“The prayer of perseverance, which is also called the prayer of importunity, is prayer that does not quit. It is prayer that keeps on praying & does not give up. Sometimes you pray a few words or a few sentences & then go about your business; that is not a prayer of importunity. At other times though, a person or a situation keeps coming back to your heart & you just know you are not finished praying about it. When the Holy Spirit impresses something on you over & over again, He is probably drawing you to continue to pray in a persistent, importunate way.
One way to persist may be simply to make your request known to God through a prayer of petition & then continue thanking Him for the answer until you see it. You have it by the faith in your heart, you know it will manifest, & each time you think of the situation, you simply say “thank you, Lord, that you heard my prayer & the answer is on the way. I know that you will not be late, not one single day.” Your prayer of persistence may take the form of persistent thanksgiving.
Another way to persist in prayers is to respond to the “prayer assignments” God gives us. There are many people or situations I pray for once, & that is all. But I also believe God assigns us people to pray for until what He wants to do in them or for them is accomplished. I have prayed for one person, literally for 25 years & I will continue to do so until I die or until God releases me, or the person dies or what needs to happen comes to pass. There are actually times when I get tired of praying for this person, but it doesn’t matter how I feel, I still find myself praying. I know God has given me this assignment & I will not give up! I believe God is using my prayers to help shape this individuals destiny.”
                                                                                                                         (The Power of Simple Prayer: Joyce Meyer)
 
Lent continues to go well for us: a time of gentle reflection, prayerful self-examination, simple good works, & profound thanksgiving for the gift of our faith, in God & in each other. Each week of Lent we have been meeting with the parishioners from St Hilda’s for a Lenten Pause a half hour of silent prayer & reflection (waiting for the kingfisher). Tues 9th April St Hilda’s. 5.15pm .
Caroline Dollard’s Lent Course, based on her new book “Seeking God Together”, continues on Wednesdays. Each person there receives a copy of the book courtesy of the Parish, as a commitment to our ongoing spiritual formation so vital for each of us. The course is helping us to look at how we accompany families of all shapes, sizes & make up, at every stage of their existence as part of our belonging together & our community responsibility. Last week we looked at the “Empty Nesters” families where children have left home, leaving husband & wife to begin a new & different relationship.
Next Sun 14th April (Palm Sunday) there will be an ecumenical Stations of the Cross & Palm Procession at Byland Abbey at 4pm. Rev Catherine Reid & I would warmly welcome you to join us for this, a first moment in Holy Week, for the blessing of Palms, & a praying of 3 Stations of the Cross at particular locations within the Abbey buildings. It will last perhaps 45 minutes. Please come suitably clothed for cold conditions, & be aware that the ground will be uneven for walking. It would be helpful if those who want to come would tick our sheet at the back of Church please. Car parking is limited so you may wish to share transport. Please be aware that the crossing from the car park to the Abbey needs care & vigilance.
The Bishops of England & Wales have asked us to make this coming Friday a day of prayer for Survivors of Abuse. For some months now we have prayed each weekend for victims of abuse suffered at the Abbey & College & beyond, & this is an opportunity for us to be part of the prayer of the wider Church for victims & for their loved ones affected by abuse. As well as our 9.45am Mass, we will have a gentle service of prayer, music & readings centred on 3 Stations of the Cross, at 7.30pm. I would encourage you to come if at all possible as an expression of our collective concern, reparation & ongoing care for all those affected.     
After the Synod on Youth in Rome Oct 2018, Pope Francis has written to our young people & the entire people of God “Christus Vivit” 25th March 2019. He begins: “Dear Young People, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running, attracted by the face of Christ, whom we love so much, whom we adore in the Holy Eucharist, & acknowledge in the flesh of our suffering brothers & sisters. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith, & when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us.”  We welcome home joyfully for the holidays those from University or College.                                                      With my love & prayers., Fr Bede