Intercession
We are all called to it, some more than others.
Hello, this is the first post after sharing my testimony of Jesus calling me out of the tomb of mental illness. You can read the four part series linked: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.
I have a few posts sketched out and I was mulling over which to post next. Given the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump, I find this post will be the most pertinent. America and its leaders need prayers. The whole world needs more prayer. We can all be great intercessors, but I think those who have mental health struggles can be even greater. Our weakness is our strength.
Our Blessed Mother Mary is the greatest intercessor. She is constantly petitioning to Jesus to help us. Just like the Wedding Feast at Cana (John 2:1-12), the Lord cannot say no to His mother, and our prayers have more clout when Mary is the mediator. It is one of her many titles, Mediatrix. An analogy from Saint Louis de Montfort explains it perfectly:
It is as if a peasant, wishing to gain the friendship and benevolence of the king, went to the queen and presented her with a fruit which was his whole revenue, in order that she might present it to the king. The queen, having accepted the poor little offering from the peasant, would place the fruit on a large and beautiful dish of gold, and so, on the peasant's behalf, would present it to the king. Then the fruit, however unworthy in itself to be a king's present, would become worthy of his majesty because of the dish of gold on which it rested and the person who presented it.
I think those who struggle with mental health might be lower than these peasants Saint Louis is talking about. Ponder this: if you are constantly bombarded with anxious, fearful, worried, depressed, hopeless, and negative thoughts and feelings, then you don’t know where the fruit(prayer) even is to give to the King! You aren’t even looking for it! You are focused on yourself, trapped in an interior tomb. You are trying to survive, scraping by with your apple cores and orange peels. When you do get a brief calm within the storm of your mind, and offer your meager prayers for others to God, you are like the widow who put all that she had into the temple treasury (Mark 12:41-44). Mary will plead a compromised mental health person’s case more. I think Our Blessed Mother would say something along the lines of, “my Son, see how this little one suffers in mind, yet he still remembers to pray for others. Please grant his petition.”
I think the devil knows that those who struggle with mental health are meant to be great intercessors. He doesn’t want them anywhere near the King because he knows once they realize their prayers for others improve both the lives of the other and their own, he is two points down. Let’s not forget that the greatest intercessor in the Old Testament, Moses, was nearly snuffed out by the devil’s schemes following his birth. Looking at Moses’s life he definitely had some mental and emotional struggles.
"I am not able to carry all this people alone, the burden is too heavy for me. If thou wilt deal thus with me, kill me at once, if I find favor in thy sight, that I may not see my wretchedness. (Numbers 11:14-15)
Moses was also slow of speech, so God provided him with Aaron to be his mediator to His chosen people, the Israelites. Mental illness for sure slows down speech/thoughts, so God provides us with Mary to be our mediator to His new chosen people, everyone in the world.
Scripture is filled with the Lord calling those who are weak to great things, because when those things are accomplished, people look to God as the result and not the talents of the person (Moses, David and Peter come to mind). Being an intercessor is something to be proud of. You are small, but with the prompting of the Holy Spirit you are called to greatness. However, prayer is hidden, so it is easy to think you aren’t helping anyone or anything and thus it takes a back seat to other things or is forgotten. Plus, your mental condition might not be improving so that is discouraging as well. But remember, prayer and fasting have worked countless times to help others. The exactitude of how prayer affected outcomes will only be discovered after this life, but we are certain the outcome is positive in this life, increased faith/hope/trust in God and His mercy.
The big guns for intercession are the Rosary, the Memorare and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The Rosary is intercessory at its core, asking Mary to pray for us. The structure and repetition of the prayer makes it perfect to recite even in times of great mental, physical, and emotional anguish.
“The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.”
~Saint Francis de Sales
The Memorare is a short intercessory prayer that can be prayed quickly in a time of need. Saint Mother Theresa had a practice of praying the “flying novena” where she would pray 10 Memorares in a row. She added one more than the standard nine as a gesture of thanksgiving, because this form of intercessory prayer worked so much in her life. Since I learned about the “flying novena,” I use it all the time and it is one of my go-to prayer when someone asks me to pray for their intention. I love it for its immediacy. In passing someone can ask you to pray for “xyz” then you already have said two by the time you walk to your car. I would encourage all of you to memorize the Memoraré, it is one of my favorites. Here it is:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.
The Divine Mercy Chaplet shines when praying for those who are dying, have died, individual countries and the whole world. These quotes from Saint Faustian reflect it:
“I realize more and more how much every soul needs God’s mercy throughout life and particularly at the hour of death. This chaplet (of Divine Mercy) mitigates God’s anger, and He Himself told me.” (No. 1036)`
He (Jesus) says, “I want all of the sisters and wards to say the chaplet which I have taught you. They are to say it for nine days in the chapel in order to appease My Father and to entreat God’s mercy for Poland.” (No. 714)
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
~Saint Faustina
Intercessory prayer does not have to be a scripted devotional though. One of my favorite things to do in prayer is close my eyes and ask the Lord who needs prayers. A random person who I haven’t thought of in years usually comes up. I ask a follow up question of what they need prayer for. Sometimes I get something, usually not. It is a nice way to end a prayer session. It is like throwing a “Hail Mary” in football. The Hand of God can guide that pass right into the hands of the receiver and the crowd goes wild! The battle is over, and all heaven rejoices!
Back to my original reference to the assassination attempt on former president Trump, I believe an increased devotion to the Divine Mercy Chaplet would be a great thing. It was given to Saint Faustina by God at a time in history when there was great political and social upheaval at the start of WWII. It was also influential in the end of communist rule in Poland. All these things are happening again today. Please, use the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to intercede for our Country/World to end the great evils of our time.
Jesus prophesied before Lazarus died saying, “this illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it.” (John 11:4) Living with mental illness is not unto death, it is for the glory of God, so that when we intercede and pray for outcomes, the Son of God may be glorified by means of it.
Comments:
What’s your favorite fruit?
Do you have any other intercession devotionals?
Do you have a personal example of an intercessory prayer answered?
My favorite fruit is papaya, unfortunately it is hard to find good ones in the valley of the sun.
I've been trying to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet more often as a way to grow in Mercy. However, I remember praying it when an uncle of mine died unexpectedly. What you said about not knowing the fruits of your prayer until after we die hit home with me.
I felt extra graces from the prayers you and the other guys in our men's group offered for me when I was by myself with the kids while Diana was in that homeschooling conference. That's one of the recent ones I can remember.
The best burn I ever heard in middle school: we were giving each other nicknames and each of us was a type of fruit. This other kid really wanted one. He was desperate and kept listing fruits. Then He said “how about like a weird fruit nobody likes?” My other friend said “you already are a weird fruit that nobody likes!” We died laughing. Then the kids ran around like “no no no no! I meant like a papaya or a mango or something!”
Ya I Love Divine Mercy message. It was a huge impact for me in 2016 (the year of divine mercy) I read 33 days to merciful love and went to world youth day in Poland. I am glad you liked it. It is my go to prayer while laying in bed trying to go to sleep. I’ve heard sleep is like a “mini death” every day. So the Chaplet is very fitting then.