www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer Cindy from Detroit

May I beg your prayers for a long-time friend: Cindy. She has lived with lupus for more than 10 years now. It is an auto-immune disease that allows the body to attack its own nerve cells.

Lately, she has been experiencing bouts of paralysis; an attack will come on and she can move neither her legs nor her hands. Sometimes, she cannot even dial the phone to let us know that she is in distress so that someone can get to her and see if she needs hospitalization.

Unfortunately, she is not yet ready to realize that she is in serious jeopardy when these attacks come on (with increasing frequency). "It'll be OK. I'm fine."

Although my "Polish Princess from Hamtramck" has left the Church and has joined the Unity Church, we need to be her prayer-friends and I ask you, in your kindness, to beg the Holy Spirit to come to her in her physical and spiritual needs. She's a real wonderful person and I beg the Holy Spirit to come and give her a miraculous surcease of her pain and paralysis.

I also ask your prayers for our mutual friend, Rich, a non-practicing gay Methodist guy, who is there for her in a heartbeat whenever she calls for help. (He's taken her to the hospial 3 times already.) He's very troubled about what he should do for her, not wanting to infringe on her privacy by talking with her family, but really concerned about her having a serious episode without her being able to call for help. And she's estranged from her family which really complicates the issue.

Please, pray for Cindy and a respite from her lupus. And for Rich, that he find the strength to provide her all the help she needs. And for me, who feels the obligation to be available to do whatever is needed for both of them although I'm booked up 24/7.

Lord, in Your mercy.....

I usually don't answer these by writing in specific prayers, but felt compelled to do so...perhaps it's the beginning of a new trend? Maybe...

Lord, as you once healed the paralysed man because of the faith of his four friends, heal Your servant Cindy by the faith of her friends and those who pray for her. Bless Your servant Rich with the grace and strength of Your Holy Spirit to take care of her in her need, and endow him with wisdom to know the right thing to do in all things, and bless Your servant and our friend Dr. John with your grace and allow him to help when he can, and when he can't, to give the situation to You in faith, trusting in You. And to You we will lift up praise and thanksgiving, to You and to Your Father and to Your Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.

Dear Dr. John,

May St Alphonsus Liguori, the Founder of the Redemptorists, who lived for 17 years with a bent kneck and who, in all that time, could celebrate Mass only once with special permission and this using a straw for the Consecrated Wine, bless and protect your friend.

May the holy servant of God John Wesley bless and protect your Methodist friend who witnesses to the Kingdom of Heaven through his active love and concern.

And may St John the Theologian bless and protect his servant, Dr. John the theologian in all his love and work on behalf of others.

Alex

May Cindy and Rich be touched by the Finger of God. May he grant them the gift of healing and comfort in knowing of His presence in their time of illness and trial.

Steve

Gospidi pemiloi. I wish them both God's blessing.