20th Sunday after Pentecost 6.10.13 Intercessory prayer
The insistence of the man (Gospel) represents us and our impatience with God. Lord, do something!
Lord, You are not doing enough, or not acting quickly enough to save us. We are in such difficulties we need Your help quicker than it is coming.
What to do when prayers are not answered, or apparently not answered?
It could be we are not praying enough; or praying well enough; or asking for the wrong things. There can be a lot of factors involved, depending on the complexity of the prayer request.
It takes a lot more prayer to achieve world peace than to have fine weather for the parish picnic!
Any prayer which involves changing the will of another person (such as conversion of a sinner) is likely to be hard work and require lots of perseverance.
So we have to keep on praying for what we need, without getting discouraged or distracted.
We keep our focus on the main issue - which is always Salvation. The salvation of the soul is always the most important thing. Other things like physical healing, safe travel, world peace are secondary, if still important. We can ask for all that we need, large or small.
But given there are different levels of importance to our prayer we have to leave it to the wisdom of Almighty God to know which blessings to grant or withhold at any moment.
What is required from us is an attitude of humility, patience, trust, perseverance.
‘Unless you see signs and wonders you believe not’, Our Lord says. No matter how many miracles He works the people want another one to be sure. They are impressed when they see a miracle but the effect wears off. This is not faith.
What we need instead is to be always believing, always trusting, regardless of whether or not we see answers to our prayers. Be prepared to wait years, centuries if necessary. Just do what we have to do.
A seed does turn into a tree but it takes a long time.
We do not have to be informed on every aspect of how God works. We just need to be in the right state of mind and heart, and then keep knocking on the door.
We put our request simply, but without demanding results; or placing any condition such as, Come down, Lord. (The nobleman was telling Our Lord how to work the miracle). Leave it to Him to work out how to answer the prayer.
He wants to bless us and will often surprise us by giving us more than we ask.
Consider the Incarnation. The Jews prayed to God to deliver them from the various enemies they encountered. They had to wait a long time for the Messiah to come.
All they expected was a good soldier, a strong leader. What came instead was God Himself! They wanted freedom from their enemies; instead they were freed from their sin.
They received more than they asked for, or would have dared to ask.
So if we think God is asleep, all the while He is preparing something bigger than we could even ask or imagine (Eph 3,20).
Or consider the Resurrection. The apostles were in desolation during Good Friday and Holy Saturday. If they prayed in that time it is not likely they were asking for the Resurrection. It was more than they dared to ask, or expect.
So with us. Do we dare to believe that all that has been promised will come to pass? We should dare it, only without trying to tell God what to do; beyond the merest hint that something is wrong. (Son, they have no wine.)
And having just mentioned our need we don't start complaining after thirty seconds that nothing has happened!
Lord, teach us to pray. And then: Lord, hear our prayer.
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