New tools

One of my friends is watching her mother-in-law die. Another underwent surgery on her eyes and may not have enough vision afterwards to work anymore. Two of my co-workers consistently irritate each other and get into spats. I can be driven out of my tiny mind in under 15 minutes by a member of my own family.

Nothing unusual for anybody, right? Nothing unusual for me, either. What HAS changed, since I have tried to walk my life in faith and love of Jesus is that I have a different set of tools to react to these. I don't mean just interior prayer, offering up suffering, being meek in the face of insult. I do mean offering to pray for people, telling them that they will be in my prayers. It depends a little on their own faith; I don't want to scare people by offering to remember them during daily Mass. Sometimes I use the euphemism that they will be "in my heart."

What a wonderful set of tools we have in His Love! Casseroles for the sick are all very well, but adding prayer gives them real value!