Prayer Requests and an apology

Between the Great Earache of 2010 and all the stuff I’m writing and filing in order to be ready to head for Philly and Boston next week, I’ve been letting my mail pile up. As a result some prayer requests have gone unread. My apologies to those who have been waiting around for me to post their prayers. Also, my apologies to all who have sent me sundry correspondence, links to post, questions, etc. I’m kind of drowning. Bear with me.

A reader writes:

A friend’s boyfriend has terminal brain cancer. There was emergency surgery the other day (haven’t heard how it went yet) and there’s a course of treatment coming up, likely to be initially very unpleasant, with the prospect of living for a couple more years. There’s potential friction and wrangling among friends and family about visiting and caring for him, and I really pray that doesn’t flare up.

I’d like to pray also for assurance and increase of faith in a friend and an online acquaintance who are struggling with the Faith in different ways; and for certain friends and family that I care about to hear the call of the Lord (and God needs to call – our own efforts don’t achieve much, absent His blessing). Lastly, prayers that I’d be a better servant and ambassador of God myself (on occasion, my own stupidity and ineptitude have actually put people off becoming Christians), and also solve certain work-related woes, would be appreciated.

The things I’ve asked your readership to put in a word for have generally seen movement in the past, so prayer support on this stuff would be greatly appreciated.

Another reader writes:

Please pray for my sister who is unmarried and pregnant. The baby’s father is horrible and keeps stating that he will kill himself unless she gets an abortion. She is holding strong but this is understandably a very difficult situation. She needs strength and guidance.

John Mallon writes:

Dear Friends,

Here I am again. I’m feeling like the guy who always has his hand out. Forgive me, I don’t know what else to do. Here’s the situation. Tomorrow I have to have a bone scan for cancer. As I said in my last email It is doubtful that my cancer of 15 years ago has returned, but precautions must be taken. I received some generous donations recently but you know how money goes today. I made payments on medical bills and normal living expenses like light bills, etc.

Happily the told me the bone scan is “only” $500. A refreshing relief from the multiple thousands of some of the other tests I’ve had recently. Anyway they require $200 up front, tomorrow, before they do the procedure and I just haven’t got it. I told a longtime priest friend I was feeling uncomfortable with this constant begging, and he said reassuring words: “Well, when you work for the Lord, you have to be open to receiving,” and warned me about laying it on to thick with my problems.

I want you to know that I do realize many of you have problems far worse than mine. In fact, I consider myself very fortunate that the biggest problem in my life is only money. My health has been a nuisance keeping me from my potential, but that’s about all. I look upon everything that befalls me as something God allows to teach and sanctify me, including the humiliation of begging.

I take comfort in these words ( I love Sirach):

My son, why increase your cares, since he who is avid for wealth will not be blameless? Even if you run after it, you will never overtake it; however you seek it, you will not find it. One may toil and struggle and drive, and fall short all the more. Another goes his way a weakling and a failure, with little strength and great misery– Yet the eyes of the LORD look favorably upon him; he raises him free of the vile dust, Lifts up his head and exalts him to the amazement of the many. Good and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the LORD. Wisdom and understanding and knowledge of affairs, love and virtuous paths are from the LORD. —Sirach 11: 10-15

This has come true so often in my life.

And I have always loved this: Admire not how sinners live, but trust in the LORD and wait for his light; For it is easy with the LORD suddenly, in an instant, to make a poor man rich. —Sirach: 11: 21.

I am very much more Jesuitical than Fransciscan and Lady Poverty and I had always had a very dysfunctional relationship.

I’m sure you know the old joke about the Franciscan and the Jesuit. The Jesuit takes his Franciscan friend to visit the palatial Jesuit residence, and the Franciscan exclaims, “If this is poverty, bring on chastity!”

Just to reassure you, my spirits are up, I feel blessed with my life just as it is, (But would just change a few circumstances, (ie my finances) I am very rich to have you the, Body of Christ to turn to, and if some of you are sick of me, well, I guess that’s something St. Francis would rejoice in too! If any of you are sick of me you haven’t voiced it, and I thank you. My severest critic lives in my own head, and when he is nasty, I’ve learned to dismiss him! I have the joy of the Lord and accept crosses as challenges, and something to offer up for our sad sick world. For the record I do not feel sorry for myself! My life in service to the Church has been the greatest adventure imaginable. Peter Kreeft told me recently, when I told him of my amazement of your generosity, “God always sends angels.” And He does.

So enough of this chatter. If anyone can help me meet this $200 to get on with this, I’d be very grateful. I’m working on getting your Mass cards in the mail.

Love in the Body of Christ,
Your Friend,

John

To donate online use the PayPal button here: http://johnmallon.net

By mail:
John Mallon
9783 Hefner Village Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73162

And please pray I get my energy back and can find a job counseling the poor addicted souls.

I may do some writing for some Websites but most Catholic sites don’t pay. A dear and prominent Catholic friend advised me not to write for no pay, that it was a luxury, but sometimes certain articles just burn within me until they are published. So you may see something from me soon.

Father, hear our prayer for all these people with their specific needs through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Mother Mary, St. Joseph the Worker, St. Gianna, St. Luke and St. Peregrine and all you saints, pray for them! Amen!