Offaly columnist says God not only hears our prayers but records our tears

Have you ever stopped in the middle of your day, maybe at the kitchen sink, at your office desk, in traffic, or during a quiet moment and whispered, “Lord, do You really see me?” Maybe it was on a day when the weight felt unbearable. When the smile on your face masked a silent scream in your soul.

When grief, stress, loneliness, depression or uncertainty crept in like a shadow and refused to leave. The good news, the life-giving, heart-soothing, soul-lifting truth is this: Yes. He sees. He knows. He cares. Psalm 56:8 says, “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” What a tender image. A God who not only hears our prayers but records our tears. He counts each one, keeps them close, and remembers. He is not blind to our pain or indifferent to our sorrow. And even more astonishing, He invites you to love Him, right there, in your rawness and brokenness.

Not with perfection, but with everything you’ve got. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30). This is more than a command, it’s an invitation. An invitation into intimacy. Into trust. Into surrender. But loving God like this doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It begins by recognising His love for us, a love that sees, saves, and stays.

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A story to stir the heart

Let me share a story from my Nana Scully's prayerbook, a true one, though the names are changed. There was a nurse named Ciara who worked in palliative care. Her days were spent tending to those in their final chapter of life, people filled with stories, regrets, joys, and pain. One afternoon, she was assigned to care for an older man named Sean, who had grown bitter after years of disappointment. He rarely spoke. He resisted care.

But Ciara, prompted by a nudge in her spirit, made it her mission to sit with him each day. Sometimes she read to him. Sometimes she just held his hand. One rainy afternoon, he finally spoke: "Why are you here? Why do you keep coming back when I’ve done nothing but push you away?" She answered simply, “Because you matter. Even if you don’t feel it, you matter. God sees you. And so do I.” Tears welled up in his eyes, his first visible emotion in weeks. A few days before he passed, he whispered, “Tell God, Thank you. For sending you. I think He knew I needed love one last time.” Ciara didn’t perform a miracle. She didn’t fix his life. But she loved him with her heart, soul, mind, and strength. And in that love, Sean encountered God.

Example of love

That’s the example of the kind of love Jesus calls us to. A love that shows up. A love that sees people, even the prickly, the quiet, the hurting, the broken, the abandoned, the forgotten. A love that doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. A love that reflects God’s heart in everyday acts of kindness, courage, care and presence. Because here’s the truth, many people are silently suffering. They laugh in public but cry in private.

They serve others while carrying burdens of their own. Think of our first responders, nurses, priests, carers, teachers, gardai, nuns, army personnel, parents, and volunteers. Often, they are the ones pouring out love, care, guidance and help to others while quietly running on empty themselves. The tragic passing of a friend of mine a few years ago Fr. Micheal, whom I miss very much, a young priest who gave so much of himself to others while privately battling inner struggles, reminds us that even the strongest among us need to be seen, loved, and cared for. We must become a people who look beyond the surface. Who asks, “How are you really?” and who listen without judgment. Sometimes the most powerful ministry is not a sermon or a solution, it’s presence. It’s being there. Fully. Lovingly. Kindly. Caringly. Prayerfully. Faithfully. Gently.

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Living the greatest commandment

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus identifies the greatest commandment as 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' So what does it look like to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? With our hearts, we bring Him our emotions, joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. We sit with Him, just to be with Him. He wants us, not our performance, just our presence. With our souls, we surrender the things we cannot control. We admit when we’re weary, and we ask Him to meet us there. With our minds, we renew our thoughts through scripture, fasting and prayer. We take every anxious or negative thought captive and replace it with truth. With our strength, we serve. We show up. We press on when it’s hard. We do the next right thing, leaning on His power when ours runs out. And through it all, we remember, God sees our tears. He hears our prayers. He knows our burdens. This love, both received and given, has the power to transform families, friendships, colleagues, neighbours and communities. It starts in the small, hidden moments, when you choose kindness over judgment, when you speak life instead of gossip, when you offer grace instead of blame.

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, may you be reminded that our journey of faith is not just a destination, but a beautiful, ongoing transformation. One that shapes our hearts, minds, and souls. Just as a parent’s love instinctively protects and nurtures their children, so too does our Heavenly Father hold us close, guiding us with unwavering love and tender care. To love God with all our heart, soul, and mind is to invite Him fully into every corner of our lives, into our dreams, our choices, our life and even our struggles. It means letting go of old ways and stepping bravely into the light of His Kingdom, trusting that He is molding us into reflections of His love, care and grace. Let this week be a time to deepen that intimate walk with Him, allowing His passion to burn within us like a steady flame.

When we live this way, our lives become living testimonies not just for ourselves, but for those around us, especially our children, friends, neighbours, colleagues and community. May we cherish this heritage of faith, growing closer to God each day, and reflecting His love so brightly that others see His heart through us. So this week, let’s pause. Let’s quiet the noise and carve out sacred space to meet with God, not with polished words, but with open hearts. Let’s ask Him: “Lord, how can I love You more deeply this week?” Whom are You calling me to see, to really see and love?” Let’s check in on one another. Let’s reach out to that family member or friend or colleague who’s been distant, that neighbor, friend, colleague or even family member we always pass by, that person we’ve held a grudge against. And let’s ask, not out of habit, but out of holy intention, “Are you okay?” Because love doesn’t just happen. It is chosen. It is lived. It is poured out, day by day, by hearts willing to be used.

Let’s love God fully and one another deeply. Let me leave you with this Prayer for your Week. "Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd who sees Your sheep when they wander, weep, and grow weary. You count every tear, You feel every ache, and You draw near to the brokenhearted. Teach us to love You with our whole hearts—not just in words, but in how we live, how we serve, and how we see others. Help us notice the lonely, comfort the grieving, and carry one another’s burdens. Let our lives reflect Your compassion and kindness. We lift up those who are hurting in silence, especially our caregivers, first responders, priests, nurses, nuns, doctors, gardai, army personnel, neighbors, colleagues, friends and any and everyone in any need. Give us eyes to see them, ears to hear them, and hearts to love them. You are the Good Samaritan who tends our wounds with mercy and compassion. Fill our hearts with Your love, so we may see those who suffer with Your eyes. Help us to be hands of healing, voices of hope, and vessels of Your peace. Strengthen those who care for the weary, the sick, and the forgotten. Comfort the lonely and lift up the brokenhearted. Give us the courage to love selflessly and the wisdom to serve humbly. May Your Holy Spirit guide us each day to live out the great commandment, to love You with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we may walk in humility, hope, and grace. Let this week be marked not by hurry, but by holy love that's real, honest, courageous, healing and sacrificial. In Your precious name we pray, Amen." This week, may your heart and soul always remember this, You are seen. You are loved. You are not alone. And as you love God with everything in you, may His love flow through you bringing comfort, light, and healing to a world in much need. Love doesn’t always rhyme, but it is always the reason!!