Join the Suffering Prayer Warriors

Letter from Brother Edward Paul:

SISTERS of the CHURCH SUFFERING

Lay Associates 

Suffering Prayer Warriors

 

Greetings to you, my brothers and sisters, in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.

If you're reading this correspondence, it means that you have expressed a desire to associate yourself with the Sisters of the Church Suffering , and support their intentions and mission to serve various communities of marginalized and suffering peoples. This includes, in particular: the homeless, the incarcerated, and the Holy Souls of Purgatory. Albeit, it also addresses the prayer needs of those who suffer life altering addictions, the mentally handicapped and severely ill, the elderly, outcasts, and those who, for whatever reason, experience life alone. And, my brothers and sisters, we are to remember with all mercy, those who out of despair have taken their own lives. We are called upon to offer up a great gift of love for our suffering brethren, and that gift is time, understanding, our own suffering, and advocacy before the throne of our God. Fasting and prayer from the depths our souls. And, that which is so difficult for many of us who have felt the rejection and "aloneness" from our own (often self inflicted) wounds love and forgiveness.. Because of our intimate experiences we have a similar, and singular, understanding of our own calling to intersession as does our Blessed Savor. "For verily he took not on Him the nature of angels but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto his brethren, that He might be merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. FOR IN THAT HE HIMSELF HATH SUFFERED BEING TEMPTED, HE IS ABLE TO SUCCOUR THEM THAT ARE TEMPTED", Heb 2:16-18. This is a gift from God, and no such precious gift is meant to lie fallow, rather it is meant to bear much fruit.

Integral, also, to the offerings we can make is the willingness to sacrifice our own sufferings, which we know so well. We offer them as a sweet smelling sacrifice of expiation before the throne of our Lord. That's what we have, the love to atone, as did our Lord for us - for us all. It is not our power to do so, but our love for Him, and them, that allows us to seek His mercy - with intent to heal.

We are called to pray: therefore, let us pray unceasingly, "And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint ", Lk 18:1. Pray in the Spirit, "for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.", Rom 8:26b-27. And, pray with each other in the Communion of the Saints, "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren", Act 1:14.

My brothers and sisters. I have known Christie (Sister Mary Christie) for ten years. This has been her ministry as long as I have known her. I have seen it. I have been blessed by it in a way that is only comprehensible to those who have suffered as we have (I have spent forty-seven years in prison). It is the ministry of one suffering soul to another - that's what we do, help each other. And it is a most magnificent manifestation of God's love in which we are allowed to participate. You know this - the path of tears shared.

Come.

Join us.

For the sake of our Lord towards suffering souls.

Amen.

"To know that my suffering bears fruit and merits graces makes it easier to persevere and endure."