"Risen Lamb Writings"
"The Eastern Flow of Intercession" (Part Two)
The pierced
Heart of Jesus is the "heart wound" of God's Love. From his opened side a
paschal outpouring of the living water of the Holy Spirit--impacting
water--flows out to the "desert of the world". From the wellspring of Jesus'
pierced Heart, "rivers of renewal" issue forth: Saving grace flowing from a
"Sacred- Space". Jesus lives now forever to "water" --to irrigate, resuscitate,
and animate--human lives with the life-giving flow from the Altar of his Heart:
"Like a stream is the king's heart" (Pr. 21:1).
In Ezek.
47:1-5, we read that the Prophet Ezekiel, docile to the voice that leads him,
wades in the water from the altar in the temple at intervals of 1,000 cubits
each. At 2,000 cubits Ezekiel wades in water "which was now knee-deep"
(Ezek. 47:4B). On his knees in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus agonized
interiorly in the presence of the Father as he began to enter into his "hour"
of darkness on behalf of the world:
"After withdrawing about a stone's throw from them and
kneeling, he prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup
away from me; still not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:41-42).
In this posture of profound reverence, submission, poverty,
and vulnerability, Jesus 'knelt for us all'. He chose to please the
Father even unto death. He has gained the grace for intercessors to hand over
our wills completely to the Father's purpose.
Often, intercessors--empowered by the Holy
Spirit to beseech God--are "brought to their knees" on behalf of others.
St. Paul prays for the Ephesians for specific graces of interiority:
"I kneel before the Father…that he may grant you…to be
strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Eph. 3:14,16-17).
A father, praying with
a deep sincerity of heart, begs Jesus on behalf of one whom he loves: "An
official came forward, knelt down before him and said, "My daughter has
just died! But come, lay your hand on her and she will live" (Mt. 9:18); and,
King Solomon prays on behalf of many people: "Solomon knelt in the
presence of the whole of Israel and stretched forth his hands toward heaven.
Thus he prayed" (2 Ch.6:13-14). Sometimes an intercessor may be praying for one
person; at other times, one may be pleading for a nation!
Sometimes,
intercessors are inspired to pray for others for the grace of a stronger faith
and a deeper life of payer: "Make firm the knees that are weak" (Is.
35:3). At other times intercessors pray for people to have an experience of the
sovereign holiness of Jesus, and to reverence him in their hearts more
profoundly: "To sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts" (1 Pet. 3:15); and to
submit their lives to Jesus more fully in humility:
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend…and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…" (Phil. 2:10,11).
At other times, intercessors are called upon
to pray for someone to truly hear and surrender to the grace of a vocational
calling:
"When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and
said, Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man…Jesus said to Simon, "Do not
be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats
to the shore, they left everything and followed him" (Luke 5:8,10-11).
May we always remember that great victories can be won on our knees for others
in the presence of God; And, may the life-giving Spirit, from the wounded side
of Jesus, continue to empower the pleading prayer within the hearts of all
intercessors!
Questions:
1) Is there an aspect of my life that God is inviting me to
submit more fully under his Lordship at this time?
2) Is there someone I am kneeling in prayer on behalf of at
this time?
Scriptures:
Any scripture from the text
