God Listens. Lorene Hanley Duquin
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into the program. I am going to ask if I can boost you up on the list.”
On September 12, the woman from the university called again. “Can your husband come in tomorrow to start school?” she asked. “He is accepted.”
It was truly an answer to prayer.
— F. de Sales Kellick
What is Praying in Tongues?
Praying in tongues is a charism of the Holy Spirit that enables someone to pray in a language that had never been learned by that person, or that may not be a known language at all. Saint Paul described the gift of tongues in his first letter to the Corinthians as a means of speaking directly to God: “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 14:2). Many people say the gift of praying in tongues is a form of praise that carries them beyond the experience of reciting prayers or speaking to God in their own words.
The Gift of Calm
I was the principal of a Catholic school. It was the last day before Christmas break, and a special Mass was planned. I was surprised when the priest who had been scheduled sent a substitute instead. It was a priest I had never met before. I explained to him that I would stay for Mass, but that I had to leave immediately afterward because my mother was ill.
My mother was not the type to complain. The day before she had abdominal pain, no appetite, and was vomiting. I visited her, and we both thought she probably had a stomach flu. By evening she was very ill but refused to let us take her to the hospital.
The next morning, just before the priest arrived, I had talked to my mother and sister-in-law. Together we decided that my sister-in-law would take my mother to the hospital emergency room. I would meet them after Mass.
At the beginning of Mass, I introduced the priest to the students. During the prayers of the faithful, I was stunned when the priest announced that my mother was ill. He explained that he was a healing priest, and he asked me to come forward so that he could pray for my mother, my family, and me. I walked up to the altar. I had never been prayed over before, and I didn’t know what to expect. The priest put his hands on my head and began to pray. I felt an indescribable feeling of calm come over me. I remember thinking that this must be the Holy Spirit and my mother was going to be okay.
I left for the hospital as soon as Mass ended. After many tests, the doctors determined that my mother had a ruptured bowel caused by an obstruction, but they could not take her to surgery until they regulated her blood and heart. Without the surgery she would die, but there was also a question as to whether her heart was strong enough to withstand surgery.
My dad, my brother, my husband, my children, and their spouses came at once. Each family member had a chance to talk with my mother privately. A priest, who is a family friend, gave my mother the sacrament of the sick. She was ready for surgery.
Our family was gathered in the surgical waiting room when we heard the “Code Blue” announcement over the intercom. I knew immediately that it was for my mother. A short time later, the doctor told us that her heart had stopped and they revived her, but that it was impossible to continue with the surgery. They brought her back to the hospital room where we all gathered at her bedside. The doctor explained that she would not be able to speak, but that she would be able to hear us if we wanted to say good-bye. We were with her when she took her last breath. All I could think of was to comfort my father, brother, sister-in-law, and children.
The next day, overwhelming waves of grief consumed me. A deacon, who is a friend of the family and had been at the hospital with us the day before, stopped by the house to see how I was doing. I was surprised when he commented on how calm and strong I had been the day before. It was then that I realized the Holy Spirit had not come to heal my mother, but to instill in me a sense of calm and to sustain me during one of the most difficult days of my life.
— Rose Mary Buscaglia
What is a Healing Priest?
Technically, there is no such thing as a healing priest because only God can heal. But the Catechism of the Catholic Church recognizes that the Holy Spirit has given to some priests, religious, and lay people a special charism of healing “so as to make manifest the power of the grace of the risen Lord.” Frequently, these healing ministries take place within the celebration of the Mass or during a prayer service.
“Carry Me Forth”
During the 2006 Pikes Peak Ascent Race, I had a personal goal of breaking three hours, which is typically accomplished by only 50 of the 2,000 runners. The top of the mountain was fogged in on the day of the race, so I didn’t have any references for my pace. At 2 hours and 50 minutes into the race, I asked God to guide me to the top, and I surrendered my three-hour goal to him for his glory.
Five minutes later, I could hear the crowd. I let God know that if it was his will, I would do my part to break three hours, and if I did, I would shout his glory from the top of the mountain. With one minute to go, I could finally see the finish line through the fog, but I knew I could not reach it on my own power. I said my third prayer: “Come, Holy Spirit, carry me forth.”
I don’t remember that final minute. I don’t remember touching the ground. I felt like I was walking on a cloud. Onlookers said I raced over the boulders to the top, which really surprised the crowd and caused great cheering.
At the finish line, I shouted with joy, and then I collapsed. My time was 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 51 seconds. I had reached the top with nine seconds to spare. A newspaper reporter wrote that it was the most exciting finish of the day.
— Pat Castle
National Life Runners Team
After the Pikes Peak Ascent Race, Pat Castle and his friend Rich Reich became the co-founders of the National LIFE Runners Team, which started with a dozen runners who wanted to join their love of running with prayers to end abortion. National LIFE Runners has grown to over 4,500 runners and walkers from ages one to one hundred one in all fifty states and twenty-seven countries.
Chapter 4
“If Today You Hear His Voice …”
Throughout Scripture, we see many different examples of God speaking to people. As Catholics, we are also familiar with stories from the lives of saints to whom God has spoken. Some people wonder if God still speaks to us today.
The answer is yes. God does speak to us, and the way in which God speaks is always personal and unique.
For some, it may be a mystical experience in which they hear the voice of God actually speaking aloud. For others, it is a deep interior voice that is not audible but is still very real. God sometimes uses nature, a personal crisis, or ordinary experiences as a vehicle for speaking to us. God also uses other people as instruments in communicating with us.
It is not uncommon for God to speak to us through the words of Scripture. Reading a passage slowly, allowing the message to sink into our hearts, and then reflecting on what God is trying to tell us is a powerful way to hear what God is saying. The Lord also speaks through liturgy — the music, the readings, the homily, the prayers of the Mass, and during our own Communion meditation. It’s not unusual for different people, who were all present at Mass together, to come away with very individual messages from God.
The key to hearing God’s voice is to be open to receiving God’s word. Most Catholics are familiar with responsorial Psalm 95, which urges, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
Pope Francis suggests that we pray the powerful words that Eli recommended to Samuel when it became clear that the Lord was calling Samuel in the night: “Speak, LORD, because your servant is listening” (see 1 Samuel 3:1–10). “We should pray this many times a day,” Pope Francis advises, “when we have a doubt, when we do not know what to do, or when we want simply to pray.”
The stories in this chapter illustrate some