Praying the 3 P’s during this pandemic

Sacred Heart of Jesus - Pray for us!

I battled cancer in 2012 and it was a tumultuous year to say the least. Nothing quite prepares you for that sort of news, and while we caught it relatively early, it still required the full onslaught of treatment: surgery, chemo and radiation. About six weeks into my cancer battle, I received the devastating news that my mom was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. We promptly moved her into our home and my husband Bill carried the team, caring for mom and I at the same time.

Jesus carried the team too. I’d never been in a storm like that before: the waves were high, the wind was fierce and I was doing everything I could to keep my head above water. Most days I felt like I was drowning. But I kept staring at an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with his winsome smile and tender gaze looking back at me, and I began praying like I’d never prayed before.

Ultimately my prayers centered around what I’d dubbed the 3 P’s: peace, patience and perseverance - the virtues I needed most to navigate such a difficult journey. Needless to say, Jesus carried us through the storm of 2012 and provided an ample supply of the 3 P’s along the way.

Fast forward to 2020: we all find ourselves in the midst of a new storm, one we’ve never encountered before. Moreover, we realize that it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon and the finish line is nowhere in sight. As such, I’ve started incorporating the 3 P’s into my prayer life again and I invite you to do the same.

Peace: May God grant us a heaping dose of his peace, which counteracts fear and places us in a mindset of trust.

Patience: May the Lord grant us divine patience, especially with the family members we may be spending more concentrated time with.

Perseverance: May Christ grant us a spirit of perseverance and divine resignation, knowing that no matter how high the waves get or how hard the wind blows, we have the Lord Jesus in our boat and he will never leave us nor forsake us.

In the midst of this big “P” (the pandemic), let’s endeavor to pray the 3 P’s and be ready to receive all the spiritual gifts God wants to give us. Every battle is an opportunity to become a prayer warrior and to put our trust in the Only One who can carry us safely to the other side.