Sisters and Saints

Part 3 of my story, with thoughts on the gift of intercessory prayer

Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash

Here is part 3 of my story (part 1 is here and part 2 is here) with some thoughts on the Communion of Saints and the gift of intercessory prayer. If you have ever wanted to support me and my work, this would be a great time to do that. You will get full access to all of these writings, and I would be so grateful. 

Some of you might have seen on social media that last week I was readmitted to the hospital with more complications from the surgery. I had to be there for a few days, but all is well. I returned home yesterday, and I’m doing well and working to heal completely and regain my strength. I’m so grateful to everyone for their good wishes and prayers throughout this frustrating experience. I’m especially honored by those of you who shared your prayer intentions with me so that I could offer up everything for good. Nothing is wasted with God!

One of the things that stands out to me in the Diary of St. Faustina is just how much she suffered for souls. Sometimes, it was for people she knew, but most of the time, she suffered in terrible, hidden ways for the “conversion of sinners” and the “salvation of souls.” Her extraordinary dedication to this mission is remarkable, and she explains it only by acknowledging how much Jesus desires the conversion and salvation of all souls. Quite simply, she does all things out of love for him.

I don’t know about you, but it takes me a lot of effort sometimes to remember to pray and offer up even for myself and the people I know and love. Never mind about thousands of nameless, faceless “sinners.” Who has time for that?

So as I’ve been reading St. Faustina’s diary, I’ve been making a habit of praying to her. Knowing her inexhaustible love for her fellow human beings, I figure she can’t help but respond to my asking her for help to grow in virtue. My prayers have been simple: 

“Help me to love Jesus like you do.” and “Teach me to trust in God’s infinite mercy.”

As I read her words and pray to her for help, I think of St. Faustina as my “big sister” in heaven. My big sister has gone before me, has done so many things so well, and now she can turn back in love, teaching me to love and trust. By the way, these are the only things we ever need to do: Love and trust. My big sister is showing me the way.

One of the lessons St. Faustina has been teaching me about suffering is that it shows us just how small and helpless we are. We can do nothing without God. But with God, we can do everything. Whenever she faced a new suffering, whether it was physical, emotional, or spiritual, her habit was not to pray that it would go away. I think many of us do that, and it’s only human to want suffering to go away, but St. Faustina beautifully models Christ in the garden on the night before his passion and death when she prays: 

“Do not lessen any of my sufferings, only give me strength to bear them. Do with me as you please, Lord, only give me the grace to be able to love You in every event and every circumstance. Lord, do not lessen my cup of bitterness, only give me strength that I may be able to drink it all.”

What a simple and beautiful prayer! Throughout my recent experiences, my big sister, St. Faustina, has been teaching me to make it my own. I do not pray that my tiny little cup of bitterness will go away; I pray for the strength to drink it all.

And we never drink it alone! I recently wrote about the closeness of Jesus to those who suffer, but he gives us the gift of others who are close to us, too. I felt the presence and prayers of my big sister, St. Faustina, in many of the trying moments I experienced these past few weeks. I prayed with her beautiful words of love and trust and begged her to teach me more.

While I was in the hospital in New York, Dan stayed at a nearby hotel. One morning, he arrived at the hospital and smiled and told me, “I prayed to St. Faustina for you last night!”

He did? What? I had not told him about my specific prayers to her. 

Dan explained that he knew I was reading the diary, and so he figured she would be a good saint to pray to for me. My big sister was working in kahoots with my husband behind my back!

Early on during my first hospital stay, I was feeling sad and frustrated. There is a person in my life that I used to be very close to, but for many reasons, some known and some unknown, we have drifted apart over the past several years. The loss of this relationship has been a very difficult thing for me, one of the greatest and most painful losses I have experienced in life. On this particular day, I received a text message from this person who had heard I was in the hospital. She wished me well and offered prayers. The words were very nice, but when I thought about our previous closeness and how we would have communicated during this trial years ago, the message felt distant and cold, like a stab to the heart.

The very next moment, I got a message from Hélène. Hélène is my big sister on earth. She was praying for me, she said. And fasting for me. And going to Mass and offering her Communion for me. 

My big sister. The one who has always gone before me–going to high school, going to college, getting married, having kids, having teenagers, having grandchildren. Hélène has always gone ahead and has always turned back in love, showing me the way. 

Her messages came every day, sometimes sharing photos to cheer me up, sharing a practical tip she learned following her own surgery a year ago. Still, every day to remind me that she was praying and sacrificing for me and my healing.

Human relationships often disappoint us. St. Faustina suffered much because even the people in her life whom she was closest to and who should have understood her often failed to. They were suspicious of her motives, doubted her suffering, and thought she might be dishonest or lazy. This was a terrible source of discouragement and pain for Faustina, but she was consoled by knowing that Jesus was the one she could truly trust. He is all that we need.

Do not lessen my cup of bitterness. Only give me strength that I may drink it all.

Sometimes, the strength he gives comes to us through the love and sacrifices of other people. My big sisters Faustina and Hélène are part of his gift and his plan for me, and I’m so grateful for their guidance and love. 

Life is messy. Pain and discouragement are everywhere. We might be tempted to trust in people and things, our own skills and abilities, opportunities, status, and wealth. But all of these things can let us down, disappear, or abandon us.

Jesus never does.