The Light of Hope

            This past April, a dear friend and member of our Rosary Prayer Group returned from a visit with her daughter in Oregon. She gave me a card with this prayer John Paul 11 recited in 1982 at the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal:     

Immaculate heart of Mary, help us to conquer the menace of evil which so easily takes root in the hearts of people today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down our modern world and seem to block the paths toward the future…

The Pope went on to name the forms of evil and ends with:

Let it be revealed once more in the history of the world, the infinite power of merciful love. May it put a stop to evil. May it transform consciences. May your immaculate heart reveal for all the light of hope! Amen

If we pray for peace and conversion in the world, it can feel hopeless without a powerful companion and intercessor. The patron saint of our country is the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Who better to have than the Mother of God to intercede for us in this crazy mixed-up world of today, where darkness seems to prevail? Our Lord Himself told us He is the Light of the world and He gave His Mother to us. Pray without ceasing in everything we do, not only the prayers we say.

Ever notice the connections you experience in daily life. It’s as if our Creator reaches down and causes events to occur and connect to one anther to reinforce our faith, if we care to notice. In my next blog I’ll reveal some that connect with this particular prayer, instilling in us reason to hope.