Saturday, May 24, 2008

Prayers are most appropriate....

When I was a novice, an invitation was printed for our first vows liturgy. It included, along with the date, time, place, etc., the line, "Your gift of prayer is most appropriate". Much to the chagrin of me and my fellow classmates, this line was given to curtail excited and generous family and friends from giving us gifts of money or gift cards, etc. Alas, it worked, and we newly professed religious learned a good lesson about the vow of poverty.

Today I observe my 31st birthday. Unlike my 30th which hit me hard, this one seems quite normal and everyday. And like my first profession of religious vows, I hope for the gift of prayers from my family and friends. How precious is the gift of prayer; to say "I will pray for you" and to then actually do just that!

I ushered in the birthday with a wonderful dinner at the home of former parishioners last night and I will spend the day itself packing my room, reading, hearing confessions for the weekend's Medjugorje Conference and by going out to dinner with Fr. Doug Smith CSC, also born on the 24th, and a few other friends. Here's to another year.

UPDATE: Fun dinner last night with a cigar afterwards.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!
I will keep you in prayer as you enter another year and as you prepare for your next grand adventure.

Yes, gifts of prayer are indeed special. I never realized how perfect the promise of prayer is until several friends offered to pray for me during difficult times. It took the "burden" of prayer away from me. Anne Lamott writes about that in Traveling Mercies. She was talking to a priest friend and he suggested that she stop praying because she was trying too hard. He said that he would pray for her. Sometimes we are too caught up in what's going on (good or bad) to really be able to pray and to be open to the Spirit's movement. Allowing another to pray for us provides openness.

Yes, I will pray for you.
Peace,
Lauren

Muse-ical Mystagogue said...

Michael Wurtz!

Herzlichen Geburtstag, friend. I'll pray for you, too. Will there be a Corpus Christi procession on campus tomorrow? If so, enjoy!!!

I'm glad you were born (and not just so I could eat cake). :)

Blessings, you lovely person you!!!
Kate

Anonymous said...

Prayers are appropriate indeed, and mine are with you. Happy Birthday (again!), Michael! (I wish I could again say it, particularly with food from Nani's!)

It's curious that you should mention prayer, though, as that's what I had just noted regarding you in my own journal: I couldn't help but notice that the pics you posted from last Sunday caught many of us in prayer and meditation, and I was struck by never having seen such images of myself before, and very few of my friends. (I had shot McGlinn on that log, too, though.) I was impressed by how artistically responsive and sensitive to those moments you were, and wanted to compliment you on them, even if it does seem potentially Pharisaical of me to praise you for photographing me so. I wish it was a moment I lived up to more often.