First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone… (1 Timothy 2:1 nrsv)

Intercessory prayer is an important part of the Christian life. It is our opportunity to reach out to God with our joys and heartaches concerning our relationships with the people He has given to us to love and live with in our earthly walk. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book Life Together, says that intercessory prayer “is the purifying bath into which the individual and the community must enter every day.” This brings me a real sense of peace: knowing that others are praying for me every day and that I am praying for others every day and each of us are brought into the light of God by another.

Another aspect of intercessory prayer that I have found important lately is bringing those people in your life that you have difficulties with to God in prayer. Bonhoeffer describes a community characterized by “Christians bringing one another into the presence of God, seeing each other under the cross of Jesus as poor human beings and sinners in need of grace. Then, everything about the other people that repels me falls away. Then I see them in all their need, hardship, and distress.” It is hard to hate another person when you look at them as God sees them, as a beloved child.

By shining the light of Christ on your enemies you may make some discoveries about yourself in that relationship that make you squirm. However, remember that the light that shines on this relationship comes from the same God who sees each person in the relationship with the same Grace filled eyes. So that light that opens your eyes to love your prickly neighbor should also open your eyes to love your prickly self.

Immerse yourself and those who share your life “in the purifying bath” of prayer and believe the light of God will illuminate the way for us to obey the great commandment to love the Lord with all our heart, all our mind, and all our spirit, and love our neighbor as ourselves.

Dear Lord help me to remember to bring all the people in my life to you in prayer.

Contributed by Debra
Monday May 21, 2012
Liturgical Year B Week 26
Liturgical Color: White
Sunday Gospel reading:
Seventh Sunday of Easter