Day 11 The prayers of others

 I read a lot today.  Thomas finishes high school, falls in love twice and continues to feel he knows it all and will do things his own way.  Not unlike many people's experiences in high school I expect.  He develops an abscessed tooth and becomes septic.  Remember this is before the days of antibiotics, so they drain it and hope for the best.  He becomes very ill and almost dies.  He describes the indifference with which he faces death.  

Religious people, those who have faith and love God and realize what life is and what death means, and know what it is to have an immortal soul, do not understand how it is with the ones who have no faith, and who have already thrown away their souls.  pg 98 

And I thought how very sad. 

Then he goes on to say that;   

What is more, there was nothing I could do for myself. There was absolutely no means , no natural means within reach, for getting out of that state.  Only God could help me.  Who prayed for me?  One day I shall know.  But in the economy of God's love, it is through the prayers of other men that these graces are given.  It was through the prayers of someone who loved God that I was, one day, to be delivered out of that hell where I was already confined without knowing it.  pg 99

Now do I think Merton would not have turned to God if someone hadn't prayed for him?  I don't think so.  We have talked about God's graces all around us.  But could prayers have softened Thomas' heart to make him more receptive to God? Sure, I believe that.  God has asked us to pray and prayer is powerful stuff.  I think of multiple times in my life when I had important events that turned out great and how many people I had praying for me.   Many people think Catholics pray to multiple Gods like Mary and the saints.  That isn't true.  We ask for Mary's and the saints' intercessions. We can ask them to pray for us to God. Since they are holy people and in heaven they can help guide us and pray for our needs; but they aren't God and can't grant anything by themselves.  Still being in heaven with a halo over your head can't hurt right? 

My prayer for today; Lord, thank you for the gift of faith, thank you for Mary and the saints and thank you for all the people that love me and pray for me.  And I pray for all those without the gift of faith that You will continue to rain down Your graces Lord so that like Thomas You will reach them in Your due time.  Amen

 

Pax

 

Joe