Our eldest son, Arif's 25th birthday is June 7. He is the one who suffers with a brain injury from a car accident 6 years ago.
We are asking prayer for his healing during the nine days preceding his birthday. It will start May 30. I am sorry for giving such short notice.
You are free to pray in whatever way you feel led.
The late Pope John Paul II is special to our family. We have some Polish heritage. His writings have given us much to mull over, like they have for so many other people. Arif's sister was privileged to attend World Youth Day in Toronto while Arif was in the hospital.
When Arif was 13, he went to Rome with the diocesan youth group. The group was allowed an audience with the Pope on the steps of St. Peter's. The Pope shook hands with each person in the group. When he shook Arif's hand, he reached up with his other hand to pat Arif on the cheek.
We always said it was because the Great Pole recognized Arif's Polish heritage.
Only later did we realize: Papa knew!!!
With that lead in, we feel especially drawn to pray a novena to the late pope for Arif.
The Church's official prayer for the intercession of Pope John Paul II:
O Blessed Trinity We thank You for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul II
and for allowing the tenderness of your Fatherly care, the glory of the cross of Christ, and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through him. Trusting fully in Your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and is the way of achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession, and according to Your will, the graces we implore, hoping that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
And here is a prayer I made up for Arif soon after the late pope died:
Pope John Paul II, you told us “Be not afraid”.
So, laying aside our fear and doubts,
we ask you to open wide the door of heaven
and we ask that the rays of Divine Mercy shine from the heart of Jesus upon the earth to bring about the conversion of poor sinners. Please ask Our Lord to grace us with complete healing for Arif Marshall that he may fulfill the mission he was given in the presence of St Peter. We pray this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Comments (4)
May God bless Arif and give him what he needs for his health and his salvation!
I will pray for the healing of Arif.
Very touching. I am praying now. Many blessings~
Prayers for Arif.