The Prayers of Ilona

My Christmas became more meaningful early this morning when I was given a Christmas card with these words inscripted on the inside:...”As a gift of love and friendship, the Carmelites are remembering you and your intentions in five Novenas of Masses beginning on Christmas Day.” The card came to me from Ilona, who writes beautiful prayers. “I don’t really write the prayers,” Ilona told me. “I am Hungarian and even my spoken English is not always understandable.”

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“How is it possible that I write prayers like this,” she asked with eyes shining and with a beaming smile. One of a handful of people who turn out for early morning Wednesday Mass, Ilona and I were strangers until a certain Wednesday last Spring when she crossed the aisle, embraced me saying, “Jesus told me to give you this hug.” Reading Ilona’s prayers poses a most delightful, if not most inspirational riddle. Indeed how is it possible that Ilona writes prayers like this:

Pray Always

Pray always. Pray at your job, Pray riding a bus, Send up your prayer, Pray you must. Praise your God In the morning, Praise Him at noon. 
Don’t forget to praise Him In the afternoon. Keep the channel open, Talk to him at night. He’s your loving friend, Father and guiding light. Always remember your prayers. Don’t disconnect the line. Be with Him, talk to Him. He waits for your prayers, He guides your life. Prayer is our telephone line to God. -Ilona Hosszu

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