joy of nine9

God you have made us for yourself 

St Augustine

Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless
till they find their rest in you;
so lead us by your Spirit
that in this life we may live to your glory
and in the life to come enjoy you for ever;

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Last night I attended a mass, followed by  healing prayer led by Fr. Albert MacPherson. For over 30 years, Father Albert MacPherson, O.S.A., has traveled the globe on a healing mission. He takes his special healing ministry to parishes and provides parish communities with healing Masses and retreats.

After mass, dressed in a black cassock, using holy water, blessed salt, holy oil and traditional prayers of the Church, Father simply blesses the people with God performing wonderful miracles in his wake.

We sang this worship song “COME, Now is the Time to Worship”  before mass. This song never fails to move me to tears and trigger a deep hunger for more of His presence. Later during the sermon, Father read numerous quotes from Saint Augustine, a saint who knew HOW to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. Father’s words, as well as the testimonies of people who have been miraculously healed, stirred the longing in all of our hearts for God’s love. In explicably, throughout the entire service, tears flowed.

Have you ever just listened to this song?

“COME, Now is the Time to Worship.”

Come, now is the time to worship.

Come, now is the time to worship.
Come, now is the time to give your heart.
Come, just as you are to worship.
Come, just as you are before your God.
Come.

Oh, come. Oh, come. Oh, come.
Worship the Lord. Oh, come.

Come, come, come…

Although not written by a Catholic, this song echoes the sentiments of Saint Augustine himself.

 As for me?… I will never be the same as I was before this mass, before Father MacPherson blessed me with holy oil. The Spirit pierced right through outer tensions, fears and defenses to my deepest self, touching and healing deeper than thought, deeper than emotions, through ancestral lines, releasing pain and filling me with joy. HE, God is in charge during this healing prayer and Father MacPherson is just a aqueduct…although he is a very open aqueduct.