Do Prayers Matter?

 

I’ve seen and written about personal prayers which I have seen answered, and have a strong confidence that some others were answered also --- or will be, even if I am not sure when, or how.  But I am sure of why: God doesn’t ignore us, or our sincere prayers.

The feast day of the first martyr for his Christian faith, Saint Stephen, was celebrated on December 26th.  I don’t know the history of why that date was picked for the celebration, but to me it does make perfect sense.  In two consecutive dates we celebrate being born to and dying for the Christian faith.  Saint Stephen’s dying words, as written at the end of Chapter 7 in the Acts of the Apostles, were to ask God to forgive those who were stoning him to death.  And those final words were read at the mass on his feast day, the day after Christmas. Except, ---

There was one more sentence in Chapter 7 of Acts, which was not read at mass and I think is most important.  That final sentence in Acts mentions that Saul was there at the stoning of Stephen.  So, the final TWO sentences of Chapter 7 tell us that St. Stephen was praying to God for forgiveness of Saul, among others.  And then it is only a short time later in Acts when we read in Chapter 9 how Saul was struck down off his horse by God, --- and his whole life was going to change.  Saul was about to become St. Paul.

St. Stephen’s final prayer was dramatically answered by God --- in ways Stephen never could have imagined.

There are many things to consider in those two sentences.  Saint Stephen, in great agony, did not pray for evil to be done to his slayers, as he might instinctively have done.  He did obey the call to “love your enemies.” And, while we now know that his final prayer was answered, Saint Stephen never lived to see that answer.  But Saint Stephen trusted in God, even to his death.

Jesus said that if we prayed with trust, we could move mountains.  I have seen some of my prayers answered in ways that I treasure more than any moved mountains.  I know God hears me when I pray, and I try to listen to Him.  And sometimes I go to His house, and we just silently sit together, and that’s the best prayer.    

Prayers matter.  God always hears.

What Should I Read?

 

On Saturday I chose to pick up and read a few words from My Imitation of Christ, the small book which sits on my coffee table.  (For many years, this was the most read book after the Bible.)  As usual, the words I read seemed to speak to me.  Then, I noticed a small bookmark there.  The words on it also seemed to speak to me ---- but I guess I ignored them, because this happened:

On Monday morning I read a couple of my usual early morning prayers, but for some reason (not a coincidence, I’m sure) I looked at the back cover of the booklet I was reading from, only to see AGAIN the reflection I had seen on Saturday.  Two totally different sources, the exact same reflection --- that I hadn’t noticed for years, but now saw both in a couple of days.

I’m guessing now, but I think that reflection was meant for me to see, now ---- or perhaps for you who are reading this.

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Before mass, I read this Reading from a letter to Proba by Saint Augustine (with my underlines):

Let us always desire the happy life from the Lord God and always pray for it.  But for this very reason we turn our mind to the task of prayer at appointed hours; since that desire grows lukewarm, so to speak, from our involvement in other concerns and occupations.  We recommend ourselves through the words of prayer to focus our attention on the object of our desire, otherwise, the desire that began to grow lukewarm may grow chill altogether and may be totally extinguished unless it is repeatedly stirred into flame.

Therefore, when the Apostle says Let your petitions become known before God, this should not be taken in the sense that they are in fact becoming known to God who certainly knew them even before they were made, but that they are becoming known to us before God through submission and not before men through boasting.

Since this is the case, it is not wrong or useless to pray even for a long time when there is the opportunity, I mean when it does not keep us from performing the other good and necessary actions we are obliged to do.  But even in these actions, as I have said, we must always pray with that desire.  To pray for a longer time is not the same as to pray by multiplying words, as some people suppose.  Lengthy talk is one thing, a prayerful disposition which lasts a long time is another.  For it is even written in reference to the Lord himself that he spent the night in prayer and that he prayed at great length.  Was he not giving us an example by this?  In time, he prays when it is appropriate, and in eternity, he hears our prayers with the Father.

