How do our prayers and sufferings help others?

[Muzhik]

Specifically, what is the mechanism that allows me to offer up something “for the forgiveness of my sins and the conversion of sinners” actually help the sinners?

I’m reminded of Jacinta, one of the new Fatima saints. While she was in the hospital dying of influenza, Mary appeared to her and offered her a choice: Mary could take her to heaven now, or Jacinta could stay and offer her sufferings for the conversion of sinners. Jacinta chose to stay. Four months later, Mary returned telling Jacinta that thanks to her sufferings, a man in China had converted. Jacinta died shortly thereafter.

So my question is how did this man convert? Was there a priest nearby who could baptize him? Or is that not the kind of conversion we’re talking about here?

 

[TK421]

It is a pretty baffling subject, but the prayers we give somehow, mysteriously translate to the inspirations and graces that others receive.

So in the heavenly economy, your morning prayer over coffee could be what inspires a teenager in Myanmar to pick up a Catholic pamphlet, and a total stranger’s prayer could be what inspires you to go on a pilgrimage, etc.

It has probably happened to all of us many, many times.

 

[CRV]

Specifically, what is the mechanism that allows me to offer up something “for the forgiveness of my sins and the conversion of sinners” actually help the sinners?

When we offer up our prayers and sacrifices to God , uniting them to the sacrifice of Jesus they then are used by God for the salvation etc of sinners be that conversion or whatever.

God’s Mysterious Response to Suffering - the title does not relate to your question but I think what is written within the article might.

 

[anon91549587]

Thanks for posting this question i have often wondered how this “ economy” works. Or where does God sit in all of this .

 

[Tis_Bearself]

You simply offer your merits and prayers and sufferings to God, to apply as he sees fit. Some of us offer them to Mary so she “may best apply them in the interest of (Jesus’) Sacred Heart”, in other words use them for what God wants. But it is not required that you offer them to Mary, you can offer them directly to God/ Jesus.

God then decides where to apply each prayer. If you have asked for the prayers to help a specific person, such as a relative, he will generally offer the request unless for some reason the person is not in need of prayers (like they have died and gone to Heaven or Hell already) and in that case your prayers will go to help someone else selected by God.

Just think of it like each of your prayers is a coin you drop in God’s basket and then he spends them on people’s needs.

Meanwhile you yourself progress in holiness through the praying for others. So it’s a win-win.

 

[fide]

Specifically, what is the mechanism that allows me to offer up something “for the forgiveness of my sins and the conversion of sinners” actually help the sinners?

Consider this passage:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Mt 28:18-20)

Paying close attention to the words in bold, we can hear that to do in Jesus, according to HIs will, is not "in and for and because of us" only, but rather to do in His name, in His will, is to do in and under His authority.

Thus to suffer or act or pray “in His name” is not merely a pious phrase, as many do seem to use the “name of Jesus” very casually, without due consideration of what that actually means! Rather, His name is Truth - power itself - He is GOD! And St. Paul helps us hear the power of the Name of Jesus in this passage:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you… (Col 1:24-25)

God wants us to “extend” the holy work of the Son, Jesus, as truly His Body the Church!

When we work, pray, suffer, LOVE in His Name, truly, we are truly “little christs” - Christians.

The challenge is to Do what we say - and mean what we say. What does it mean, to “work, pray, suffer, LOVE” in His Holy Name?

 

[fide]

But it is not required that you offer them to Mary, you can offer them directly to God/ Jesus.

Not “required” in an absolute sense, true, but to leave Mary out is to miss much grace that God is happy to outpour, to the glory of His Name and for the edification of us all. To miss the opportunity to pray to Him through her, at least implicitly, is to miss the grace of celebrating the great honor due to her, because God so greatly favored her:

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. (Lk 1:46-49)

But, I grant, many do not know or understand the rightful place of Mary in the Church - especially in these days in which so much has been lost or not yet found.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I completely agree with you, fide.
Just trying to head off at the pass the usual people who have a problem with Mary and will come in here making a post that “You don’t have to go through Mary or pray to her, it’s not required” etc. Those people make me sad.

I myself always give everything to Mary for her to apply in accordance with God’s will. I simply love her and want her to be involved in my behalf.

 

[Dan_Defender]

God works in mysterious ways. We are told: ‘The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.’ - James 5:16

 

[fide]

Yes, it is a deeply saddening experience, to hear Catholics seeking to minimize Mary, who make any devotion to her entirely “optional” and even superfluous - or even (as some protestants do) claim that devotion to Mary “robs” Jesus of the honor due to Him. Such thinking may be due to poor catechesis, or good catechesis poorly received, or even due to no catechesis at all on the important matter of Mary’s rightful place in God’s holy work. We must pray - fervently! - that our Church may yet wake up and realize how much has been lost, and how urgent it is that we begin to repair the faults and broken places in the wall of the City of Faith.

 

[Muzhik]

To miss the opportunity to pray to Him through her, at least implicitly, is to miss the grace of celebrating the great honor due to her, because God so greatly favored her:
( … snip … )
But, I grant, many do not know or understand the rightful place of Mary in the Church - especially in these days in which so much has been lost or not yet found.

One thing I never tire of reminding both Protestants and Catholics is Mary’s role as “Gebirah”, or “Mother of the King”. It’s a title used frequently in the Old Testament. There’s an excellent Catholic bible study on the topic here:

The Blessed Virgin Mary: QUEEN MOTHER OF THE NEW DAVIDIC KINGDOM

One short example of the power of Gebirah: Having more than 20 years of experience in the politics of the Royal Court, she would know who to trust, who NOT to trust, and where the bodies were buried (sometimes literally). She was always seated at the King’s right hand. The right hand of the king would hold a rod or a long staff. When someone would come before the king to ask for something or plead his case, when the king passed judgement he would touch the person with the staff. (“He will rule them with an iron rod.” Rev. 2:27)

Gebirah, if she thought her son was making a rash judgement, would use her left hand to stay the king’s hand and thus forestall judgement against a person.

When Protestants protest, I then ask them to show me IN SCRIPTURE where the power of Gebirah has been removed or eliminated.