Heart to Heart Chat

October 25, 2020

What is the easiest thing to do in life? To uplift someone through positive words of encouragement or to put down someone with negative words? As we are experiencing so much of negativity around us right now, we are in dire need of spiritual encouragement. Someone asked me about the role of Cloistered Nuns in the Catholic Church. There are so many cloistered convents around the world are praying non-stop for all the needs of the people. Religious sisters take turn, and they do continuous adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament 24/7. These nuns never get to see the outside world truly little and very infrequently visit their own kith and kin. They dedicate their whole life in order to spend their time in prayer and spiritual life, that they constantly intercede for everyone’s salvation. If we understand the enormity of their spiritual work, then we can understand what they do to the Church.

St. Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians talk about encouragement: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11).” When he started his missionary journeys the oppositions he met were innumerable. His life was threatened many times. He endured physical tortures at the hands of his enemies and unknown people. He was incarcerated many times. Despite of all such struggles, he could preach the Gospel courageously because he was totally supported by his friends in every community who were praying for him every day. Friends in Christ encouraged him constantly to go ahead with his ministry. That is why he requested the communities he converted to do the same for one another.

We are not far from the situation in which St. Paul lived and proclaimed the Gospel. There is so much of negativity around the air that comes through media, politics, culture and societal pressures. As we are called to navigate through such an ocean of discouraging trends of life, we must hold one another in prayer. We need to support one another spiritually through positive words of encouragement and comfort. We must talk about the unfailing power of God’s promises. It is our Christian duty to share our confidence with one another every day that “Whoever has God wants for nothing.” Let nothing trouble us and let nothing frighten us. Our God never changes, and he continues to transform our lives every day. Let us encourage one another.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Xavier Ilango