< <  

Saturday, October 20, 2012

  > >

St. Paul of the Cross


Ephesians 1:15-23
Psalm 8:2-7
Luke 12:8-12

View Readings
Similar Reflections

he's still praying for you

"I have never stopped thanking God for you and recommending you in my prayers." —Ephesians 1:16

During his life, Father Al Lauer, founder and long-time author of One Bread, One Body (OBOB), often prayed for you readers. It has been a decade now since his death, but I can still hear the voice of Father Al praying for his beloved OBOB readers.

Father Al always gave thanks for your faith and love (Eph 1:15). He wanted you to come to know Jesus clearly (Eph 1:17); accordingly, he wrote these teachings for twenty years so you could have that opportunity. He prayed that all would know their call (Eph 1:18), live fully their God-given vocation, and know the great hope that belongs to this call.

Father especially preached about the immeasurable scope of the power of God (Eph 1:19) in us through the "dynamite" of the Holy Spirit working through us (see Acts 1:8). He constantly exhorted all who read OBOB to center our lives on the Church, the Eucharist, and the Bible, in particular the daily eucharistic readings (Eph 1:22-23). He spent his last decades urging all to try to attend Mass daily.

Father often expressed the desire that Presentation Ministries would still be ministering in power when Jesus returns at His Second Coming. May we all remain faithful to the Church, fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb 3:1), and walk in the surpassing greatness of the power of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Al Lauer, continue to pray for us.

Prayer:  "May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, grant you a spirit of wisdom and insight to know Him clearly. May He enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which He has called you" (Eph 1:17-18).

Promise:  "The Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment all that should be said." —Lk 12:12

Praise:  St. Paul lived the way of the cross of Jesus Christ. He advised: "Conceal yourselves in Jesus crucified, and hope for nothing except that all men be thoroughly converted to His will."

Reference:  (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 10, 2012

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.