Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

June 26, 2026

Some reflections on the readings come more easily than others. Today’s readings seem to speak about prayer and how God answers it. At our Knights of Columbus meetings, the Grand Knight regularly asks whether any brother Knight or family member needs prayer. The same names are often mentioned, and sometimes a new one is added. It can feel routine, yet I know from experience that when we bring sickness, suffering, and need to Jesus, he always responds.

We do not always understand God’s will, because he sees far more than we do, but I have witnessed healing in situations that seemed hopeless. I have also prayed for decades for respect for life in this country, and even there, I can now see signs of change.

As Jesus says, “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find.”

The most satisfying prayer I have found is to place a person or situation in God’s hands and trust him with the outcome. I believe in a loving God whose way is always best. Even when events do not unfold as I hoped, prayer has never left me disappointed, because God always brings consolation.

Saint Peter Julian Eymard believed God was calling him to found a Eucharistic congregation, yet he prayed first to know God’s will and to obey it. Through a series of unlikely events, that prayer was answered. He once advised a parishioner, “Go to the Lord very simply, with the surrender of a small child. Tell the good Lord what you are thinking, what you want, what is upsetting you. Oh! How happy we become when we discover this interior conversation with our Lord. He becomes the center of our heart and life.”

Prayer:

Jesus, my friend, send your Spirit to help me reflect on these readings: one telling of the destruction of the ten tribes of Israel, the other of the healing of a leper. Your purposes and mercy are often difficult for me to understand, yet even in my limited understanding, I see the faith of billions who follow you today. Amen.