Summady mentioned this in my first post about prayer so I'll share my thoughts on it plus what some priests say about it. Of course I've thought about such things before too. Since my faith renewal last year, I finally know the answer and so I can share it to all.
For context feel free to read these first:
- Does Praying For Other People Really Do Anything?
- Discarding More Misconceptions About Praying to God
If you're done reading those then let's get on with the topic. 🙂
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My Unchristian Thoughts Before my Spiritual Renewal: Not Everything is Meant For Us
When I was still a lukewarm Catholic, I would sometimes pray whenever I needed something. And that's it. Never did I think I had to repent and follow God's commandments everyday or whatever. I even prayed a few novenas for the heck of it even if I didn't do such things back then. Also went to mass whenever I felt like it and asked God for things insistently and thought I'd get everything I asked for despite not being a devout or pious Catholic. And then of course that one thing I prayed so hard for doesn't happen so I opted to go the occult/New Age route and it got worse from there. 😆
I mean, eventually I did develop thoughts that there's no point in what we do if we're not meant to be rich at all! If it's not in our destiny to become wealthy then why bother, right? Ah such were the ignorant thoughts of my nominal Catholic self until last year. Anyway that was how I eventually got to thinking some things are not meant for us at all. It makes one feel powerless when we realize we have no control over everything, that something or someone holds the reins of fate.
There it is, the words fate, "meant to be", destiny or predestination. I was looking at everything the wrong way because I was blind/deaf to God's plans. I was never religious growing up so what did I know? I just lived life believing pagan/occult/common knowledge things and that God was some kind of genie or invisible being up there and all around us.
The big no-nos for Christians. | (photo source)
Never really cared much about the Holy Trinity nor Jesus Himself or Mama Mary and the saints until I realized I was quickly going down the wrong path after the pandemic. Oh the dark side can really be enticing when we're hurting real bad inside.
Ehermmm. Going back to the topic...
There are many things we want and ask from God but when He knows what we ask will not lead us to Heaven then why would He grant it? If He does give it due to our insistence, once we receive it we'd be like, "Mehhh," and then waste it or not even bother with it anymore. That happened to me too and I regretted ever asking from the Lord because of my reaction once I did get what I prayed for.
Another example, we were made different from each other in order for all of us to cooperate together. And yet we still want to be the same with others like our cool sibling or slim friend, rich cousin, white neighbor, etc. We begin to think life is unfair, that there are things written in the stars for each person, predestination and all that jazz.
After Lent 2023, I Finally Understood God's Plan
The thing is, human thoughts and ways are not the same as God's thoughts and ways. It is hard to understand His will and plans for all. But one thing is for sure, I have truly realized since Lent last year that God planned humanity's salvation so we can all go to Heaven. The Holy Trinity wills all of us to go to Heaven! In that context, the predestination question where certain pre-selected people go to hell or heaven upon death is moot.
Because God is the beginning and the end, He is all knowing of past, present and future. Even if we make mistakes (sins) He always gives us ways to return to His flock (confession, repentance, conversion, etc.). However when we choose not to follow His plans and commandments then what happens to us is not what He planned to do at all. How can anything "missing" from our life or the bad experiences we go thru be predestined if we are the ones who freely reject or choose to disrupt God's plan of us going to Heaven?
Yet many will still ask despite knowing what you've just read. Again, why should we pray if we think nothing will change no matter what we do because things on Earth are already "predestined"?
NEWSFLASH: We all have free will.
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Whatever we do is not because it was decided by God. It's up to us if we choose to do evil or good. So how come we think everything is predestined when it isn't? When God does something He always does it through human cooperation. You know, like what Mama Mary did so Jesus can be born. Or how Jesus had to agree to follow His Father's will to die on the cross for everyone in order to set us all free from Original Sin/Death.
What about St. Paul's conversion?
Well... St. Augustine, one of the Early Church Fathers, said that if St. Stephen didn't pray to God to forgive his persecutors/stoners we wouldn't have any St. Paul today. Now that's the perfect example of the power of intercessory prayer! That's exactly why we must pray for other people. 😉👍
God is so merciful and loving that He allows merits (through prayers) from other people to be the key to help the stubbornest sinners change and return to Him! He answers the prayers that are aligned to His will. And again, what is God's will? That all His human creation reach Heaven at the end of our lives. Isn't that amazing?
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What does the Catholic Church Teach About This?
But of course it is better when a priest talks about such things since they're the experts and have studied theology and philosophy, etc., for many years before becoming a clergyman. I've learned a lot from them too.
I know it's always good to hear it directly from their mouths so here's a 16 minute video on the topic:
Here's a more simpler and shorter explanation at 6 mins tops:
If that doesn't clear up everything then feel free to do your own study on it too.
Don't forget that if we don't have any priest we can talk to we can always pray to God for guidance and ask Him to show us the Truth. 🙏 Much better if we ask questions when in front of the Blessed Sacrament or in a church, even during mass is fine imho! That's my preference at least so I'm really sure any answer I get is coming from God directly. And of course there's plenty of reputable Catholic resources online to check after praying.
And that's it for now, I think. This ends my series on prayer... only until I get inspiration to write more, maybe. 😁
XOXO,
@artgirl