Does praying for anyone else than ourselves and those who requested prayers make sense?

[tom1]

If we pray to Our Lord to have mercy on “anyone else than us”, doesn’t that mean we deny that He already is having mercy on them and they just haven’t opened themselves up to it?
Doesn’t it mean that we deny that everything which happens is according to His plan?
Doesn’t it mean we disagree with God?
Doesn’t it mean we disrespect others’ will?

I’ve been trying to find a prayer that would be perfect for others, and I just can’t.
Every time I pray for something, for those who suffer, etc. I think to myself that I really can’t know if my prayer is beneficial, and I’m afraid that it’s somehow aggressive and contrary to God’s plan.
How can I know what’s best for others?

The only thing I can think about is praying for those that requested it, and maybe for those who “need my prayers”, but it seems to be too vague.

Other than that everything else seems pointless or flawed in a way. Shouldn’t I therefore only pray for myself and those who requested it?

 

[Zaccheus]

tom1
If we pray to Our Lord to have mercy on “anyone else than us”, doesn’t that mean we deny that He already is having mercy on them and they just haven’t opened themselves up to it?
Doesn’t it mean that we deny that everything which happens is according to His plan?
Doesn’t it mean we disagree with God?
Doesn’t it mean we disrespect others’ will?

No. It doesn’t mean any of those things.
God has given us the privilege of being allowed to pray to Him, to ask for what we need. He has told us that our prayers do have an effect. Invoking this privilege is not disrespectful either of His will or that of others. It is His will that we pray for each other.

tom1
I’ve been trying to find a prayer that would be perfect for others, and I just can’t.
Every time I pray for something, for those who suffer, etc. I think to myself that I really can’t know if my prayer is beneficial, and I’m afraid that it’s somehow aggressive and contrary to God’s plan.
How can I know what’s best for others?

You don’t need to find a perfect prayer before you can pray. Just do as well as you know how. Even a very imperfect prayer will still please God as long as you’re sincere.
That we ask God to help other people is precisely within God’s plan for us. Look at the Good Samaritan. Look at the parable of the Sheep and the Goats.

The only thing I can think about is praying for those that requested it, and maybe for those who “need my prayers”, but it seems to be too vague.

Christ told someone “love your neighbor as yourself”. Someone asked “And who is my neighbor?”. Christ answered with the story of the Good Samaritan. You don’t need to figure out whether someone qualifies as ‘a person to pray for’. Pray for anyone you want to pray for.

Other than that everything else seems pointless or flawed in a way. Shouldn’t I therefore only pray for myself and those who requested it?

Pray for whoever you like. God has not put limits on us in that respect.

God’s blessing upon you, and I’ll pray for you as soon as I finish this post.

 

[Francis]

@tom1
Hi Tom , Prayer is talking to God from the depth of your heart,The perfect prayer is the Our Father in Heaven and the Hail Mary the word of God like the Mary’s song of prayers Lk ! 46-55 or the holy Rosary are the best prayers you can say for your self and others.But we pray for the Pope the priest and Nuns for the Catholic Church for peace and unity.But at the same we should not pray for unwanted people as well as unwanted worldly things which will harms us and others .for we have to bear much suffering when we pray.God Bless

Job 42:10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys.**
John 9:31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.

Sirach 35:21 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and it will not rest until it reaches its goal; it will not desist until the Most High responds

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

John 14:13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
1 Corinthians 15:18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If we pray to Our Lord to have mercy on “anyone else than us”, doesn’t that mean we deny that He already is having mercy on them and they just haven’t opened themselves up to it?

No. If you ask your mom to give your wife a second helping of potatoes, and she already gave your wife the potatoes but you didn’t happen to see it, then does your asking deny that she already gave potatoes? She would probably say, “Already done” but no one would think it was rude or bad that you were trying to help your wife get enough to eat. It would be seen as thoughtful.

Doesn’t it mean that we deny that everything which happens is according to His plan?

No, God’s plan could very well involve having us say prayers for others, which provide both the others and ourselves with a spiritual benefit.

Doesn’t it mean we disagree with God?

