Alone with the Almighty
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I, it is I who comfort you. –Isaiah 51:12 (NAB)
It was a Sunday morning, and I was out of town seeking a place to attend mass. The closest Catholic church was twenty minutes away, so off I headed. Alone in the car, my mind settled into familiar aching ruts of pain over a loved one who had fallen victim to an abusive relationship.
I verbalized raw thoughts to God amidst tears when suddenly a large billboard loomed off to the side: “SEXUAL ABUSE SHATTERS LIVES,” it declared, followed by the number of a hotline. Interesting timing, I thought.
The GPS directed me off the highway onto a country road dotted with modest homes and small farms. From one mailbox hung a sign with hand-painted sign: “God’s mercy brings healing.” Interesting timing again.
Soon I pulled into the parking lot of a sizeable Catholic church, an oasis of faith nestled amidst dry, stubbly farm fields. Taking a leaflet on the way in, I perused it while waiting for mass to start. On page five, I noticed this prayer:
A Prayer for Healing Victims of Abuse
God of endless love,
ever caring, ever strong,
always present, always just:
You gave your only Son
to save us by his blood on the cross.
Gentle Jesus, shepherd of peace,
join to your own suffering
the pain of all who have been hurt
in body, mind, and spirit
by those who betrayed the trust placed in them.
Hear the cries of our brothers and sisters
who have been gravely harmed,
and the cries of those who love them.
Soothe their restless hearts with hope,
steady their shaken spirits with faith.
Brant them justice for their cause,
enlightened by your truth.
A billboard on the highway, a small sign along the road, and a prayer to take with me. It seemed that God had spoken three messages to show my hurting heart that He heard my prayers for this loved one. And it all happened before mass had even begun!
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for showing us in subtle ways that you see and hear us.
Quote: "We must often feel weary and tired yet God brings us through all these things." –St. Mary MacKillop (1842-1909, cannonized 2010)
Thought: Consider a time that God met you in your place of pain. Give thanks.
Like this devotion? Find one-minute photo devotions by Lisa Livezey at lisalivezey.com/olivetree
Lisa Livezey writes from Pennsylvania where she found her way to Rome via the Anglican Ordinariate. She is the author of Minding Mom: A Caregiver's Devotional Story (En Route Publishing) and contributes to the National Catholic Register, Guideposts books and devotionals, and more. Her weekly photo devotions found at lisalivezey.com/olivetree are viewed worldwide and utilized by Visio Divina prayer groups. Lisa is a wife, mom, and grandma, volunteers in church and civic settings, and serves on the executive team at Heart of the Father Ministries. She credits her husband with giving her name alliteration and sometimes on summer weekends can be spotted sailing the Chesapeake Bay alongside her spouse.
