G
Gabriel_Syme
Guest
If I could ask of you you’re prayers I would be very grateful and comforted. I am facing a time right now that is at once joyful and daunting.
I ask please pray for the coming months, and ask for the intercession of St. Augustine, (I consider him my patron) St. Francis, and our Blessed mother. Our Lady has done much to lead me from the path of sin and I pray for her continued protection.
Thank you, I ask God bless you all.
Code:
Years ago, I was among other things, an outspoken atheist, I was also an aspiring writer and had a tendency to associate myself with a very hedonistic crowd. I have left that behind me about 2 years ago when after many months of being tugged at in my heart I gave the first confession I had given in a long time. I spoke in the confessional weeping bitterly for my sins and walked out with tears of joy. Since that time, I've given time to pause and reflect on my life. Over the past 2 years I've come to realize that I may be called to the consecrated life.
In this period of reflection I have seen times throughout my life when (even as an atheist) I unknowingly fought on the side of Catholic Church and unknowingly defended her against attacks against her teachings. Having come to the astonishing conclusion hat the truths I was willing to fight for were shared among the many truths of the church I began to examine my position and had come to ask a new question: How can one define Christianity. It was something as an atheist I could not come to a conclusion on because so may doctrines contradicted each other. I admit that I wanted this knowledge because I was hoping to use it to my advantage but God had allowed me to pursue this sin so that he may transform it to virtue. He caused me to look back on a life I spent before drifting from the Catholic church, and how I caused myself to lose the peace I once had. It was a peace I had longed for for years. along with the return of this peace has come an overwhelming love for the sacraments, most especially Our Lord in the Eucharist.
I ask for your prayers because starting this week I will be speaking with my spiritual director and we will be discussing a trip I plan to make to New York to see the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. They are an order that I had my eyes on long before I ever even knew or even heard of Fr Benedict Groeschel's work for EWTN. I ask for prayers that these efforts will aid me in discerning my vocation. Ive also had moments too that I need prayers for. Since returning to the Church, the Devil I believe has become furious with “the one that got away” and has tried to place doubt in me and has been mocking me every step of the way. He tries to rob me of peace by placing undesired and terrible thoughts in my mind. When I sincerely place my Trust in Christ, I overcome these threats but I feel that the closer I come to realizing this call the more desperate the Devil is getting. I used to think that spiritual combat was all fairy tales but, It is all too real.Thank you, I ask God bless you all.
. My prayer still stands though.