The monks in Egypt are said to offer frequent prayers, but these are very short and hurled like swift javelins.  Otherwise their watchful attention, a very necessary quality for anyone at prayer, could be dulled and could disappear through protracted delays.  They also clearly demonstrate through this practice that a person must not quickly divert such attention if it lasts, just as one must not allow it to be blunted if it cannot last.

Excessive talking should be kept out of prayer but that does not mean that one should not spend much time in prayer so long as a fervent attitude continues to accompany his prayer.  To talk at length in prayer is to perform a necessary action with an excess of words.  To spend much time in prayer is to knock with a persistent and holy fervor at the door of the one whom we beseech.  This task is generally accomplished more through sighs than words, more through weeping than speech.  He places our tears in his sight, and our sighs are not hidden from him, for he has established all things through his Word and does not seek human words.

 

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And after mass later this morning, I was going to have breakfast, but then I heard them announce that there would be a rosary prayer after mass, and  thinking of the above, I thought I should take the time to pray, and I did.

Using Talents Wisely

 

The morning sun peeked through the clouds as I began my drive to church today.  God shines on all His creation, even me.  As I slowed for the red light at the intersection near church, a very tiny black squirrel ran into the road, stopping in the center turn lane just in front of me.  I crept up a little and he darted back across the road, but instead of continuing further on into the woods there, he walked along the curb, and when he came to the pedestrian crosswalk lines, he began crossing again towards me, and in front of me, where he stopped.  And the light turned green.  Then, I drove into the left turn lane to get around him, and I hoped cars around me would see him and avoid him also.  And as I passed, he started to dart into the center of the cross-traffic lanes.  I didn’t see what happened next, but said a quick prayer for all creation as I entered the church.

The Gospel today was on the Parable of the Talents, and the servants who invested wisely, and the one who buried the single talent he received, yielding nothing with it.  I’ve often contemplated that parable.  I have been blessed with many talents, and wondered how well I was using them.  The priest, reflecting on the Gospel, commented that EVERYTHING we have, even our very lives, are a gift from God.  They are the talents He has given us.  We are to use our lives to grow physically AND spiritually, and to share those gifts.  That is how we multiply our talents in a way pleasing to God.  Some, however, only use those gifts selfishly; that is like burying them in the ground.  Investing our talents wisely, however, can be difficult.  Satan knows our weaknesses; he’s seen our whole lives.  He will suggest what we do with our talents, and his suggestions will sound like good things, but he knows the results will be bad, --- “look at the great good I did!!” --- prideful things.  The priest suggested that we all need a spiritual financial advisor, an expert in this area like the ones we use for our money investments.  He suggested Mary be our spiritual investment advisor.  She knows what is most pleasing to her Son, and will pray that we receive the graces to see His will for using the talents He gave us wisely.  No one will see to a better use of our talents than the One who gifted them to us --- although Satan will try to give us “some better ideas.”

I just finished Dan Burke’s talks on his book, Discernment of Spirits, which is based on of St. Ignatius’ book of the same title.  Anyone listening to Burke’s examples will see himself, his life, and many of the ways he has lived, and see Satan’s temptations in his life.  Burke’s talks give us prayers which we could/should pray often, to refute, in the name of Jesus, our daily temptations.  When Burke’s talks become available to the public, I will post the link here and share with my friends.

Meanwhile, I now think that on many of my days I am like that little black squirrel.  I have received the gift of life, and so many things seem interesting, will satisfy my desires for pleasure, for myself, that it is confusing to choose which way to go.  But out there is evil also like the cars which can crush the black squirrel in an instant, and his talents will yield nothing.  I agree that I do need a spiritual financial advisor, to guide me to use my talents wisely, safely, so they can grow.  I know what I am tempted to --- and have --- used them for, unwisely.  I will try to pray more, when I feel myself uncertain or upset in any way.

Because, I want to use those talents, those gifts, to become who --- in His deep love --- He created me to be.

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I glanced around the intersection as I began home from mass.  I saw no evidence of the little squirrel’s death.  Thank You, Lord.