A Voice from the Eastern Door
The unseen quality of prayer: What is your spirituality?
Submitted by Kanonsa
In my younger days, I regularly witnessed elderly prayer leaders like Harriet Lafrance, Warisosa, and others eagerly and energetically form prayer circles to pray for a gravely sick or deceased loved one. I asked them questions about why they prayed? Harriet would say, for this person, mine are healing prayers. Later, I asked them about God’s will and how it is intertwined in life. Warisosa’s immediate reaction was to say, “My, you like to ask a lot of questions.” After several weeks, I saw them at another public event, and inquired about an answer to my question. Both had said they carefully thought about my question and have thought about this very question over the years of their public praying. Both said, “We pray for the ‘love of God’ to surround the individual being prayed for.” I added, so that God’s love and your love surrounds the individual? They both readily agreed. While praying at public events has become more of a rare occurrence, the need for prayer circles has become even greater. It is a rare occurrence, indeed, when a small group and or family fervently prays for a sick or needy individual. Many say they do, but don’t seem to find the time, even for a gravely ill family member. Recently, I overheard a conversation about an active prayer circle of members who prayed daily for sick acquaintances. Marion said, when we pray for them, they don’t seem to suffer as much. One person, she said, experienced absolutely no pain as she lay dying. This baffled doctors, who kept inquiring about the need for morphine. She continued, “as long as we pray with sincere hearts, God listens to us.” “Amen,” I said to her. Marion, an elderly widow, regularly prays over the medications she takes each day as a way of giving thanks.
Native Spirituality
An integral part of native spirituality, prayer, and especially praying for the sick has been and continues to be a part of Haudenosaunee Culture. A common prayer of thanksgiving is referred to as the prayer or words before all else. A tradition across many native cultures is the daily sweetgrass ceremony. While there are no guaranteed outcomes, individuals are still found praying on a daily basis for any and all types of needs.
One individual, who was recovering from an addiction, said he prayed not only for his health and happiness, but more importantly, for his peace of mind. He said,
“Prayer can be defined as ‘talking’ to our higher power, while meditation is ‘listening’ to our higher power. I make sure ‘quiet time’ is part of what I need to do everyday.” He continued, “The ever so restful, quiet, peacefulness in meditation is so invigorating. It’s as if time seems to stop and I want the peaceful, quiet, stillness to last a lot longer than it does. Thirty minutes only seems to be five minutes, in meditation.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that meditation “is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of heart and strengthen our will to follow Christ.”
Kateri Tekakwitha
Ron Boyer, the Vice-Postulator for the cause of Sainthood for Kateri regularly prays with individuals in his work with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. It has been rumored that he has been working with three neurologists on a first-class miracle for Tekakwitha’s cause. While he can make no official statement on this subject until an official decision is made by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints, his growing enthusiasm is more than a positive indicator. As it stands presently, a miracle is required in the third step of the sainthood process for Kateri Tekakwitha. Canon Law requires two miracles, while long held church tradition requires three. Mr. Boyer indicated, “The speed with which Kateri passed through the first two steps in the sainthood process, was a direct reflection of her extraordinary piety as a contemplative. This is the proven aspect that prayer and meditation has always been, and continues to be an integral part of Native Spirituality.”
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