Am I being greedy in praying?

[michaelArc]

My wife who is a non-Catholic, in fact a non-Christian (at the moment) has been praying for the intercession of St.Gerard as he is the patron saint of expectant mothers.

She has been praying novenas to St.Gerard and to the Blessed Mother for awhile now for the health and well-being of our newborn daughter. The significant developments that occur on the 9th day of the novena and the day after has essentially shaken her to point that she can no longer in good conscience chalk it up to coincidence or synchronicity.

As a result she has been asking a lot of questions about prayer, the latest in that she feels greedy when praying. “Is it right in going back in asking for help again? I feel like I’m being greedy.”

As a previously lapsed Catholic finding my foothold again, I was little taken back by the question and felt I didn’t respond adequately. I tried to explain that prayer is never in vain.

I’m hoping to get some feedback in which I could help answer this question for her.

 

[Crusaderbear]

A life of constant prayer is what we should strive for…you cannot pray too much!!

In fact, you can go to the prayer intentions and ask others to pray with/for you! I highly recommend it!

Congratulations to you and your wife and child!

Prayers for you…
Our Father
Hail Mary’s x10
Glory Be
Fatima Prayer
Amen

 

[DebChris]

The fact that she is praying means that she is searching. She is looking for answers, and there is nothing greedy about that.
Every woman wants a healthy child. As you read the Gospels, you will find Jesus on the way to healing somebody, in the middle of healing somebody, or having come from healing somebody. Even after he is betrayed, he heals the ear of guard’s servant.
The final prayer in the Litany of Loretto is for perpetual health of mind and body.

A simple prayer comes to mind at the moment. “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
Faith is a gift. Continue to pray for that gift of faith for both of you, as well as the courage to respond to the gift already received.

Where I worked for a while, I met a young man who had once been an atheist. It was only after his first child was born that he believed in God.

 

[Polycarp1]

Don’t you hate it when you are trying to pray and keep getting the message (“We’re sorry, that line is still busy”)

 

[Mary_Estelle]

The Lord hears all prayers, greedy or not. He will also answer in His own way no matter what the disposition is of the penitent or request. We are, it seems, “greedy” by nature. In the case of praying for a child or someone in need, it becomes a matter of love and unselfishness. Tell her to continue to pray and not to worry about “greed.” Peace and prayers for your child.

 

[pianistclare]

St Pio says:
Pray constantly, and don’t worry about anything.

God bless you, and may He smile on all your needs.

 

[faithsmind]

My wife who is a non-Catholic, in fact a non-Christian (at the moment) has been praying for the intercession of St.Gerard as he is the patron saint of expectant mothers.

She has been praying novenas to St.Gerard and to the Blessed Mother for awhile now for the health and well-being of our newborn daughter. The significant developments that occur on the 9th day of the novena and the day after has essentially shaken her to point that she can no longer in good conscience chalk it up to coincidence or synchronicity.

As a result she has been asking a lot of questions about prayer, the latest in that she feels greedy when praying. “Is it right in going back in asking for help again? I feel like I’m being greedy.”

As a previously lapsed Catholic finding my foothold again, I was little taken back by the question and felt I didn’t respond adequately. I tried to explain that prayer is never in vain.

I’m hoping to get some feedback in which I could help answer this question for her.

You might present to her that God is her father and He wants a relationship with His daughter. It IS a greedy relationship if she simply sees the answer to this prayer as means of obtaining more. The prayers have been answered so that her heart may be reached and she may draw closer to her Father in heaven. This is the ultimate point of her life… to know His existence, to trust in Him, to have a relationship with Him–prayers are not primarily to obtain what we want. They are to open our souls to Our Father. For He already knows our needs.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Not greedy. The only time prayer would be greedy would be if you were asking constantly for unreasonable things, like more and more money when you had enough already. Asking for a healthy pregnancy and child is perfectly reasonable and a good thing to pray for, so pray as much as you like.

Just keep in mind that it’s easy to keep praying when things are going well and blessings are flowing. The real test is if you keep praying and having faith in God when things don’t go so well, though I would hope that does not happen to any of us.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

By the way, one easy way to “pass it on” is to pray for others’ needs as well. Doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Just a simple “and Lord, please help the other mothers-to-be who are concerned about their own pregnancies too, especially those who are all alone and have no one to support or pray for them” would suffice. That way, you’re thinking of others too, so you don’t feel so self-centered and you’re helping other people.

 

[DebChris]

By the way, one easy way to “pass it on” is to pray for others’ needs as well. Doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Just a simple “and Lord, please help the other mothers-to-be who are concerned about their own pregnancies too, especially those who are all alone and have no one to support or pray for them” would suffice. That way, you’re thinking of others too, so you don’t feel so self-centered and you’re helping other people.

This is also a way to move away from self pity if you are going through a difficult time. Instead of praying for yourself, pray for somebody else who may be going through the same difficulty.