Prayers for my son and his relationship with God

Open Heart

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My son has been away from the Lord for many years now, and has been hostile. But last weekend, it seems he is softening up, and I just would like for this to be followed up by prayer.

He is 25. Because he is autistic, his maturity age is more like 19 or 20. IOW He is more like a teenager still. For example, he is still mostly influenced by his peers.

Although he was raised Catholic, he was teased and bullied mercilessly by the other kids in every parish we went to. As a result, Catholicism left a bitter taste in his mouth. I required him to finish Confirmation classes, as I think you should know what you are accepting or rejecting. But I didn't require him to go through with Confirmation -- that had to be his choice. Catholicism had left a really sour taste in his mouth because of the bullying. He was not confirmed.

He began attending a local non-denominational church and at first it seemed good, because they allowed him to be the techy that did the computer and graphics. But not only was my son somewhat odd, but we were really poor, and some of my son's mannerisms were "street." Once again he got bullied. And the worst thing that happened was when he was mugged right outside the church, in front of members of the youth group, and no one lifted a hand to help him. So he left Christianity altogether.

He went through a period of time where he got involved with gangs, as a replacement for having that family/friends/group thing going. In gangbangers he found those he felt would "always have his back." But thankfully it didn't last long. But he began picking up a lot of the secular culture.

For example, he adopted the attitude that gays should marry, and that the source of all the world's violence and wars was religion.

For the last couple of years, he has stated that he doesn't really believe anything anymore, and he thinks that religion is a crock.

BUT last weekend when I talked to him, there was a change in his voice. He said he felt lost, and he wanted to know what he was religiously. I told him, well, that once you are Catholic you are always Catholic. Maybe you aren't the best example of a Catholic! But you are still Catholic. In fact, all it takes to come back to the church is a simple confession. And you know what? He seemed to feel relieved about that.

So please pray for my son. He's growing up and working his way through things. He needs God's grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
 

MoonlessNight

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GK Chesterton said:
"Did--did you steal those things?" stammered Mr. Audley, with staring eyes.

"If I did," said the cleric pleasantly, "at least I am bringing them back again."

"But you didn't," said Colonel Pound, still staring at the broken window.

"To make a clean breast of it, I didn't," said the other, with some humour. And he seated himself quite gravely on a stool.

"But you know who did," said the, colonel.

"I don't know his real name," said the priest placidly, "but I know something of his fighting weight, and a great deal about his spiritual difficulties. I formed the physical estimate when he was trying to throttle me, and the moral estimate when he repented."

"Oh, I say--repented!" cried young Chester, with a sort of crow of laughter.

Father Brown got to his feet, putting his hands behind him. "Odd, isn't it," he said, "that a thief and a vagabond should repent, when so many who are rich and secure remain hard and frivolous, and without fruit for God or man? But there, if you will excuse me, you trespass a little upon my province. If you doubt the penitence as a practical fact, there are your knives and forks. You are The Twelve True Fishers, and there are all your silver fish. But He has made me a fisher of men."

"Did you catch this man?" asked the colonel, frowning. Father Brown looked him full in his frowning face.

"Yes," he said, "I caught him, with an unseen hook and an invisible line which is long enough to let him wander to the ends of the world, and still to bring him back with a twitch upon the thread."

The above is from the Father Brown story "The Queer Feet" which is directly referenced in "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh.

A major point of both stories is that people will return to the faith when the world least expects it, and when it happens it often happens very quickly. Someone will wander throughout his lives into the worst depths of depravity and criminality, and yet with a light twitch God can pull even such a person back into His grace. This has happened with people who I am sure were far worse than your son is, so there is no reason not to hope for and believe that the same will happen in your case.
 
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Open Heart

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The above is from the Father Brown story "The Queer Feet" which is directly referenced in "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh.

A major point of both stories is that people will return to the faith when the world least expects it, and when it happens it often happens very quickly. Someone will wander throughout his lives into the worst depths of depravity and criminality, and yet with a light twitch God can pull even such a person back into His grace. This has happened with people who I am sure were far worse than your son is, so there is no reason not to hope for and believe that the same will happen in your case.
Thank you for such a marvelous story.
 
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JesusLovesOurLady

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In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Amen

HAIL, O Star of the ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heav'nly rest.

Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eva's name.

Break the sinners' fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.

Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us
meek and undefiled.

Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.

Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one. Amen.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Amen
 
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