The Mission of Saint Thorlak
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Prayer  During Autism Overload

Call it what you will, but we all know what overload is, in autism circles.  Anger.  Rage.  Anxiety.  Fear.  Overload.  Hijack.  Meltdown.

It's reality in the world of autism.  It's hard to look at, and even harder to cope with when it takes over.

This simple prayer can be said by someone in overload or by someone trying to help.  

​It dates back centuries, but today, it is an effective and sincere plea for help from ASD's adopted patron saint:


Holy Thorlak,
Cut with the scythe of your workings
The thorns casting shadows
In our unclear minds!
This prayer is equally effective for those in meltdown as it is for those in close proximity.  Memorize it... but, better still, visualize it.
Picture
Image by Chmee2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1909503

That's a pretty big blade.

What is a scythe, exactly?  
It's no pair of scissors.  It's the big hook carried by the Grim Reaper.  

We're not asking St. Thorlak to come and trim the tops of our hedges... we're calling on him to bring some swift, decisive action.

And if we're calling on him to bring the scythe, these must be some serious thorns.
Picture
 Photo By Klaus Gremmels - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40009670

We wouldn't need a scythe unless these thorns are big, and tangled, and have us trapped so badly that we see no way to escape without someone getting hurt.  That sounds a lot like autism overload.  

However we got there, however many missteps took us there, or even if we wandered into the grip of this thicket before we realized where we were headed... we're stuck.  Every twitch, every attempt to free ourselves, every blink of our eye is another sharp cut.  And the more we fight to escape, the deeper these thorns dig into our rapidly dwindling  resources.

Yes.  We need a swift and loving hand of someone with a rational mind, someone who can clear a path for us and reassure us that, as hijacked as we are, as tight a grip as this rage has in this moment... it is temporary.  There is an exit.  Calm can follow.  

 Holy Thorlak, Cut with the scythe of your workings the thorns casting shadows in our unclear minds!

Please Contact us if you use this prayer during moments of overload.  Your testimony is crucial in proposing St. Thorlak  as the world's official Patron Saint of Autism Spectrum Disabilities.  
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  • Home
    • Website Walkthrough
  • Mission
    • Our Mission, Explained
    • Mission Statement
    • Mission Activities
    • Missionary Thoughts Archive
    • Daily Devotional Tweets
    • Downloadable Flyers
    • Downloads and Resources
    • Survey: Autism and Spirituality
  • St. Thorlak
    • The Life of St. Thorlak as a Novena
    • Who is St. Thorlak to you?
    • Patron of ASD?
    • The Way of Saint Thorlak
    • Child's Prayer to St. Thorlak
    • Prayer for Someone with ASD
    • Prayer During Autism Overload
    • Nine Days for Iceland
  • FAQ
  • Contact
    • Main Contact Information
    • About Aimee O'Connell
    • Volunteer As A Domestic Prayer Missionary
    • Request Prayer or Spiritual Direction
    • Donate
    • Testimonials >
      • Guest Thoughts