“As one awaits the coming of the dawn, like the bride awaiting for her lover, is thus the servant awaiting the arrival of his Lord.” And so must we be.

Every Jewess wanted greatly to be a mother and Anna was sterile. She cried out to God that he would give her a son. (cf. 1Samuel 1,1-28). Today in a special way, God wants to speak to all women that are like this great servant of God: afflicted. To every mother , to every wife.”

Pray with me, as she cried to God: “I pour out my soul before the Lord” (I Samuel 1:1-15b)

My sister I do not know what your suffering is, if it is your marriage or your children, I do not know your pain. Great and man are the causes, for this reason do as Anna did: “Pour out your soul before the Lord” The Lord is incapable of seeing a mother with an afflicted heart and not hearing her prayer.

We may do many things, but without pouring out our soul before God – I say this also for you men. Life teaches us to do the opposite, it teaches us to “stuff our feelings” and not “to pour out our soul before the Lord.” Knowing that the Sacrament of Marriage is a consecration, thus like us, priests, we consecrate ourselves to God. “Whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven.” Ask God in the way Anna did, who remained the whole day crying out to the Lord. Do this!

We are losing our families because we are not pouring out our sould before the Lord. We are losing our congregation through the same motive, because we, priests, are not pouring out our soul before God. Do not stop in your affliction, but be poured out in the His presence!

The Lord is incapable of hearing a man, a woman of afflicted heart and not hearing his or her prayer.
Monsignor Jonas Abib
Founder of the  Canção Nova Community

translated from Portuguese