Importance of Prayer

I was talking to my spiritual director yesterday about prayer. Since I'm praying for a miracle of healing for my brother John through the intercession of Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni (I blogged about it here.), I've been thinking a lot about the prayer of petition. Father said something interesting. God responds to our needs and our prayers in one of three ways.

• First, there are some things He will NOT give us no matter how hard we pray for them.
• Second, some things He will give us whether we pray for them or not.
• And, third, some things He will only give us IF we pray for them.

That sounds pretty simple on its face, but I think it offers serious material for reflection. During this coming third week of Advent, when my husband and I will end our novena to Blessed Vincenza (And probably begin another of thanksgiving.), I plan to reflect on what Father said about prayer. I know how much I want John's healing, but I have also seen the powerful impact of John's situation on the lives of those around Him. What if God's will is not John's physical healing, but his spiritual? How will I respond? How will John respond? I call him every night to pray the novena prayer with him and I know God will use those prayers powerfully. I hope it is to give John a miraculous healing and provide the miraculous cure that Blessed Vincenza needs for her canonization. But God is not a vending machine who must answer the prayers in the way I want. So these last two weeks of Advent invite me to watch and wait in prayer with eyes wide open to see how the Savior will come to bring the good news to our family.