www.vocation.com - How can we be sure that God really answers us when we

	Todd asks: Recently, I was on retreat and the subject of prayer came up with a couple of Priests that I was speaking to. They went on to tell me that prayer is simply a way to make people feel better although God doesn't intercede or answer these prayers as He receives too many prayers all the time. They told me that it would be foolish to believe that He answered our prayers. Please help me with this as I have been struggling with this ever since. Prayer, they said is just to help human beings feel better when they face life's difficulties. I am presently a teacher and I have seen prayer work in the lives of my students first hand. When I mentioned this to them, they asked me to present proof that it wasn't a coincidence, and of course, I couldn't do that.
	Dear Todd, I would pay more attention to what the Gospel and the Catechism of the Catholic Church say, than to the opinions of these priests. And I would pay more attention also to the example of the saints. And I would pay more attention to the practice of the Church from the very beginning. Christ told us to pray, and he assured us our prayer would be fruitful ("if you who are so unjust would not give your son a scorpion when he asked for an egg, how much more will your heavenly Father hear and answer your prayers.") I have paraphrased, but look up Mt 7,7-11 and Lk 11, 5-13 for the exact words. Then take Mt 15,21-28, the prayer of the Canaanite woman that is answered, this passage alone debunks their superficial theories. And on top of that, why did Christ teach us to pray for our "daily bread", and for forgiveness, and for the Kingdom to come (Lk 11, 1-4) if it made no difference? I hope this is not too personal, but many have given up on prayer for a variety of reasons. Prayer is hard work. There is a spontaneous need for it, but it is difficult to find time for it in our daily lives, and when we do pray regularly we necessarily go through times of purification and dryness that can last considerably. Prayer also changes us, it makes us face up to our weaknesses and faults, and urges us to change, even if we are so attached to what we are and do, and would prefer not to. Prayer is therefore an uncomfortable experience. We discover how weak we are. We realize we will have to change or be hypocrites. It is much easier not to pray. Or much easier to keep up the externals without really praying from our hearts. But prayer is also a big "must" in our Christian living. You can't live without it. I have yet to find a single person who truly wants to be a better Christian who has not felt the absolute need to pray (be it Scripture reading, the Rosary, more frequent Mass, Confession...). Prayer changes you and enables you to do what you cannot on your own. Hope these reflections help, and I wish you all the best. God bless.


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