How do one's prayers affect other people?

[Adrian Martin]

Hello,

Perhaps this is useless speculation, but I was wondering how my prayers can affect other people. For example, if I pray that God have mercy on someone, obviously I can't make that person repent and become holy through my prayers; that is his responsibility. So, how does my prayer reach him?

Christos Anesti!

Adrian

[Herman Blaydoe]

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. Epistle of the Holy Apostle James 5:14-18

[Andrew]

Prayer is entry into communion with Our Lord and union with him. That is why the saints could see beyond their own physical existence and into the hearts of others, because they were so united with God. God wishes for us to live like Him by grace; so wherever He is, He wishes us to be too. Whoever he blesses, He wishes for us to bless too. And when we bless others, and most of all when we pray for our enemies, we truly commune of the Holy Spirit.

[Mourad Mankarios]

In the same way you may mediate to counsel others, to provide physical, emotional or even spiritual sustenance to another person which may in turn work towards their salvation or natural health, so also similarly prayer works mystically and is efficacious in aiding those who are in need of help.

And just as the more skilled a person is in physical, emotional or spiritual matters so they produce effective results, so also the more saintly and deified an individual is the more fruitful their prayer...

[Father David Moser]

Perhaps this is useless speculation, but I was wondering how my prayers can affect other people.

I don't think this is "useless speculation" for how could any genuine contemplation of the actions of our Lord be "useless". However, I also think that we must undertake such contemplation with the full realization that some things are beyond our comprehension and we only see them in metaphor. The full understanding of the nature of the Body of Christ, that is the Church, is one of those things that is beyond our ability to comprehend - however we do have some images that help us understand. The most dominant of those images is that of the body. St Paul especially uses this one freely in describing how we are all united as one in the Church. Now in ancient days, the physiological knowledge of the working of the body was mostly beyond the comprehension of men and so, for example, the idea of "humors" arose - that is free floating energies within the body that seem to affect our personality. These "humors" were used to help understand how it was that the actions of one part of the body affected the others. As medical science developed and was refined, we learned about such things as hormones, neurons, the brain, electro-neural impulses and so on which supplanted the concept of "humors" Even with all this advanced knowledge we do not fully understand the functioning of the body, of the brain or neurological system or even of the endocrine system and for all we know these concepts that we use today may in a couple of centuries be considered primitive and outmoded as our knowledge base increases. It doesn't mean we were wrong - just that our ability to comprehend and understand was imperfect.

So also with our understanding of the nature of the Body of Christ. As we grow in our spiritual ability to see and comprehend the spiritual world, we may also begin to be able to comprehend more clearly how it is that our prayers affect one another, or how it is that we are "linked together" into one unity. But the path to that knowledge isn't through scientific study, by through the renewal and transformation of our own being so that we become more like Christ, more attuned with the spiritual world. This is the path of prayer, ascetic labor and the sacraments.

This "speculation" is far from "useless" if it kindles within you the desire for more certain knowledge and thus draws you deeper into the life in Christ. However, if your "speculation" has the opposite effect of pulling you away from Christ and making that which is holy and spiritual to be mundane and commonplace, well then it is worse than "useless" it is indeed "detrimental".

May God guide your heart and mind in this matter.

Fr David Moser

[Nina]

Alithos Anesti!

Dear Adrian,

In addition to the very helpful replies you have received from the posters above, I would like to add that Elder Paisios of Mount Athos has said that our prayer has the power to make blessed even material things, so -in my opinion, thinking from your question- not only our prayer can make holy other people, but the entire Creation, as in the endless examples from Saints' lives.

