Chaplain's Message

Say A Hail Mary

By Deacon Mark Clancy

One of the responses for Morning Prayer in Lent is, ”Instruct us, Lord, in the ways of your kingdom.” If Jesus were to instruct you at this moment what would He tell you? Perhaps, He would tell you to pray more for others. “Pray without ceasing,” said St. Paul. (1 Thes 5:17)

“But Deacon Mark,” you reply in frustration, “How is this possible?” I have to eat. I have to sleep. I have to work. I have to take care of my children and my family. I have to cook. I have to clean the house. How in the world will I be able to pray all the time?

Another passage from Ephesians sheds some more light on the subject. “With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones.” (Eph 6:18) Now it is praying at every opportunity for all the church. 

And another element of prayer is there, the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, we want to pray, but who or what to pray for we do not know.  We need to understand that the life of God is within us. The Holy Spirit has been given to us at our baptism.  We know we are weak without God. “In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.”  (Rom 8: 26-27) 

We want to know God’s will, but sometimes it seems hard to know. One thing that seems to help me is to “Say a Hail Mary.” When I think of someone who needs help, I say a Hail Mary for the person. This could be my wife, my children, someone at work. It helps also if somebody rubs you the wrong way. Say a Hail Mary. Jesus said to pray for your enemies. Say a Hail Mary for them. You can say a Hail Mary any time, even if you wake up in the middle of the night. If you think of a person, say a Hail Mary for them. 

I end with a verse from the song by Twila Paris, “How Beautiful”

How beautiful the hands that served
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty roads and the hill to the cross
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

How beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sin and bore it instead
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ.

Amen!