Prayer and Pain

Do I pray best in comfort or in pain?
When I relax in prayer or on my knees?
‘Tis also spiritually true--no pain, no gain?
With prayer and pain, Lord, You I aim to please.

The O.T. prayers were joined to sacrifice,
but hearts, not blood, God wanted sacrificed,
with pain and His own blood, Christ paid our price,
at Mass we offer now unbloodied Christ.

I offer Him with love my pain and prayer,
I eat and drink Him in His memory,
I leave my problems on His altar there,
my ache for Him, His infinite grace for me.

It doesn’t hurt for pain to play a part,
if with my prayer, I also rend my heart.

               by Pete Voelz         2/25/15