WHEN I see people praying ardently in church, I would remember Edith Stein (also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) — a German Jewish philosopher, who converted to the Roman Catholic Church and became a Discalced Carmelite.
Once before her conversion, she was passing by a magnificent cathedral in Germany. Intrigued by its beauty, she went inside to further admire its architecture.
As she went inside, she saw an old woman on her knees praying fervently. She noticed that the woman’s face was glowing in peace and joy. Then she asked herself, “What is it about the woman’s faith that makes her happy and fulfilled?” That question started her conversion to Christianity and her road to sainthood.
We don’t often think of prayer as a way of witnessing. We think of it as an obligation or a need. The incident in the life of Edith Stein proved that a person’s prayerfulness could inspire people to believe in God. Edith witnessed the joy of a woman who was practicing her faith through prayer, and Edith wanted to possess the same joy in life.
Lately, I’ve come to realize this value of prayer more, as a form of witnessing to others about our faith in Christ. I pray a lot, but I do it because of my love for God and my need for peace. I pray to spend time with God and to discern his will in my life.
A week ago, however, I prayed because I needed a favor from God. I pleaded with him to answer my prayer. I asked Mary and the Saints to intercede for me. I prayed the Rosary several times. I felt desperate to receive this blessing from God that I asked several friends to pray for me. A few days after, I was filled with joy because the Lord granted my wish. I realized then the importance and the power of prayer.
Indeed, this is another reason for praying: to motivate others to believe in God and to discover the power of prayer. There are people who believe and rely solely on their human potentials that they do not turn to God for help. We, Christians, however, turn to God for assistance, especially in our weaknesses.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Lord. Before Jesus assumed into heaven, he instructed them to give witness to all people about their faith in him. He told them, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
The disciples could not fulfill this mission of witnessing and making disciples without believing in the importance and the power of prayer. After all, this would be their main testimony: Jesus Christ who rose from the dead would always be with them in Spirit to embolden their hearts to live, to believe, and to share the Good News of God’s love to all nations. It is their union with Christ through prayer and belief in his abiding presence and help that would bring peace and fulfillment in their mission.
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Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas attended St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California and earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. For twenty years, he has been in the parish ministry of large multi-cultural communities. Since 2002, he has been the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles. Please email Fr. Rodel at [email protected].
