Praying for Others

What are we to pray for?  We should pray for "the Church, for the world, for everyone," says Elder Porphyrios.  We cannot just pray for ourselves.  We must have a strong desire for the world to become sanctified.


When we are suffering or in need, we should ask others to pray for us.  When we all pray with faith and love seeking God's help He intervenes and this is when miracles happen.


Elder Porphyrios speaks to prayer for others.

Prayer for others which is made gently and with deep love is selfless and has great spiritual benefit.  It 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.

He then adds,

But we must die to ourselves. Do you understand?

We cannot pray properly without humility. This is essential.  Our own wisdom is never sufficient. The personal advice we give to others is not the secret. In prayer we seek God's grace. His grace comforts and heals.


The Elder says,

The secret lies in our devotion, our prayer to God for what is best for our brethren to come about through the grace of God.  That is the best.  What we are unable to do will be done through His grace.

Pray always, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy."


Reference: Wounded By Love, p 132