Our prayer meeting at the Gruber residence was rescheduled to a week earlier this month... but, really, none of us minded. I, myself, was actually glad it came early as I was looking forward to the prayers and close fellowship that our group members shared every month. Given the distance between Kailua and Mililani, where the Gruber's live, this is the only time some of us prayer participants get to see each other so I was looking forward to catching up with dear friends I hadn't seen in a while.
So at tonight's gathering we celebrated our Blessed Mother in a special way since the month of May is especially dedicated to her... and along with Our Lady, we also honored St. Peregrine Laziosi (d. 1345) - the well-renowned Patron Saint of Cancer Patients - who had become somewhat of an unofficial patron for the group given the numerous cancer patients who have been recommended to our monthly prayers during the past year. Both St. Peregrine and Our Lady were represented at the meeting through their respective relics, which were displayed on the host family's home-shrine for us to venerate while we prayed.
Sacred Relics of Our Lady's garment (Ex Camisia, left) and St. Peregrine Laziosi
(Ex Ossibus) were displayed on the Gruber's home-shrine during the meeting.
Again, the meeting was meaningful. At the start I sensed the weariness in our spirits, which was probably due to some of the built-up day-to-day stress that many of us have acquired since last month's prayer meeting. Heartfelt prayers flowed freely and by the end of the prayers, our burdens were lifted... even if just for the night. The presence of the Holy Spirit was quite tangible and was visibly manifested later in the evening when a couple of us were powerfully overwhelmed by the Lord's presence... and unexpectedly fell over, one after the other; apparently after being "slain in the Spirit" during a final prayer for the night. It was a first for our prayer group to witness such a remarkable sight.
Our customary mealtime was filled with lighthearted conversation, laughter, and testimonies of prayers answered, which we always find encouraging. After having prayed with this special group of people for a year now, the tight spiritual bond that we've come to share has strengthened and become a mighty blessing; we're really family now with God as our Father and Mary as our Mother. So after the meeting ended, and as I drove home with a couple of friends from Kailua, we talked about the night's events and were already looking forward to June's meeting, and the blessings that it promised. We were grateful...
Thanks be to Jesus Christ and our dearest Blessed Mother Mary!
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