No, God loves us and wants to be merciful to people, if only we ask, pray, make reparations for sinners and that sort of thing. Also, even if it was taken as a mild disagreement (think of the bible story about Abraham pleading with God to save Sodom and getting God to reduce and reduce the number of just men who could save the city), God wouldn’t be mad.

Doesn’t it mean we disrespect others’ will?

If your loved one was willing himself to go to hell, wouldn’t you go ahead and disrespect that wish of his, if it might possibly save him? Or would you just say “okay, I love you but if you really want to go to Hell, I’m not going to get in the way of your will, have a nice trip”.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Every time I pray for something, for those who suffer, etc. I think to myself that I really can’t know if my prayer is beneficial, and I’m afraid that it’s somehow aggressive and contrary to God’s plan.

It’s “aggressive” for you to ask God to please help a person who is suffering? I’m sure the person suffering would not see it that way.

Cardinal Burke and nuns and everybody else are always telling us to “Storm Heaven!” with our prayer requests. To just pray really hard for something important. They don’t say well, just sit back and don’t pray unless you’re absolutely sure your prayer is “beneficial” (note: every prayer made with sincere intentions and not asking for a bad thing, like not asking that somebody be struck dead or something, is beneficial in that it brings the person praying closer to God, if nothing else). Storming Heaven is an aggressive act of praying, and although it doesn’t mean we will absolutely get what is prayed for, God is not in the least affronted or bothered by it.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

Jesus told us to pray, and to be persistent.
Let Him decide how it will all play out.
Be at peace.

 

[MargaretofCortona]

What is the point in praying for anyone else if they have free will? I still pray anyways

 

[MargaretofCortona]

Lol asking someone to be struck dead. Lol. How do you pray for others? They still have free will to choose what they desire. I’d rather pray that I’ll learn to get along better with them or how I can help. Bad habits seem to die hard.

 

[MaryT777]

prayers you can say for your self and others.But we pray for the Pope the priest and Nuns for the Catholic Church for peace and unity.But at the same we should not pray for un1 Thessalonians 5:16-18New International Version (NIV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.wanted people as well as unwanted worldly things which will harms us and others .for we have to bear much suffering when we pray.God Bless

I recall this passage of scripture;.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

How about something like, “God, please send your holy love to soften the heart of Person X and get them to turn away from their sin and back to you” or “God, Person X is going through a dark place right now, please be with them and shine your light of wisdom to guide them”.

You seem to think that because a person has “free will”, he’s more or less predestined to be completely unaffected by either God or your prayers. Your view is like slightly modified Calvinism. It doesn’t work like that. Free will means we can change our minds and freely turn to God. Prayer doesn’t force someone to change, but it may very well be a positive spiritual energy force inspiring people to open their minds and hearts and think in a different way.

 

[Mary888]

I’ve been trying to find a prayer that would be perfect for others, and I just can’t.

I think you can pray any prayer because they all invoke God’s will and the redeeming power of faith in Christ.
Like for daily prayers: I say the daily prayers and at the end I mention everyone. I tell Him, "Lord Jesus Christ please remember X with problem … " or “…remember X and show them Your mercy and Your light and show them the path to Your Kingdom.” The latter is for someone who is not Christian or has problem with faith or said they needed prayers regarding faith.
It’s just putting people into God’s care, what He does He decides.

Arguing with God in the name of X is something I heard of being done, but it’s for hermits and people of great faith to do. I read that some did it and obtained what they asked for. But it’s not a general practice or something the Church officially tells us to do because it is very dangerous. One can imagine that someone who argues with God will be deeply haunted by many devils because the devil’s interpretation of the rules is strict. He does not forgive any detail and this one huge mistake won’t be left unnoticed.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Every morning, I like to pray for “those who have no one else to pray for them”. The reality is, I’m probably not alone in such a prayer. So OP, are my prayers not efficacious or wasted? I don’t think so, or I wouldn’t continue to do it. My wording could probably be better, but I know God knows who/what I mean… That’s the beauty of prayer - I don’t have to second guess how it’s going to be received or interpreted. It’s the best and easiest conversation of my day.

 

[poche]

One of the miracles accepted for the beatification of St.Sharbel was when a hunchback woman went to pray at his tomb. She went there to pray for someone else yet is was she who was cured.