On Lent, prayer and an offer

Hi!

Lent has started and I really, really needed it this year.

The focus on change, on a change of heart.

The news from the last days for Napro in Mexico have not been good. The doctor most probably will not be going and 2 out of the 3 practitioners are having issues getting the money. This means that its quite likely that out of a team of 5 that we could have had this year, we might end up being 2. Yes, 2. For another full year. Seems like back to square one.

So my heart was very heavy. But I know the only way to get out of this heaviness of heart is prayer. Which I am not good at.

Yet God is clearly showing the way that this IS THE WAY. Not sheer effort or brute force, but more of the silent type of force. Prayer.

Put me to do projects, to organize, to be active, to plan. That I am very good at. My Martha side.

But do not get me to pray, to be silent, to repeat the beads of the Rosary. Not good at all. My Mary side.

I have been going to Adoration at a beautiful church here for over 8 years. The fruits have been amazing. Still, I have such a hard time staying a full hour in prayer and in times of darkness I am not constant. Its a paradox, when I most need it its when I do not do it.

In all these signs that the Bad Guy is working overtime to prevent Napro from coming here God is sending signals that HE wants this.

I went to Mass on Ash Wednesday and really, really prayed the Rosary for Napro. And asked several people to pray. And light started to appear in the dark horizon.

I know that is does not work always like this (you pray, you get), but this day was so clear that prayer is the way.

The very same day my supervisor called me with the bad news that the practitioner trips were at risk, a few hours later at 11:30 p.m on Ash Wednesday the Bishop sent me an email.

He wants to help. Really help. One of the holiest bishops in Mexico. And he is praying.

Then I got 5 requests for sessions in just a few hours, when I had had none in weeks.

One by a 40 plus couple that had a pregnancy at 43 and were terrified of another. They practically had given up on sex. They had had 4 unplanned pregnancies in the last years. As fertile as you can get. Well the email was that they were opening their hearts again to God´s will and wanted to be back on charting and really trusting their sexuality to God. What a gift to be part of this conversion as a first hand witness.

Two by 2 amazing, amazing women that wanted to chart to learn to appreciate their fertility and CHASTITY!!!! they are some of the leaders of the pro-life movement in Latin America. They want to learn so they spread the word.

Another by a couple sent by the Bishop that had many miscarriages. Many. He is the head of fundraising for one of the largest foundations in the country and wants to learn about Napro.

Wow.

It was so amazing, I was looking for what to do in Lent and then it was all clear.

This Lent my purpose is prayer, silence. The Rosary is the way.

I will be giving up my ADORED Starbucks Green Tea latte with soy, will be praying the Rosary daily (Thanks to the inspiration by TCIE) reading the many, many spiritual books that I have. I will select one for each week and try to go to daily Mass.

This is the way. all was so clear last night in Adoration and on Ash Wednesday. This is what I need.

Also to kick everything off we are doing a Novena again. I met surprisingly on Ash Wednesday (also, that day was amazing!) a dear, dear friend on the street. He is an adoptive father and he knows about Napro and our own adoption.

He invited me to his house and with his wife we made the decision to do a novena again.

This time to St Joseph. We had done many in the past together, to Our Lady of Guadalupe and to Our Lady Who unties knots, but it was clear this time that this time it was to st. Joseph.

So today we start. I just read that Jermiah is doing one also so we will be also praying for her.


And las, t but not least.

On the 16th I will be going with all the adoptive families from our agency and parents to be to a Mass in the high altar of the Basilica of Guadalupe.

Yes, right in front of Her in honor of St Joseph. A mass whose sole intention is to thank Our Lady and God for the gift of Adoption, of Life.

Hundreds of people in prayer in thanks for the miracle of adoption.

Praying to St. Joseph and the Virgin of Guadalupe.

I am so excited that I cannot wait.

My DH and I will be arriving very, very early to be with Her and to have time to pray for all the intentions that we again will be taking to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Also during Mass we will be praying for all those waiting for the miracle of a pregnacy or aoption.

So if you want me to take any intentions and as many as you need I can do it.

We can light candels, write your intentions for special Masses, pray in front of Her. Just let us knwo and we will gladly , gladly do it.

She is so amazing and this community is so amazing that I cannot help , but think this is the least I can do.

My email is:
schatzie1204 at gmail.com