The Power of Prayer

While I was on one of my days of retreat at the the shrine of Our Lady Of Good Help in Champion, WI I would read some of the stories of people who were healed of some type of illness. It seemed that a good majority of the stories had a common thread, that being that someone or some group of people were praying for the person who was healed.


So many of the stories were not of the person who was in need, asking for healing, but of others who brought the person before our Lady to intercede for them to her son our Lord Jesus. I began to think of the many stories in the bible where others would either bring their friend or family member to Jesus, or would come to Him on behalf of someone who was not able to come themselves.


James 5:14-15 says Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord,and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up.

I like to take this further in the way that I guess you could say, I like to storm heaven with prayer. I know it may not be right, but sometimes I, and many others feel, that God is not hearing my/their prayers but hears the prayers of others who intercede on behalf of the one needing prayers.

It is at these times we call others in to lead our thoughts, and to aid us in our devotions, because one who is sick is less able to direct their own reflections and to pray for themselves than they are in other forms of trial. The point being we should call on others, not wait for them to hear of our needs through other sources and allow them to be informed of it, and give them an opportunity of visiting them and praying with and for them.

So as you read this I ask you to lift my sister Lynn in your prayers and to intercede for her to our Lord so that He may see fit to give her peace and comfort during this time in her life.