Living on Our Prayers

Prayer warriors are called warriors for a reason. We understand that for, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. (2Cor 10:3-4) There is nothing passive about those who war in prayer but they do understand the dynamic of our total dependence on God.

In the past few weeks I have entered into discussions with those who are struggling with what they see as grave error within the Church that needs to be corrected. Or they are struggling with a parish priest who they feel is too lax regarding Church teaching or too modernist. My first response is to tell them to pray and to offer up their daily sacrifices for the benefit of whatever or whomever they are struggling with. Quite often when I say pray, in many circumstances, I get a similar reaction. You can almost hear a snort of derision, see the wave of a dismissive hand. “Do we silently accept? Do we only pray for a change of heart of people who are in grave error? Of course we can pray, but we can also be active, not passive. Is it our role to pray and nothing more? We need an active response. We need a real and concrete solution here.” In other words, this problem requires direct human intervention. I am wondering why, in the opinions of many, that it has to be either or? That when you say to pray they think that you are then excluding action. I will say, however, that if I could only chose one, I would put a prayer response up against a human intervention response any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Prayer is far from passive. Prayer seeks recourse in the grace of God and in the power of God. Prayer acknowledges our own powerlessness against the vastness of what we are often faced with, so we our eyes are turned to God (2 Chr 20:12). Aren’t we, as Catholics, supposed to believe in the power of God being greater than anything that humans can do, accomplishing far more than all we ask or imagine? (Eph 4:20)

The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. James 5:16

People seem to be disappointed, sometimes frustrated, with me when I mention that we should be praying for something. Although they do not exclude prayer entirely they are somewhat dismissive of it as being effective enough for their situation. They want to do something about it, they want to be able to say something that will change it. They are worried that if they don’t do something, say something, all may be lost.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil 4:6

The effectiveness of prayer is well established in the Bible and in Church tradition. We are told to devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving (Col 4:2) Pray without ceasing…Do not quench the Spirit. (2 Thes 5:17, 19). We are told to rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. (Rom 12:12) There are so many references to prayer and its effectiveness, too many to mention them all. In most circumstances we do not have the power to control others. Those who are obstinate in error are often beyond our ability to reach but not beyond the reach of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is the most active thing that we can do.

Prayer does not preclude action. It embodies, emboldens and empowers our actions. Those who say to pray are not saying to pray and do nothing else. It is not either or but instead is both and. We know that it is necessary to defend the truth by doing and saying. Even to the death fight for truth, and the Lord your God will battle for you (Sirach 4:28). But to believe that what we do or say has more power than if we pray, demonstrates an arrogant reliance on ourselves. It demonstrates a lack of hope, faith and patience. It indicates a belief that God’s grace may not be sufficient for our situation. “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. (2Cor 12:9). We than rely on our own strength, our own wisdom and our own ability to do and sayto bring us the results we are seeking.

And my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that, your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. (1Cor 2:4-5)

Those who say to pray understand fully that there are times when we must do and say. We also understand, however, that nothing we do or say will have any power to change anything in this world unless we also pray

Finally draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power…for our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens...With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.” (Eph 6:10, 12, 18)