The truth is that we all belong to God and we are all God's responsibility and God acts on everyone's behalf in His Way, and with His timing. Our mission is simply to be Prayer Support. And to act when and if He inspires us to act.
I thought of this recently because a family I love has been completely split apart and alienated from one another. I've heard everyone's "side" and can't begin to decide what the whole truth is. Only God knows each one's mind and heart! There is too much anger between them right now for myself or anyone else to even attempt to play peacemaker. There needs to be time for growth and healing - God's Time. I know from my own experience that God's Time can last many years.
So - I can't be anxious about this situation. I stay in loving touch with everyone in this family. And I know my main mission right now is Prayer Support - Prayer for them all to have the courage to grow and mend and eventually make peace. In my Prayer, I don't try to judge. I love everyone impartially. I know all are dear to God's heart. I pray for spiritual graces to abound in their lives.
I pray this way for everyone. Pray for their openness to God's Holy Spirit. I pray for U.S. soldiers and members of ISIS. I pray for those searching for God. I pray for those deep in spiritual darkness and depression. I pray for murderers, rapists, and thieves. Because God asks for our prayers, not our judgements. If we limit our prayers to those we know and love, we do not have the mind and heart of Christ, Who ate with sinners.
Along with prayer, we can give the gift of our spiritual sacrifice, offering up and uniting all our sufferings to Christ's sufferings for the world, which is part of taking on the mind and heart of Christ and becoming "other Christs." In Colossians 1:24, St. Paul says "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ on behalf of His Body, which is the Church..."
These words are very mysterious and have many interpretations. We know Christ suffered once, for all. Perhaps Paul is telling us that in some mysterious way, Christ allows us to share in bringing others to salvation through uniting ourselves completely with Him, in all ways. This gives even deeper meaning to our sufferings and our joys.
St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, says "My whole strength lies in prayer and sacrifice. These are my invincible arms; they can move hearts far better than words, I know it by experience." She knew that prayer is the key to all things. May we cast away our anxiety, lean trustingly in the arms of our Father, and pray unceasingly for His children that His loving Will may be done in their lives.