How does my prayer life nourish my audacity to talk about Him
and especially live with Him on a daily basis?
As an Oblate for the past 65 years, prayer has been an important time in my life. Striving to live the second five continues to be a challenge for me.
I live in an environment where the practice of religion has become almost nonexistent. At times various religious people such as priest and religious are ridiculed. Reacting to the issues of this nature will only bring more negativism and the rejection my beliefs.
I react by keeping my comments to myself and prefer to make a statement by my silence which says, in a way, that I do not agree and, thus, I avoid feeding into it which would prolong the criticism. When I see a possible negative reaction to a subject, I start praying many Hail Mary to myself, asking the Blessed Mother to come and bring peace and a more positive understanding of life. 
Often, I silently recite the prayer of St. Francis:
“Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me bring your love,
Where there is injury your pardon Lord,
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.
I have started wearing the miraculous medal (given to me when I entered the Oblates) hoping it will help me react according to that prayer and the Blessed Mother to intercede for me in whatever way the Lord wishes to bring about some conversion around me.
Over the years I feel that prayers have made a difference and I see more respect of what I stand for. I continue to struggle with the negativism in my surrounding but I am certain that the second five, living the present moment, and really leaving up to the Lord do bring about a change of hearts. I may never see it but it is up to the Lord to take my humble prayer and change hearts in His own way.
It comes down to starting with prayer to curb negativism. Daily prayer will assist me in being faithful in this apostolic effort and to remember to persevere in my trust in the Lord and in his Will. I need to abandon myself to what is asked of me by the Lord, as difficult as it may be at times.
Claudette C.
2021
