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Question Title Posted By Question Date
strength of Jesus and Mary Mary jean Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Question:

Firstly, thanks to Mr. Slavek for his replies to my other questions.

Can you enlighten me on what the following may mean?

When we do not acheive we should thank God for this because he is showing us we are not doing it in the strength of Jesus and Mary.

I thought I understood at the time, and went on my way, but then as time passed I realise I don't.

The priest who said it to me is 90, very frail, and still has a heavy schedule of services, so I didn't want to be a trouble to him.

How are we to do things in the strength of Jesus and Mary?Thankyou.



Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Mary Jean:

I am sure the good Father was well intentioned and in some respect he may be correct depending on the circumstances.

I think the Father meant that we need to consecrate ourselves to Jesus and Mary. This means that we will live our lives, and offer up our prayers to Jesus and Mary.

But, there can be many reasons that our prayers are not answered the way we wish, that we do not achieve what we expect. One aspect is that any prayer or any activity that involves other persons can sometimes not come out because it involves the free will decisions of the other person. God does not force anyone to do anything against their will.

If we pray that the next door neighbor will do something to stop their dog from barking all night, God will not force them to do it. He can inspire them to do it, but He will not force them. Thus, despite your prayer in the name of Jesus and Mary, the dog may still bark all night because the neighbors choose to do nothing about it.

If we start a ministry that fails, it may have nothing to do with not doing it in the strength of Jesus and Mary, it may be because the people who are needed to make the ministry successful choose not to do what they needed to do despite God's prompting them. God does not intrude upon our free will.

Bottomline: Our prayers and our activities may be done in perfect prayer and fully in the power of Jesus and Mary and still not succeed. This is not because it was God's will for it to fail, but because the will of the people involved in the project did not bend to God's will.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary 

 


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