Jack’s Prayer

Every week I pull out handfuls of prayer intention cards left by our visitors.  I’m always impressed with how many people ask for prayers – sometimes there seems to be no end to the cards or the deciphering of languages and handwriting!  Recently I found this card among many others…

My heart melted as I read those simple words of a little boy.   I’m not sure when he left his card in the prayer box in Duc in Altum, but that doesn’t really matter – his prayer does.  Jack opened his heart at Magdala and spoke to God the three small words that every human being longs to hear: “I love you.”

“God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.”  (1 John 4: 16)

As infants we are not aware of God, the Creator of the universe, but we know without a doubt who our mother and father are.  Seeds of love are planted deep within the heart of each new human being and in a good, healthy environment they develop and flourish allowing him to express love in a variety of ways.

“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4: 19)

Our first experience of love hopefully was the day we were born and placed in the arms of our mother and father who cried for joy at the fruit of their love for each other.  Jack’s experience of love in his family – “I love my mom dad and sister very much,” – little by little led him to discover and profess his love for God.

If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”  (1 John 4: 17 – 21)

Thank you, Jack, for giving us a great lesson in your simple prayer card. May we too express our love for God and for one another each and every day.