Here is something Elder Paisios said:
"In our days, people prefer to purchase their icons and other items from monasteries. They do so because they know that monks and nuns say the Jesus prayer while working and everything they do is blessed. When people visit a monastery and eat food cooked without oil, they find it very tasty and say:
- I haven’t eaten such a tasty dish even in the best restaurant. How can it be so tasty when it is cooked without oil?
When the cook of a restaurant curses while he is cooking and never goes to church, how can the food be blessed? On the contrary, the monk is praying while cooking and his heart is filled with positive thoughts; he thinks that he is preparing food for earthy angels to eat. Moreover, when monks sit at the table to eat, they say a prayer to bless the food. How is it possible then for the food not to taste good?"

Elder Paisios not only encourages us to pray, but he set himself an excellent paradigm, that each can follow according to abilities:

"Elder Paisios always prayed wholeheartedly for everyone in the world. He dedicated the day to relieve the pain of people in grief and the night to God. He rested for a few hours in the early morning, in order to regain some strength after his all night prayers and be able to help people during the day. He used to read the whole Book of Psalms on a daily basis. Sometimes, he divided the hours of the night, for instance, from 9:00- 10:00 he prayed for God to protect those who return home late from work; from 11:00- 12:00 for those who travel, so they will not be involved in any accidents; from midnight- 01:00 for God to help people stay away from ill-reputed night clubs, where they usually spend the night. In general, he prayed for every situation, for the sick people in hospitals, the married couples involved in a quarrel, etc."
You can find the above passages:
http://www.pigizois.gr/agglika/paisios/paisios.htm

Also, Elder Paisios had in his daily routine, a prayer time for all the children of the world. One child was overrun by a truck and when his father and all present saw that the child looked completely untouched afterwards, started hugging him and thanking God and Theotokos. The child said that he saw a monk who came under the truck and protected him and then disappeared. They thought it was a Saint, since no one had seen a monk. Because the child was very young-and could not possibly tell whom he had seen, they started showing icons so he could identify the Saint and they could give thanks to him and donation. This proved unsuccessful because the child could not recognize in any of the icons the monk he had seen saving him under the truck.

His father took the child (son) and went to Mount Athos to thank God and Panagia for the miracle. While going from monasteries to huts they ended up at the place of Elder Paisios. Immediately the son exclaimed: "Daddy, daddy this is the monk that protected me under the truck!" The accident had happened exactly at the time when the Elder prayed for all children of the world. Thank God this child went there and God permitted this to be revealed for His glory and our further spiritual edification!

So prayers (not only those of Saints and Elders) have the power to preserve us from physical and spiritual harm and restore us. And God takes it from there in His mysterious ways.

[Adrian Martin]

Thank you for your wise and kind words for this poor sinner. Sometimes I lose heart when praying, but that is because my faith is very weak. Please pray for this catechumen.

[Paul Cowan]

Hello,

Perhaps this is useless speculation, but I was wondering how my prayers can affect other people. For example, if I pray that God have mercy on someone, obviously I can't make that person repent and become holy through my prayers; that is his responsibility. So, how does my prayer reach him?

Christos Anesti!

Adrian

I wonder if I might ask a similar question only backwards...
How do my sins affect other people? If I sin, the sin is on me and I know the causality of my sins can prove harmful to others.

I am more interested in my personal sins that no one else will know of. Can my personal sins affect, say, my wife's health? Does my gluttony for example, contribute to her ill health? We are one in body, yes? I eat too much. She does not much at all. We are both unhealthy in this area.

Does my lack of prayer and or lack of religious ferver transfer to her not wanting to go to church? How much am I hurting her by my sin of sloth?

Even if I were "perfect", will she also become "perfect"? Is her spiritual life dependent on mine? What is my responsibility to ensure her salvation?

Is this too many questions?

Paul

[Chris Manaras]

If one would be willing to accept that all things are inter-related to a degree which we, as humans, are incapable of comprehending, then one should also be able to whole-heartedly admit that the total scope of the cause-effect relationships of thoughts (prayer) and actions/inaction (sin) is also beyond our comprehension.

[Herman Blaydoe]

St. Seraphim of Sarov says: "Obtain the Holy Spirit and thousands around you will be saved." So what happens if you DON'T acquire the Holy Spirit?

