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Question
Hello Father,
I wanted to ask you a question about prayer.
Actually, it is a very simple question and I suppose it might also be the same for you to answer it (as you are well prepared) .
With regards to prayer, Jesus himself said to ask the Lord what we want and He will grant it to us (obviously, within the bounds of common sense and correct morality).
In this respect, I cannot quite grasp why the Lord does not grant us what we insistently ask Him for (Jesus himself tells us about the man who insistently knocks on his friend’s door).
The answer is obvious: that thing is not in conformity with the will of God.
Well, what is the point of asking then? You just need to pray in order to thank and praise.
If we have to stick to the will of God, which is definitely unsearchable for us sometimes but always perfect and good, it makes no sense to pray for something we desire (that is good for us), if God provides differently (certainly, more fairly).
At best you can pray asking for obedience (like Mary) to the will of the Father. However, if He has already prepared the way for us, what is the point in asking Him to change it?
Besides, there is something else going on: we have to ask with Faith. Maybe that is the point. Please, help me solve this problem.
Thank you very much for all you do.
Lorenzo



Answer
Dear Lorenzo,
There are many reasons why the Lord orders us to beseech.
And they are all in our favour. As a general principle, it has to be taken into consideration that the Lord made us into His image and likeness and for this reason He has provided us with intelligence and will.
Here is a series of goods the Lord grants us through prayer.
First of all, He has us turn our attention and search towards Him, who is the source of our present and future joy.
If there was no need to ask and turn the gaze to the Lord, we would remain totally passive and would eventually forget to praise and thank Him,too.
Moreover, He wants us to be the masters of our present and future good and therefore to search with our own mind what is useful for our sanctification.
In this way we always keep staring at the greatest good that we have to seek and that has to be the ultimate reason for all other requests.
At the same time the Lord disposes us to receive the requested graces through a persevering intercessory prayer.
The continuous prayer is ordered right for this: to lead us to understand that we have to change something to be ready to holyly welcome what we ask for and to use the same gifts in view of a bigger holiness.
For this reason the Lord asks us to pass through the intercession of the Saints. By doing so we receive a stimulus to imitate them in our life and in the practice of virtues.
And we also become able (worthy) to receive Christ’s promises.
Even when the Lord does not fulfil our requests because they are not for our good or we do not prove to be able to receive them, He nevertheless always gives us another grace, that is to remain united with Him.
And this is never without merit or reception of some other favour.
Lastly, the Lord is so good that while He asks us to request, He wants to ascribe in our favour – if we are in grace – also an increase in merit for eternal life.
I invite you therefore to ask a lot both for you and your neighbour.
So that your life is endowed by prayer, I assure you of my remembrance to the Lord and bless you.
Father Angelo

Translated by Irene Visciano