Prayers granted by others' prayers

[water]

Couple of months ago, I went to a Praise and Worship group at my parish to sing and praise the Lord as well as to pray for my intentions. A lady whom I met for the first time at this group told me something that I had never thought of before. She said “You have a special gift. You pray for something and you believe God would grant to you.” I didn’t know what to think of it since I never thought much about myself like that. I just replied that quiet few big times, I had asked for things and God granted.

I went home that night and thought of what the lady said. It is true that whenever I go to this Praise and Worship group to pray, I am quiet confident that God answers my prayer.

Did I really have the gift as the lady said? I don’t know. What I do know for sure is that I have the confidence in others who pray for me. This is the most important reason that I always like to come and ask the people at the group to pray for me, and my girlfriend is the one that I always ask of her to pray for me.

Perhaps, the thing that I have is the confidence in others’ intercession - Saint in Heaven and saints on earth - they are the ones who truly have the gift.

We pray and ask things all the time, but we should not forget that … out there … there are always our brothers and sister, our Saints in Heaven who are constantly praying for us without us being aware of them, but God heard their prayers and grant to us what we asked.

Be thankful for that …

…a thought …

 

[Trishie]

Dear “Water”, perhaps it isn’t the right thing, I don’t know, but apart from praying for you that you will faithfully use this gift, and praising God for it, it occurred that I should give you these prayers I wrote a few years ago.

Seeking true self
I believe, our God! Please increase my faith and deepen my trust that You respond to our prayers and needs. Prayer is gift of divine love that creates and holds each person in awareness and life. Hear my prayer for others and grant that I creatively conform to Your utterance, Your thought, Your image in me, so that nothing mars Your creation in me, and so that Your fulfilled expression of love and glory in me delights You eternally.

Spare me from the corrupting error of thinking myself virtuous and of feeling self-satisfied regarding presumed progress. Let me welcome the knowledge of my fallible humanity as reminder of my dependence upon You for any good. For then You shall gladly accept, in each tiny moment, the humble invitation that my soul offers for Your goodness to possess me.
Let me trust in You alone, even where I find satisfaction in seemingly worthwhile achievement or prayer…especially then, lest it causes me to believe in my merit, rather than in the knowledge that I remain in Your presence only through Your gift!

God, may I attain such simplicity and trust, regardless of how unworthy my life appears. However, except where it impedes Your purpose, please allow me encouragement—but with recognition of this as Your mercy towards a child who still perceives as faint shadows, through faith, those eternal joys and awarenesses for which You shape and prepare me. Nevertheless mercifully remember my imperfections and do not leave me unprotected in temptation, because without You I am certain to be lost. Yet, where You require, please lead me into wholeness and true insight. Please hold me close and perfect my being swiftly.

Our God, dare I ask such things? I am unworthy and vulnerable. Yet I trust in your love, so please accept me, and possess me utterly, forever. Do not let me give up on myself regardless of how dispiriting my failure.

Never see me standing alone our God. Let Your prayer in me and in everyone who seeks to please You by our service, be also intercession for all other persons—for their true self to triumph and receive everlasting fulfilment in You. March 6th 1981

However, God, others may see me as a poor witness to faith and to seeking God’s will in daily life. They see that I go to Mass daily, and that my fundamental option is You; but they can see how little blessed my life in its lack of reasonable material success, which is an expectation of even the least godly. Family and others may see how little blessed I am spiritually, if I fail to offer inspiration for them to desire the Sacraments and to embrace Christ.

What could induce others to seek You, in contemplation of me or my life? Do You wish me to remain as I am? Have I forfeited Your grace? Am I like Moses who, because of his hesitation at the rock, was prohibited from entering the promised land but died before it was reached? 2005

Jesus in His humanity offered and gave everything for sake of each person, in humble, obedient sacrifice. The fruit of His love for each person has power to intimately embrace the souls of billions across the centuries. His tears and blood still flow in the Eucharistic life of His Church, and His words speak into each open heart. Were we, in following Him, truly to love, how totally and tenderly would we serve each other as gospel people, in self-forgetfulness, as He has done! Let it be so in my life, our God.

** Cry of the poor**
God, my prayers are primarily, “the cry of the poor” of an ordinary, fallible person, seeking to intercede for others and trying to be good. I cry out to Your heart and power in so many ways, while trying carefully to understand Your ways graciously.

…And yet, our God, am I not mistaken in my accustomed poor appraisal of myself? I am created in Your image! You have astonishing love for me and for each person, therefore I, and they, are surely astoundingly beautiful and good! You wish to give so much! Then, let us receive!

God bless you. And continue to pray for others. That gift is greatly needed in this world.

God bless you, Trishie

 

[water]

Dear “Water”, perhaps it isn’t the right thing, I don’t know, but apart from praying for you that you will faithfully use this gift, and praising God for it, it occurred that I should give you these prayers I wrote a few years ago.

These are very beautiful prayers, Trishie. Thank you so much. You have it way back in 1981 - Around that time, I was still praying some prayers taught by my mother when I had my first communion. I used what her taught until the age of 25ish then I started to learn how to pray more including praying for others and asking others to pray for me.