The person you don't help, the donation you don't make, the prayer you don't say, the person you tempt to fall into sin...actions do have consequences and so does inaction...

Something for simple minds to think about.

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[Mary]

I wonder if I might ask a similar question only backwards...
How do my sins affect other people? If I sin, the sin is on me and I know the causality of my sins can prove harmful to others.

I am more interested in my personal sins that no one else will know of. Can my personal sins affect, say, my wife's health? Does my gluttony for example, contribute to her ill health? We are one in body, yes? I eat too much. She does not much at all. We are both unhealthy in this area.

Does my lack of prayer and or lack of religious ferver transfer to her not wanting to go to church? How much am I hurting her by my sin of sloth?

Even if I were "perfect", will she also become "perfect"? Is her spiritual life dependent on mine? What is my responsibility to ensure her salvation?

Is this too many questions?

Paul

Yes. Too many questions.

Just kidding. I'm constantly questioning myself in a similar way. I recently told my friend that I'm glad we're orthodox now, because my children have their patron saints praying for them. If it was just my prayers, then they would've been doomed to hell before they drew their first breath. I was told such thoughts were from the devil. Thank God for friends who have their head screwed on right. =)

I feel quite useless when I pray. I can't help it. But I feel even worse if I don't pray about something. I guess God hears me because He is merciful, not because I've just said a powerful prayer.

I've often wondered too, how my private sins affect those around me - my family and eventually the whole Church. I think it's a delusion to think a sin is 'private'. I only feel something is private because others don't know about it. But I do. And it affects my relationships and my spiritual growth. When a part of my body is injured and starts to die, it does affect the rest of the body around it. If it doesn't heal, or if it isn't amputated, the rest of the body will also die.

Say I'm a toe nail. If I get injured, I cause a lot of pain - to the nail bed, which in turn causes the toe to hurt, which in turn causes the foot to hurt. Soon the person is walking in a funny way, favoring the injured foot, and all the muscles in that leg will get twisted and strained. A twisted leg can't support the weight of the body effectively, soon the back will start to hurt, etc. In the mean time, the toe nail is either healing or not healing. If it's getting worse, it's turning more poisonous, and that poison will keep spreading. Toe nail dies first, and falls off. But the nail bed and the toe, carry the most infection now, and they still need to heal. Although the toe nail has gone out of their lives, if they don't 'repent' they too will die.

Forgive me for getting carried away with my little story. If I think I can keep my sins private, I dont' confess as deeply as I should. If I think only my external actions affect others, then I don't care as much about my inside life. But I've noticed that when things are ok between me and God, things go very well with my family. And when I'm hiding from God, everyone around me becomes extremely sinful and annoying...

In Christ,
Mary.

[Trudy]

I think it's a delusion to think a sin is 'private'. I only feel something is private because others don't know about it. But I do. And it affects my relationships and my spiritual growth.

Someone once quoted St. Seraphim of Sarov's words but went on to say that we go to hell alone. Meaning, our sins are our own and no one elses. They are our choice, our personal rebellion.

Would one of the priests or monks on the list, perhaps, address this?

In Christ,
Athanasia

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Someone once quoted St. Seraphim of Sarov's words but went on to say that we go to hell alone. Meaning, our sins are our own and no one elses. They are our choice, our personal rebellion.

Would one of the priests or monks on the list, perhaps, address this?

In Christ,
Athanasia

Hopefully this isn't too far off track.

This morning was Radonitsa for us, when we commemorate the departed after Pascha. This arose as a pious tradition among the Russians however and has not been incorporated into the service. Except for a possible Litany for the Departed, everything else sung and chanted at the service is actually for the week and day.

Thus the Gospel reading was John 3: 16- 21 which is what I gave a homily on.
What I based my homily on was the tragic events in America yesterday and an interesting difference between the Slavonic & English Gospels for this reading.

