then I will come before Him. When all things are well, and I know that all things come from Him, I will praise Him. Sometimes we are not aware that He is the first love of our life. Actually it is our deep relationship with God, that James wants us to be aware of. 

We have a good example, Elijah. He was a man like us, he was no different from us. However, he was able to pray and God answered his prayer. I can do the same thing as Elijah did. Elijah was a human. So are you and I. He could pray and stop the rain, he could pray and call down fire from heaven! It is an amazing thought. 

We can ask ourselves, do we have that type of faith? Do we really believe that we have that kind of intimacy with God? And, do we believe that God will respond to our prayer like He did to Elijah?

 Reflection on James 5:13-20 by Sr. Merry CM

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Ubi est Deus Eliae (2 Kgs 2:14)

When I discovered this text and read this verse, I admired for Elisha’s faithfulness to Elijah. Although Elijah asked Elisha not to follow him to the Jordan Elisha kept following Elijah by his wonderful commitment by saying, “As Yahweh lives and as you live, I will not leave you”. More than commitment, this is a vow. As an oath, Elisha performed his faithfulness until they were separating which Elijah lifted to heaven. 

Elisha’s words to Elijah reminded me when I had made my perpetual vow a couple of years ago. I committed to following Jesus as a religious one. It means this decision has consequences. I have promised God to follow Him on my entire life and God requires me to show my commitment. 

As a religious one, I learn much from many couples about faithfulness. Faithfulness is the way to holiness. Pope Francis in the year 2015 for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, gave canonization to a couple from France. This couple names Louis and Zelie Martin, parents from Santa Therese of Lisieux. 

 

I am glad to see many families live peacefully, love each other, and they can maintain their relationship until they die. Undeniably, there are so many challenges to be faithful. Like an ark, wave, and wind of problems toss onto the family. Yet, they can get through it until death does them part. 

It is our prayer that may God give mercy of fidelity to religious people and Catholic families. Hence, their lives witness  God’s mercy and loyalty. 

Fr. Aris Mada, SVD