Ever wonder why people are placed in your life that you know had a reason behind it?

In Matthew 6:10 “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Our Lord is teaching us how to pray to God the Father. When I ponder this, the first thought is, what is Heaven and who is there and what are they doing? Many have the false idea that they will be surrounded by their friends and it would be a party atmosphere of drinking and good times, never taking into account, God is there and we are there for Him. Not to party with our friends. Much in the same way life is to be. I’m not trying to say you should not have good times here or that it isn’t good times there, but rather, if God is not part of your daily life here on earth, or in your idea of heaven, and it is all about Him, chances are your in the wrong place here on earth. “”no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Matthew 18:3: and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven

Heaven is home. Who is at home? God of course, but also all the souls who have done His will. In the Church, the title of Saint refers to a person who has been formally canonized or officially recognized by the Catholic Church, and is therefore believed to be in Heaven. Sometimes the word “saint” is used to refer to Christians still sojourning here on earth. We immediately think that when a loved one dies, they definitely go straight to heaven. We can’t say that with 100% certainty. We don’t know what was in their heart. And by being in this way, we are in fact judging that soul and we are called not to do that, even though it is in a good way or for the better. We are still making a judgement that only God can make. We HOPE they are in heaven. This is why we NEVER stop praying for them. Just as the Saints never stop praying. Saints do not have power of their own, but only that granted by God. No, I do not worship the Saints, I honor them. Much in the way anyone might reflect on a relative that has passed away and casually said after a death, for example, “Oh mom, I miss you, I love you, send me some help to get through this loss”, your asking for spiritual help. This is what I do in prayer to the Saints who have gone home to our Lord. In Revelation 5:8 “And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.”. The Saints are interceding for us. They are presenting our petitions, or prayers to God on our behalf. When this takes place, be it God’s will, they are answered, therefor giving the person on earth, the grace to carry out the task asked with God’s approval, because He so willed it. We pray, they pray, God answers. This is why prayer is so important.

First let me comment on God’s Will. What is God’s Will in heaven? What is God’s will on earth? One in the same. To be surrounded by His children back at home, with Him in love for eternity. From the Caticisim of the Catholic Church – 1023 Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they “see him as he is,” face to face
Seeing as we are exiles, and not perfect, we can only see Him now, face to face in our neighbors faces and the grace He grants to do His will.

When a prayer is answered by God, many “behind the scenes” events tend to take place. Grace comes in many forms. An action on the part of the person seeking intercession from God, due to an action be it from another person or themselves, places them into a situation needing Gods help. When the person seeks the help of God, a request via prayer is made. Either by the person that caused the condition, or the person who is effected by the condition, or who has witnessed the condition. Sometimes, it can be totally random, meaning, a person who has no idea of the condition taking place to another, but prays to God for help to those in that condition or state of being. Either way, the first prayer is made. The second part of the prayer comes in the form of the Saints hearing the cry’s for help from the “Church Militant”. Knowing that God the Father, can not look upon sin and we are a sinful people, the Saints in Heaven bring the petitions before our Lord, where God’s will is granted, or denied. We here in exile, then can see our prayers being answered in how we live and in the choices we make to either listen to Gods voice, or ignore it. By choosing to love God or love the world. When we see the hungry, do we feed them or do we mock them. When we see the homeless, to we house them or do we ignore them. When our neighbor needs help, do we help them or do we talk about them? When we see everything around us and act on God’s grace to do what is right and just, because we love Him, we are doing His will.

“Lord, let me never be parted from you.”

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen