They say the power of prayer is an incredible force, and has the ability to heal ills and comfort hearts even from oceans away. I believe in the power of prayer and I pray frequently. When someone asks me to, or I feel it warranted, I say prayers for others I know and prayers for people I have heard about who are having a hard time. I believe that these thoughts, these good intentions sent out to the Universe do indeed make a difference.

There is a young man at my church who has been hospitalized for many months with severe health problems. I am sure that the situation has been beyond trying for the parents and close relatives of this young man. Every week at mass his name is mentioned to be kept in the prayers of those in the parish. As I add him to my long list of names that I ask God to look out for I can’t help but wonder how many other people in my parish are praying for him at that same exact time. Can he feel the power of all those good intentions coming at him all at once? Does he have any idea how many people, many of whom are strangers to him, are wishing and hoping for his recovery at that very moment? I can only pray that he can, in some way, feel the love that is pouring out of all those in the community in his direction. Will it help him heal? Only God knows, but I know that in the meantime it certainly cannot hurt.

This message feels especially poignant to me today on the anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center. Today all of those people who lives were lost and whose lives were affected by the horrible events of that day will also be in my prayers. I hope they can feel my good wishes.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of your good intentions toward others. You may just save a life, or at the very least help mend a very broken heart. A prayer and a kind smile can work wonders….

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