The Power of Prayer

A Reflection on the Second Reading for November 6th, 2022:
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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2 Thessalonians
2.16 – 3.5

​Brothers and sisters: May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith.

But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

“Pray for us.” How often have I said these words to a friend or relative? Similarly, it means the world to me to learn that someone cared enough to remember me in their prayers, and I always try to pray for those who ask. And yet it may seem like a strange thing at first glance. We know that God can hear our prayers, and we know that He is both all-knowing and all-powerful. So, if that’s true, why do we pray for one another? 

One reason is that there is a great comfort in knowing that others have called upon God’s ear on our behalf. Jesus told us that when two or three gather and pray to Him, He would always hear. We are not meant to live alone, and we are not meant to navigate faith alone either. Praying for each other strengthens us as a community. It reminds us that we need to care for each other, in prayer and in deed. 

But for me, knowing others are praying for me is also reassuring because I know that prayer is, in many ways, about changing my heart. Don’t get me wrong – I bring my petitions to God and ask Him for things big and small. But I also try to pray for His will and the grace to accept it even when it’s not what I want. When it comes to this interior change, letting go of what I want and learning to trust God is hard work, and I can use all the help I can get! 

Saint Paul encourages us to pray for one another so that we learn to rely on each other and we have the love of friends as we draw closer to God. He dealt with both practical issues – where are we traveling next and how do we get there safely – and spiritual ones – which communities need visits or letters to correct or support them. His prayers, united with those of early Jesus followers throughout the ancient world, were crucial in both kinds of work. 

The beauty of this approach to prayer – as a source of community and spiritual strength – is that we are not limited to asking our living loved ones for their prayers. We can turn to the saints also and ask for their intercession. As holy people entirely united with God, the saints are particularly well-placed to help us love God more and rely on His grace. We petition God for the answers we want for our prayers but, when we go beyond a to-do list mindset in prayer, we grow in faith in new and fruitful ways.

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​Jenna Young

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