We Lift Up Our Hearts

~~~ Our Lady of Lourdes ~~~

~~~1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 ~~~ Psalm 84 ~~~ Mark 7:1-13 ~~~

Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, 

O LORD, my God...

All those who travel great distances to Lourdes are petitioning 

God to look kindly on them.

Many times they are pouring out their heart 

with prayers of petition.

Petitioning for their own healing, but

also on behalf of those loved ones 

who could not be present there.

The waters of Lourdes remind us of the healing power of God.

The waters flow, covering the body, totally immersing you in pure love.

May your eyes watch night and day over this temple,
the place where you have decreed you shall be honored;
may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place.
Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel
which they offer in this place.
Listen from your heavenly dwelling and grant pardon.”

This is a beautiful prayer from our reading today from the book of Kings.

As I read the first line I began to think not of the stone temple structure,

but rather of ourselves as being the temple of the Holy Spirit.

We are often asked to pray for another person.

This prayer often originates from within our heart.

The heart is the center of our human temple.

The heart is where we express our honor and praise for God.

It is from the heart that we pray for others...

where we petition on their behalf.

I invite you to take a moment now and remember

 those you have promised to pray for...

hold them tenderly in your heart.

Ask God to allow you to love them with his compassionate heart.

We believe with all of our heart that God does indeed hear

and more importantly we believe that he does listen to our petitions.

God is in heaven but he never ceases to care for us.

God Blesses us 

with his watchful eyes day and night.

God Blesses us with his listening heart from age to age.

Peace.