Thank you for this thoughtful post, Mark! Last year, as I anticipated retirement with lofty plans, God's intentions for me were entirely different. I experienced one health issue after another, culminating in a month long bout with Covid. My body literally shut down. My prayer life, however escalated, and became more intense as I, the devout Catholic that I am, called on all my favorite saints and the Blessed Mother to intercede on my behalf to the triune God for healing. What I came to understand is that I felt most consoled when I "offered up" my discomfort and concerns for those who were suffering far worse than I, particularly the victims of the assaults on Gaza. (This type of prayer, from my Catholic childhood, has always been very helpful in taking the focus off myself.)
Wow, so sorry to hear of your health challenges, Vanessa. Thank you very much for sharing - your prayer of deepening solidarity with people who suffer is profound!
Lovely, Mark. Thank you for this. I'm walking through some medical stuff right now, and I've found it's kind of a beautiful gateway into intense gratitude for me. I find myself praying all day, every day, in gratitude for my access to healthcare, having enough money to pay for doctors and needed surgeries, and the loved ones in my life who are supporting me through it.
Hope you all are on the mend! There are few things worse than needing to cook dinner for your kids when you can barely get out of bed, amiright??
Hi Jenna! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and the wisdom of gratitude you are experiencing through challenge. Dinner is challenging while sick, for sure! Lots of chicken tenders 😉
What a beautiful reminder of how to seek and find the sacred in all aspects of our lives, including times of sickness. I watched my mom suffer greatly for many years as her body was failing and causing her much pain; and she was always a pillar of joy and faithfulness, it was through her pain and suffering that she found God and she offered it up for others who were suffering. I’m grateful to have witnessed her grace through sickness, and thank you Mark for the opportunity to reflect on the impact that had on me!
Being diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and being in treatment for almost 2 years now has kept me in constant conversation with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I go to an Abbey twice a week to listen to compline and it eases my unrest along with walks in the woods to stop my mind from reeling. Being alone through this ongoing physical mess has me clinging to the Spiritual to remain peaceful. Thank you Mark for your writing.
Thank you for your wise and honest post. When I'm sick, formal seated time becomes breath prayer while curled under a blanket. And, when my eleven year old is home, it evolves into "help me stay soft and steady" - which is one I often pray anyway. A lifelong yoga practitioner, I echo how wonderful the gift of a yin practice is during these times. It's a release of the expectation to produce some sort of physical result and simply rest and receive the grace of breath.
Thanks so much for sharing, Melinda. Great to hear that yin yoga is helpful for you, too: I love breathing prayer curled up in a blanket, and definitely resonate with the “soft and steady” prayer!
Thank you, Mark, for this thoughtful reflection. I had not considered doing gentle yoga postures while recovering from illness or injury, but will add that to my toolkit.
I’ve also found praying while lying down to be especially comforting when I’m not feeling well. When I’m struggling with illness or injury, praying for others who are suffering famine, war, attacks, family separation takes the focus off of me and connects me to all of humanity.
I really appreciate your weekly writings, and I enjoyed your recently aired conversation with Paul Swanson on his podcast. I hope you and your family are feeling much better.
Thanks for sharing, Gina, and your kindness! I resonate with your prayer for others who are suffering, sickness as an invitation to prayerful solidarity.
When I had cancer ten years ago, I was in a great deal of pain. My church gave me a prayer quilt I took with me for every chemo treatment. One afternoon at home when the pain was particularly bad, I was in bed with the prayer quilt over me and felt a wave of peace fall over me. Such calming love! I could not pray, but the prayers of others held me.
Thank you for this thoughtful post, Mark! Last year, as I anticipated retirement with lofty plans, God's intentions for me were entirely different. I experienced one health issue after another, culminating in a month long bout with Covid. My body literally shut down. My prayer life, however escalated, and became more intense as I, the devout Catholic that I am, called on all my favorite saints and the Blessed Mother to intercede on my behalf to the triune God for healing. What I came to understand is that I felt most consoled when I "offered up" my discomfort and concerns for those who were suffering far worse than I, particularly the victims of the assaults on Gaza. (This type of prayer, from my Catholic childhood, has always been very helpful in taking the focus off myself.)
Wow, so sorry to hear of your health challenges, Vanessa. Thank you very much for sharing - your prayer of deepening solidarity with people who suffer is profound!
Lovely, Mark. Thank you for this. I'm walking through some medical stuff right now, and I've found it's kind of a beautiful gateway into intense gratitude for me. I find myself praying all day, every day, in gratitude for my access to healthcare, having enough money to pay for doctors and needed surgeries, and the loved ones in my life who are supporting me through it.
Hope you all are on the mend! There are few things worse than needing to cook dinner for your kids when you can barely get out of bed, amiright??
Hi Jenna! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and the wisdom of gratitude you are experiencing through challenge. Dinner is challenging while sick, for sure! Lots of chicken tenders 😉
What a beautiful reminder of how to seek and find the sacred in all aspects of our lives, including times of sickness. I watched my mom suffer greatly for many years as her body was failing and causing her much pain; and she was always a pillar of joy and faithfulness, it was through her pain and suffering that she found God and she offered it up for others who were suffering. I’m grateful to have witnessed her grace through sickness, and thank you Mark for the opportunity to reflect on the impact that had on me!
Thanks so much for sharing the powerful witness of your mother!
Being diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and being in treatment for almost 2 years now has kept me in constant conversation with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I go to an Abbey twice a week to listen to compline and it eases my unrest along with walks in the woods to stop my mind from reeling. Being alone through this ongoing physical mess has me clinging to the Spiritual to remain peaceful. Thank you Mark for your writing.
Thanks so much for sharing, Janet. I’m praying for your ongoing quest.
Soul felt thanks
Thank you for your wise and honest post. When I'm sick, formal seated time becomes breath prayer while curled under a blanket. And, when my eleven year old is home, it evolves into "help me stay soft and steady" - which is one I often pray anyway. A lifelong yoga practitioner, I echo how wonderful the gift of a yin practice is during these times. It's a release of the expectation to produce some sort of physical result and simply rest and receive the grace of breath.
Thanks so much for sharing, Melinda. Great to hear that yin yoga is helpful for you, too: I love breathing prayer curled up in a blanket, and definitely resonate with the “soft and steady” prayer!
Thank you, Mark, for this thoughtful reflection. I had not considered doing gentle yoga postures while recovering from illness or injury, but will add that to my toolkit.
I’ve also found praying while lying down to be especially comforting when I’m not feeling well. When I’m struggling with illness or injury, praying for others who are suffering famine, war, attacks, family separation takes the focus off of me and connects me to all of humanity.
I really appreciate your weekly writings, and I enjoyed your recently aired conversation with Paul Swanson on his podcast. I hope you and your family are feeling much better.
Thanks for sharing, Gina, and your kindness! I resonate with your prayer for others who are suffering, sickness as an invitation to prayerful solidarity.
When I had cancer ten years ago, I was in a great deal of pain. My church gave me a prayer quilt I took with me for every chemo treatment. One afternoon at home when the pain was particularly bad, I was in bed with the prayer quilt over me and felt a wave of peace fall over me. Such calming love! I could not pray, but the prayers of others held me.
Thanks so much for sharing, Karen. The collective balm of the prayer quilt is powerful!