In Jn 3:17 it says, "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." The Slavonic however says, " For God sent not His Son into the world, to judge the world, but so that world be saved through Him."

What I said in my homily was that this young man seized the power of God to judge. In sinfully seizing this power it was deformed into a power of execution.

I said then that this is what all of us do, if not physically in some way, then spiritually to each other, when we fail to understand that Christ in His judgement covers others with the Light of His salvation. In terrible isolation we become judge and executioner of others.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Nina]

How do my sins affect other people? If I sin, the sin is on me and I know the causality of my sins can prove harmful to others.
Paul

Christ is Risen!

Dear Paul,

After the beautiful post of Father Raphael above, please allow me to share with you another gem of our Church (that answers your question), from Bishop Kallistos Ware:

"...For the Orthodox tradition, then, Adam's original sin affects the human race in its entirety, and it has consequences both on the physical and the moral level: it, results not only in sickness and physical death, but in moral weakness and paralysis. But does it also imply an inherited guilt? Here Orthodoxy is more guarded.

Original sin is not to be interpreted in juridical or quasi-biological terms, as if it were some physical taint of guilt, transmitted through sexual intercourse. This picture, which normally passes for the Augustinian view, is unacceptable to Orthodoxy. The doctrine of original sin means rather that we are born into an environment where it is easy to do evil and hard to do good; easy to hurt others, and hard to heal their wounds; easy to arouse men's suspicions, and hard to win their trust. It means that we are each of us conditioned by the solidarity of the human race in its accumulated wrong-doing and wrong-thinking, and hence wrong-being. And to this accumulation of wrong we have ourselves added by our own deliberate acts of sin. The gulf grows wider and wider.

It is here, in the solidarity of the human race, that we find an explanation for the apparent unjustness of the doctrine of original sin. Why, we ask, should the entire human race suffer because of Adam's fall? Why should all be punished because of one man's sin? The answer is that human beings, made in the image of the Trinitarian God, are interdependent and coinherent. No man is an island. We are members one of another(Eph. 4:25), and so any action, performed by any member of the human race, inevitably affects all the other members. Even though we are not, in the strict sense, guilty of the sins of others, yet we are somehow always involved.

When anyone falls, states Aleksei Khomiakov, he falls alone; but no one is saved alone. Should he not have said also that no one falls alone? Dostoevsky's Starets Zosima in The Brothers Karamazov comes closer to the truth when he says that we are each of us responsible for everyone and everything:

'There is only one way to salvation, and that is to make yourself responsible for all men's sins. As soon as you make yourself responsible in all sincerity for everything and for everyone, you will see at once that this is really so, and that you are in fact to blame for everyone and for all things.' "

The Orthodox Way
You may find the passage from the book here:
http://www.geocities.com/trvalentine/orthodox/ware_sinconseq.html

[Paul Cowan]

Thank you Nina:
That is truly what I did not want to hear, but Hear I must. As Cain said to God "Am I my brothers' keeper?". The truth is, I am.

Perhaps this is just coincidence, but when I sin, I 'see' my wife suffer physically though she does not know why. When I am closer to God, she seems to do much better. Not that I actively sin to watch her suffer God forbid, but when I am further from God I do notice her health deteriorates.

I know her health is not dependent solely on my relationship with God, I just sometimes see this pattern.

Mary:

Say I'm a toe nail.

I suppose we all are a part of the body of Christ. Thanks for volunteering to do your part. ;)

Herman:
Thank you for giving me something to think about.

PC

[Nina]

Thank you Nina:
That is truly what I did not want to hear, but Hear I must.

(Giggle Smiley) Sorry Paul... Did not mean to give you a Murphy's Law type of news. It is very hard for me also to live as a Christian, but that is a given when I post anything here. I prefer to have the information, even if I feel so incapable of applying that in my life and have to read again and again the same old material.

