Charism of Intercessory Prayer

Definition: My prayer for others enables God’s love and deliverance to reach them in specific remarkable ways.

Testimony for the Charism of Intercessory Prayer

I have always felt called to intercede urgently on behalf of others, especially for those at a distance who are suffering as a result of displacement, war or national disasters. I cannot help them physically, but I can help them spiritually.

“I live to pray and pray to live’ is my spiritual motto.”

I pray for displaced persons and the end to all wars, especially the current one in Syria. I pray for the sick and the dying; those undergoing operations; those afraid of dying; those about to commit suicide; and I pray for the souls in purgatory.

The Holy Spirit enlightens me for people/situations that need prayer. He uses ordinary means though, that is through reading the newspapers or online websites.

I feel particularly called to pray for the mercy of God obtained through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. I do not want to waste any time when I could be interceding on behalf of others.

“Whenever I wake up in the night I immediately sense the need to pray for a person or a situation.”

Thus, I intercede for others when I am washing and dressing or sitting at a meal and the conversation does not warrant my specific attention. When driving, I pray for all the people I am passing by or who are living in that area. If I hear an ambulance or police siren, then I immediately pray for whoever is involved in those emergency situations. Whenever I wake up in the night I immediately sense the need to pray for a person or a situation, it is often to pray for a priest whom I know.

Although I may be physically tired, I cannot not pray for a person/people/situation – albeit only a short prayer. Short prayers are just as effective, we are told not to babble in our prayers.

It is always satisfying when a prayer has been answered: I prayed for the conversion of a family member who now practices their faith with great ardour; a widow was looking for a new husband and after many years of praying she has now met a suitable one; I prayed for a person with cancer for successful treatment/cure and this came about; I prayed for the money to build an extension to our community house and the money came in not only for this but enough to paint the whole house as well!.

In exercising the Charism of Intercessory Prayer, I feel at once a great peace
and an assurance that my prayer will be heard. Many people are grateful for my prayers. Several people rely on my prayers and ask me to pray – in particular there is a situation with someone who is mentally ill and
needs constant prayer to keep them afloat.

Praying for others is an act of charity, ‘I live to pray and pray to live’ is my spiritual motto. As I write this piece I can hear a siren in the distance – so I must stop, to pray…

Some of the people I have prayed for have told me how joy has been restored to their lives. I always feel an inner peace when I am involved in intercessory prayer and it builds my relationship with our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. It gives me spiritual satisfaction and helps me with my journey to salvation.

Musings of an Intercessor

“You pray much because you love much”

I have wondered for some time now about whether each family has a ‘prayer’ ….. someone holding the Flame of Faith alive to point the way. It makes sense to me for God to invite us to share in His Salvation Plan to do our bit to love others enough to keep praying for them and helping them in all sorts of ways even when they may not know the true value of prayer, the value of what we are doing or what is being ‘carried in the heart’, with the suffering that ensues from this…. all in order for the mystery of God’s grace to reach that person or situation.

I think that we do not realise how much God loves us, does for us & how much Jesus suffered for us until we partake a little in this mystery.

An elderly gentleman in my parish once said to me ‘You pray much because you love much’……. what a lovely association!

I had an unusual encounter some while ago – seemingly random. I had  just been to Adoration, and was just walking home silently saying the Rosary through the wooded chine, when I met a lady who I seem to consistently bump into when I am out walking & saying the Rosary.

This lady introduced me to her friend who  has a strong desire to help the homeless. We had a very unusual (dare I say Spirit-led) chat and the reason for prayer was a priority topic – particularly the need for sustained prayer. ‘Why can’t we just ask once and God intervene?’ was a question uppermost on this lady’s mind. So we talked about surrender and perseverance, about being sure of what you are asking for and giving God time to prepare people and circumstances to bring about the change hoped for.  Also the strengthening of ourselves & the spiritual battle – being ready for resistance.

More recently I was struggling to get to sleep (a long day at work, followed by my rosary group, and packing to go away for a reunion weekend with my Uni girlfriends). I lay awake in quite a peaceful state with a hymn whirring round & round in my head for maybe 3 hours!!

The hymn was ‘10000 Reasons (Bless the Lord oh my soul)’ . It was as though my heart and my soul were singing this hymn over and over until I eventually drifted off. In the morning I awoke pretty tired but checked into my emails before setting off to London. I was amazed and moved to discover that someone on the Intercessors list had made a miraculous recovery during the night from imminent death and the relatives were praising God. As it happens the person did peacefully pass away 4 days later but not before she had been anointed & all the family had been renewed in hope.

I cried when I read the email and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the reason I had been lying awake praising God in my heart for 3 hours!! My morning tiredness no longer seemed important!  Is this the way God uses us when we are open to his will? ….. Extraordinary if it is !!