How to Evangelize: From Home's Walls to the World's Edges
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During the game between Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals brought a frightening scene on Monday as Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field. The team released an update following the incident which said he had suffered cardiac arrest.
“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in the game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition,” said the Bills on Twitter.
Teammates such as Josh Allen tweeted, “please pray for our brother.”
An outpouring of “prayer” posts poured on social media for the young ballplayer. Other NFL teams such as the Pittsburg Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions tweeted out encouragements and prayers.
The nationwide support for Hamlin is encouraging in a society that seems ripped apart by division and hate. Tweeting or telling someone you are praying for them is a lot easier than spending time in prayer. We have become complacent in putting on social media that we are praying for someone but many times we fail to do the action of praying. All Christians should be praying for individuals in need, regardless of their situation or faith. It does not matter if an individual is viewed as successful, rich, poor, admired, or an outcast, we are commanded to pray for everyone.
“First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,” (I Timothy 2:1)
We are not given an “exclusion” clause in scripture that allows us to pick and choose who we want to include in our prayers. Sacred Scripture is full of “inclusion” clauses as opposed to “exclusion”. We are to show the love of Christ to everyone and that includes those who are in need of prayer.
If you need a guide to how to pray for Hamlin, try these prayers:
Prayer to St. John of God (patron saint of those with heart conditions): “Saint John of God, you are honored as the patron of those who are afflicted by heart disease. Obtain for me the grace from God for Damar Hamlin to be well and healed again. Bless him with a healthy heart. I ask you for your intercession and help. Grant that Damar receive the favor for which I now ask through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.”
You may also want to use one similar to this:
Lord God, I know that you are a God who works miracles. Lord Jesus, you have restored sight to the blind, given sound back to the deaf, and restored strength to the lame. You have raised the dead. O God, you are the author and creator of life. You piece together our hearts cell by cell from the time of our conception. I pray you touch his heart and restore it to health. Grant him healing Lord Jesus. I trust you to flow the graces from your throne to Damar and allow your healing, grace, and love to flow over his heart for restoration. I trust you to give him back to his family, his loved ones, and his friends. In your hands we trust you with him. We ask for another miracle and for your glory to shine forth through it. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Let us not give only lip service to the concept of prayer. Let us strive to live a life of prayer for all people.
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
