Q&A With Mystic Alicja Lenczewska, Part 7
The subject of prayer is vast; whole volumes could be written about it. Many entries in Alicja’s journals deal with prayer, so I have decided to devote three consecutive articles to this theme.
I believe no one who reads Catholic Exchange needs to be convinced of the importance of prayer in a Christian’s life. Just as grass needs dew each day to keep from drying out, the human soul needs daily prayer. Without it, the soul is like a blind man making his way through dark, mountainous terrain without a map or compass.
Prayer is the gateway through which the soul enters God’s Playground, where the Divine Artificer, with the unceasing blows of His healing chisel, transforms it into the image and likeness of Christ.
Every day should begin and end with prayer. As soon as we wake up, we should turn our thoughts to God. If we skip our prayer time, the quality of our day suffers. Likewise, before going to sleep, a short, sincere prayer is essential to “sanctify our sleep,” as it were.
The greater your love for God, the greater the trials of faith you may face each day. “My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials” (Sir. 2:1).
Let us take a look at what God had to say to Alicja Lenczewska about this.
Sacrifice Becomes an Inseparable Part of Prayer
(Sunday, January 11, 1987, 2:30 p.m.)
† If you take on the suffering of others by praying for them, their sorrow is within you, because you take it upon yourself.
If you want to set someone free, you must be prepared for their suffering. It is normal, and you must be prepared for it. Rejoice when you receive nothing in return, because then the sacrifice is pure and perfect.
—I keep so much locked away within myself—in my alienation, loneliness, and sense of homelessness—not so much in relation to a home as to the world. Is that wrong?
† This is the natural course of your journey—but only within the bounds of creation. Beyond these bounds lies destruction. They must not be crossed. Be attentive and watchful, with your heart open to Me.
Know, however, that your heart should become ever more open in proportion to its growth.
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD, your God, teaching you how to prevail, leading you on the way you should go. (Is. 48:17)
A Humble Plea to Mary for Help
(Wednesday, February 25, 1987)
—My patron saint, pray that I may be able to rid myself of everything.
• You do not have to rid yourself of anything, nor do you have to know how to do so. He will take things away. He will do it Himself.
—Pray that I may come to want this and continue to desire it.
• Think of Him and entrust everything to Him. Be at peace. You live in His Love; you are wholly immersed in it.
† Write down what is in your heart.
—I do not know. I cannot pray. I stand before You, no longer afraid. There is peace.
Prayer does not have to be long. It does not even have to be fervent. But it must be an act of surrender.
Time and fervor are the means. The goal is to surrender yourself to My will and to entrust everything to Me—everything you think about, everything you care about, everything you possess.
It can therefore be a very simple prayer of surrender, sustained and lived out in your everyday life. Its value depends on the degree of surrender and on the sincerity and consistency of that surrender.
—For some time now, I have felt a desire to bring spiritual healing to others.
† Ask for this gift and receive it with a full willingness to make the sacrifices it entails.
A Soul Fears God’s Omnipotence
(Sunday, January 11, 1987, 11:30 p.m.)
—Is this prayer in tongues necessary for You?
† Not for Me, but for you.
—Why did You tell me not to be afraid? I am not afraid of anything, least of all illness or suffering.
† You are afraid of Me—of My power, the immensity of which you sense. It is immense and mighty. At the same time, it is as gentle as mist—a tender, caring, enveloping, and permeating Love.
Do not be afraid of Me or tremble when I draw near. Do not let your heart be dark, for My light is within it.
—I do not know what happened. After that visit to the hospital, the joy and sense of being carefree disappeared.
† I have placed that woman’s sufferings upon you…
You carry them in your heart. Turn this into joy. Into the joy of communion with Me. Your joy should be doubled because you are freeing her while enriching yourself.
You have helped many, though in a way that remains unseen. That is how it should be. I know your heart, and I know. Remain hidden in My arms. Let them not see you. Let them only reap the fruits of your sacrifice and your prayer.
The True Purpose of Prayer
(Friday, January 3, 1994)
† There are no difficult situations and no “difficult” people. There are only situations and people that are at odds with your will.
The way you react to them reveals your submission to My will and shows which love dominates your heart: Mine or your own.
And the way you react to people’s opinions of you, to criticism and judgment, reveals what matters more to you: self-love and the approval of others, or following Me and doing My will. What do you love more than anything else: yourself or My will?
Reflect on how you treat the person who praises you and the person who reprimands you. Do you treat them equally? Whom do you love more, and to whom do you show greater kindness or unkindness?
What feelings do you harbor in your heart toward those whose preferences and actions are contrary to yours—contrary to your will?
What purpose does prayer serve if love for your “enemies” does not grow in your heart—for those who oppose your will? Am I truly your Lord, or do you instead want Me to do your will?
Are you a servant to your neighbors, or do you expect and demand that they serve you?
My child, look into your heart with Me and read in My eyes the truth about yourself, your heart, and your deeds. And ask Me to have mercy on you.
I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:1–3)
The account of Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Olives is one of the most moving passages in the New Testament. Let us end by reflecting on it:
Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived at the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not undergo the test.” (Lk. 22:39–40)
Editor’s Note: This article is part of a CE original series on a twentieth-century Polish mystic, entitled Q&A with Mystic Alicja Lenczewska. Follow along here, and catch up on previous articles on Alicja’s writings here.
Author’s Notes:
- Great news for fans of Alicja Lenczewska: a feature film about her has recently been released in cinemas across Poland.
- Excerpts taken from Alicja Lenczewska, A Word of Instruction (Słowo Pouczenia) and Testimony (Świadectwo), published by Wydawnictwo Agape (Poznań, 2016).
Image from Wikimedia Commons
