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Introduction by Fr. Michael

Welcome to the Fourth Week of Easter in our Season of Joy series.

So often, when we begin to pray, our first instinct is to turn inward—to bring before God our own needs, our struggles, our hopes. There is nothing wrong with this. It is natural. It is human. And God welcomes it.

Lauren Hackman-Brooks leads us into a deeper, more expansive way of loving through prayer. Drawing from the Gospel of Mark (2:2–4), she recalls the friends who carried the paralytic to Jesus—lowering him through the roof because he could not reach the Lord on his own.

Lauren first invites us to pray for those close to us—those we know and love who are suffering. Like the friends in the Gospel, we are called to carry them to Jesus, trusting in His healing presence.

This is the grace of the Fourth Week of Easter:
To lay down our burdens and take on the yoke of Christ.
To live in the intimacy of His friendship.
To carry others in love through prayer.

As you enter these meditations, allow your prayer to unfold…
from surrender,
to friendship,
to intercession.

And in that unfolding, may you discover the deep and abiding joy of the Risen Christ!

1st Meditation by Lauren Hackman-Brooks
Healing Those Near to Us | Mark 2:2-4

Click YouTube to watch, or Podcast to simply listen.

Lauren Hackman-Brooks is a listener, writer and facilitator steeped in Ignatian spirituality. She appreciates snow-covered pine trees, a house full of people she loves, and a well-formatted document. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Lauren lives in Spokane, Washington with her family and works for the Jesuit Schools Network of North America.

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