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear Adrian, you wrote:


Perhaps this is useless speculation, but I was wondering how my prayers can affect other people. For example, if I pray that God have mercy on someone, obviously I can't make that person repent and become holy through my prayers; that is his responsibility. So, how does my prayer reach him?

Just as pointers for further consideration: the single greatest source of 'practical' examples of the 'how' of prayer in this sense comes from the lives of the saints, which are replete with such examples.

The single greatest theological source on the matter is by far and away St Maximus the Confessor, and in particular his perception of logos and logoi, grounding his discussion of man as 'microcosm' of the whole of creation, and priestly 'mediator' of it.

INXC, Matthew

[Mary]

I suppose we all are a part of the body of Christ. Thanks for volunteering to do your part. ;)


Watch out for the ingrown toe-nail, Paul! =)

I had a strange experience this morning. I caught myself asking God that He would prepare me to die. It was triggered by pictures of those who died on Monday. None of them knew it was their last day. Were they ready?

How often I've envied those who have what I don't have! And they say the boy who killed everyone else, hated those who were rich and seemed to have everything he didn't. I could've been him!

In the face of death, the things I bother msyelf about seem so insignificant. My sins seem particularly horrifying. I'm not ready to die. I've never even wanted to think about it before, because being prepared seemed to be such a morbid thing to do. Now, it's filling me with fear, for I don't know how long I'm going to live. Just because I'm healthy doesn't mean I'm going to live. I might get shot, and then, it doesnt' matter how healthy I am!

What will my children do if I die tonight? They're not prepared either.

I know I need some kind of balance here, and I'm not sure how to find it. Praying and obeying seems to benefit from thoughts of death. But fear seems to infiltrate everything else and I'm finding myself overwhelmed and on the brink of giving up, as I look at all the stuff I need to get in order before I die.
I don't think I'm supposed to despair. So how does one face death?

Forgive me for branching off - it was sort of related to prayer...

Mary

[Nina]

I'm not ready to die. I've never even wanted to think about it before, because being prepared seemed to be such a morbid thing to do. Now, it's filling me with fear, for I don't know how long I'm going to live. Just because I'm healthy doesn't mean I'm going to live. I might get shot, and then, it doesnt' matter how healthy I am!

What will my children do if I die tonight? They're not prepared either.

I know I need some kind of balance here, and I'm not sure how to find it. Praying and obeying seems to benefit from thoughts of death. But fear seems to infiltrate everything else and I'm finding myself overwhelmed and on the brink of giving up, as I look at all the stuff I need to get in order before I die.
I don't think I'm supposed to despair. So how does one face death?

Mary

Ok, I can start a whole discussion here (about what you ask) from my experience seeing my mother go (I know it is the refrain of many posts of mine... I apologize!) and leaving so many unaccomplished, unfulfilled missions for her life. But the most important mission of ours is Paradise! God helps tremendously!

There are some spiritual books about death and dying, that I used to read before my mother's departure, so I could be prepared and encouraged by the knowledge there. Those help, but we still are humans. Different feelings are normal for our nature: remember Christ crying for Lazarus, his agony while praying before his Passion.

In the meantime, if you wish, you can pray to St. Barbara, who protects from sudden death, so that the person does not depart unprepared. I (because I was far away) did pray for my mother, even if she had cancer. St. Barabara helped! Twice!!!

[Father David Moser]

I'm not ready to die. I've never even wanted to think about it before, because being prepared seemed to be such a morbid thing to do. Now, it's filling me with fear, for I don't know how long I'm going to live. Just because I'm healthy doesn't mean I'm going to live. I might get shot, and then, it doesnt' matter how healthy I am!

What will my children do if I die tonight? They're not prepared either.

I know I need some kind of balance here, and I'm not sure how to find it.


