Prayer is a tough topic to discuss. An annoyed parishioner asked, “Doesn’t Jesus say: Ask and you shall receive and seek, and you will find and everyone who asks receives?” He said, “I think that’s for everybody else and not me? God never hears my prayers, so why should I pray?”

Prayer is more about us than it is about God. God made us to love. And God has shown this love time and time again since he created us. While Jesus says all those words about prayer, he never promised that we would receive exactly what we asked for in prayer. Nor did Jesus say after we knock, that the opened door would reveal precisely what we wanted.

God loves and know us even better than we comprehend ourselves. Jesus and his father realize our basic needs even before we begin praying. Both God and his father desire our trust that neither would ever harm us in any way. Thus, whatever is given as response to prayer is seen as given wrapped in love. All prayer responses need this firm detachment from the feelings that prayer often provokes.

My mother was rushed to the hospital with an aneurism. Her condition began deteriorating quickly towards a non-responsive state. My sister and I knew that mom never wanted to linger in a seemingly endless coma.  We decided to bring our dilemma to prayer asking for divine guidance.

We prayed at a Mass for mom’s recovery, but if she didn’t, we would honor her wishes.  Returning to her room, the doctor waited with the upsetting news that mom was failing fast.

My sisters and I looked at each and unanimously agreed. Difficult as it was, we said, “Do what mom wanted: no tubes, no resuscitation.” Our family believes then and today that God did help. In our hearts it was not our choice, but it was mom’s.

 Looking back at that moment, my family believes that our loving God shares his goodness with all.  St. Paul writes: Sending his son to save us, even when we are dead, God will bring us to life again.”

It’s a consolation to know that relationships begun on this earth will continue in heaven

-St. Francis de Sales

Painting: At Prayer, Vincent Van Gogh, artist