Abbot Raymond asks for prayers for Hamish
Dear Associate,
I wish to share with you a very personal letter which I am sending off to a close relative of mine who has just been diagnosed as having a terminal illness.
Mon. 28th Oct.
Dear Hamish,
It was good to hear you on the phone the other day in spite of the bad news. I hope you don’t mind if I take the opportunity to write some words of encouragement.
There is a verse of the Psalms which is very appropriate for you at this time. If you can read it with faith as being truly God’s word, with all the power and meaning that that implies, then I am sure you will find great comfort and support in it. The verse is:“Be strong! Let your heart take courage, and hope in the Lord”
When God says: “Be strong!” His word creates the power it is asking you to stir up in yourself.
When he says: “Let your heart take courage”, He himself plants that courage in your heart. You only have to open it to him.
When he says: “..and hope in the Lord.” He isn’t asking you to hope that he will heal you or will do this, or that for you. He just means you simply to hope in himself, without any conditions. And he assures us that “Your hopes will not be disappointed”.
Your strength and courage come from him in just the same way as they come from your family, from Nadia and the kids.
So dear Hamish, I pray that you will enter fully into the mystery of God’s powerful word.
With love and blessings and prayers.
Raymond
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“Be strong! Let your heart take courage, and hope in the Lord”
Our Lady of Vallarpadom
Miraculous Shrine,Kerala, India