The late Archbishop Anthony of Los Angeles used to say simply that we should plan as though we will live a thousand years, but that we should live each day as though it were our last. I find that working between those two extremes is effective in creating a certain balance in my life. The other extremely important thing is to become aware of the providence of God in your life, knowing that He cares for you as for each of us. He has given you your children to raise and care for. Should it be within His providence that you are no longer "there" for them, be certain He will provide for them - He loves them as much as He loves you. Every day in your prayers, with all awareness and sincerity place your children in the hands of God, entrust them to the care of the Ever Virgin Mary and of their patron saints, and invoke their guardian angels to watch over them. Then no matter what happens, you know that they are in the hands of God, in the care of the saints and of their guardian angel.

Fr David Moser

[Mary]

The late Archbishop Anthony of Los Angeles used to say simply that we should plan as though we will live a thousand years, but that we should live each day as though it were our last. I find that working between those two extremes is effective in creating a certain balance in my life. The other extremely important thing is to become aware of the providence of God in your life, knowing that He cares for you as for each of us. He has given you your children to raise and care for. Should it be within His providence that you are no longer "there" for them, be certain He will provide for them - He loves them as much as He loves you. Every day in your prayers, with all awareness and sincerity place your children in the hands of God, entrust them to the care of the Ever Virgin Mary and of their patron saints, and invoke their guardian angels to watch over them. Then no matter what happens, you know that they are in the hands of God, in the care of the saints and of their guardian angel.

Fr David Moser

Thank you, Father. Every once in a while I remember God's providence and I'm at peace. But usually, I forget. Perhaps if I pray this way everyday, I'll get better at remembering it!

Nina, I haven't 'met' St Barbara yet. Is there anything about her online?

Thanks.

Mary.

[Nina]

Nina, I haven't 'met' St Barbara yet. Is there anything about her online?
Thanks.
Mary.

http://www.saintbarbara.org/about/stbarblife.cfm

I am so excited because I found a Russian church nearby that has relics from St. Barbara. Can't wait to venerate them! If you would like, I can remember you too.

[Trudy]

http://www.saintbarbara.org/about/stbarblife.cfmI am so excited because I found a Russian church nearby that has relics from St. Barbara. Can't wait to venerate them! If you would like, I can remember you too.

Nina,

May I please ask, would you pray for my sister Barbara and my Aunt Barbara (Bobby) when you venerate the relics of St. Barbara? My sister is have great financial difficulties and may lose her house which is only the tip of the iceberg. My Aunt suffers from Alzheimer's. Her body is strong. Her mind continues to evaporate with each small breath.

Please accept my sincere thanks.

Athanasia

[Nina]

Nina,

May I please ask, would you pray for my sister Barbara and my Aunt Barbara (Bobby) when you venerate the relics of St. Barbara? My sister is have great financial difficulties and may lose her house which is only the tip of the iceberg. My Aunt suffers from Alzheimer's. Her body is strong. Her mind continues to evaporate with each small breath.

Please accept my sincere thanks.

Athanasia

Dearest Athanasia,

It is my duty and an honor, thank you for asking! Please do not loose heart, because God promised to be until the end of ages with us!

L,
N

[Mary]

http://www.saintbarbara.org/about/stbarblife.cfm

I am so excited because I found a Russian church nearby that has relics from St. Barbara. Can't wait to venerate them! If you would like, I can remember you too.

Thank you Nina, for the link to St Barbara's story. Thank you for offering to pray for me.

Mary

[Nina]

Nina,
May I please ask, would you pray for my sister Barbara and my Aunt Barbara (Bobby) when you venerate the relics of St. Barbara?
Athanasia

Accomplished, thank God! Also for those who asked and for all the monachos.net community. The Russian church that had the relics from St. Barbara was cute and the people fantastic! :)

[Nina]

Hello,

Perhaps this is useless speculation, but I was wondering how my prayers can affect other people. For example, if I pray that God have mercy on someone, obviously I can't make that person repent and become holy through my prayers; that is his responsibility. So, how does my prayer reach him?

