IT'S THE SMALL THINGS

I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to hear first Friday mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe this month, and pay her a visit once again. It was not even planned – a friend asked me the day before if I had wanted to go with her, and after juggling a few things around, I did not hesitate to say yes. After all, I always feel that when the opportunity presents itself, we must always find a way to set time aside for prayer and thanksgiving. Our Lady of Guadalupe is known to have performed many miracles – to this day, not only does she remain a national symbol of Mexico, devout Catholics and pilgrims from all over the world pay her visits in the hopes of having various wishes granted. That, after all, is the beauty of faith – believing in an intangible concept, and knowing in your heart that your desires are being prayed for, heard, interceded and answered.

Without even my asking, as I took a seat for mass and glanced at the altar, there it was – a sign I was not particularly looking for, but which presented itself clearly and auspiciously. It was the sign of hope I did not know I needed, but which immediately uplifted my spirits, my mood and my being. That is another gift of constantly nurturing and strengthening your faith – God knows what is in your heart, and what you need even without you knowing, and then readily provides. It gives an indescribable security – one that conceals all doubts and renews one’s outlook. It gifts you with the optimism and positive energy that you need to solider on.

There is solemnity in solitude especially when one spends it in prayer. It is a form of meditation that allows God to speak to you – a unique relationship and dialogue between human and deity that one need not explain, but understands. It is most effective and appreciated when one is most vulnerable, and I tend to believe that most of us seek prayer more when we are in need of something. It is human nature, I suppose, but I was told by a priest I revere and respect one time that for prayer to be effective, and for us to be able to seek proper guidance in our lives, it must be consistent. We must set aside time in our everyday for the Lord. Prayer is as much about giving thanks as it is about asking for favors. At the end of the day, not all our prayers are answered in the way we expect, want or anticipate. But it does not mean that we were ignored – sometimes it means that God has other plans for us.

And for us to accept that, we must have a strong enough faith that is only found with constant devotion and, like all things, strengthened with practice. Just like this last visit of mine to Guadalupe, it was unexpected, and I did not necessarily have anything in mind I wanted to pray for. Rather, I gave thanks for the blessings I have received – big and small – and said special intentions for friends, family and beloved departed ones. The point I am trying to derive is that faith is something we need to constantly work on, and is not something that comes over night. Being religious is different from being faithful, although both can and do work very well together. In the same way that God does not tire in granting us our wishes, we must also never exhaust in giving thanks. With a strong faith, we are able to live life with an attitude of gratitude – something we should all aspire and work towards.