Christos Anesti!

Adrian

Truly He is Risen!

Dear Adrian,

Thanks to Andrew from monachos.net we all have learned about the precious book of Elder Porphyrios "Wounded by Love". Prompted by Andrew's posts here about the book, I got it and it is really a diamond for the soul. I do not know where to start reading because it is full of priceless advise and I am not patient enough, so while looking through different chapters I came across a passage which reminded me of your post and which is the answer to your original question that started this thread.

"It [prayer] brings grace to the person who prays and also to the person for whom he is praying. When you have great love and this love moves you to prayer, then the waves of love are transmitted and affect the person for whom you are praying and you create around him a shield of protection and you influence him, you lead him towards what is good. When He sees your efforts, God bestows His grace abundantly on both you and on the person you are praying for." (p. 132)

I can not describe how beautiful the whole chapter is where the Elder describes the 'great spiritual benefit' of prayer for others.

Elder Porphyrios advises also to 'pray for those who make accusations against you by saying Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me! and not have mercy on him because only the first makes the accuser one with ourselves and thus we ask for God's mercy on both'. Because of this prayer God hastens to help the accuser.

Also the Elder advises us not to pray in a human way and with self-interest, but to imitate angels in our prayers, who only glorify God and who do not pray for themselves. "Doxology is prayer without self-interest."

This chapter is from p.113 to 133.

Another thing I noticed is that the book's first printing was March 2003, the next one was November 2003. I guess the demand for the book is so high that it was a matter of months in between.

[Moses Anthony]

Hello,

Perhaps this is useless speculation, but I was wondering how my prayers can affect other people. For example, if I pray that God have mercy on someone, obviously I can't make that person repent and become holy through my prayers; that is his responsibility. So, how does my prayer reach him?

Christos Anesti!

Adrian

Forgive me as I come to this discussion late, and with somewhat tired eyes and body. I believe we can see how our prayers affect others by understanding that we're in a Body.

Much has been made in recent years of the phrase "...it takes a village....", which for us as Christians, is as British say, "Spot on!" The Apostle Paul tells us we're members of a Body, that each part has a role in the function of the Body as whole, and that God places each part in the Body as He has designed it (that is both the Body and the member part ).

When we leapfrog in Church History, we find the Fathers (Patriarchs and Bishops) in discussion about penance. And again, this is because whenever a Believer committed any transgression, it was not just between them and God, but it was ultimately a transgression against the entire Church! (notice here how Paul instructs that a wayward Believer is to be handled in re-admittance to communion with the Body) We are truly "...members of one another..." So how does that affect the my prayers for others?

Think if you will of the Body of Christ as a tubular circle (at least for this example). [b]"...Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who comforts us in all our afflictions, [u]so that[u] we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God..." Prayer is as much then for the one praying, as it is for the one being prayed for. Yes we form emotional attachments to people, and feel empathy for them, that's just how we're wired! however; prayer is not just for God to bless the object of our affections, but (a new thought here), it is for us to come to the view point of God about the situation, about the individual person! Oh to think, how much more effectual is the love of God through a conduit which has no personal blockages of animosity, envy, bitterness, jealousy, hatred, pride, conceit or revenge!

To King Solomon God said that "if My people, who are called by My name shall humble themselves and pray, seek My face, and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, then....", "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much..." It is an opportunity for God to again (apart from the facts of Christ's Incarnation, life, Passion, death, burial and resurrection, and ascension to the Father's right hand), manifest to a hurting world, the extent of His love and care.

We are at the same time, members of the human race, and members of the Body of Christ. In neither instance can interaction be avoided, or the repercussions thereof. Just as the hate we target towards others hurts not only them but will eventually kills us, so also the forgiveness, kindness, and love of God changes us and the one to whom it's directed.

This is the ascetic life to, and for which we struggle daily. May God be merciful to us all! Forgive me for such a long and rambling post.