Mary mother of John Mark: Prayer of Faith

Acts 12:1-17

Praying without faith is like trying to cut with a blunt knife - much labour expended to little purpose. For the work accomplished by labour in prayer depends on our faith: "According to your faith [not labour] be it unto you." (J.O. Fraser)

Lord,
teach me to pray
the prayer of faith.

So often I ask,
not expecting to receive.
So often I leave loopholes
just in case you don't answer -
as if expecting
nothing will happen anyway.
Where is my faith?

As you answer my prayers
I see my lack of faith.
Why am I so surprised
when I see that you hear?
Why do I react in disbelief,
when what I've been begging for
becomes real before my eyes?

Lord,
teach me to pray
the prayer of faith -
to know that you hear me,
and that you are at work,
that you do the impossible
beyond my wildest dreams -
o Lord
teach me to believe.

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[January 2013]

Peter was in prison, but was miraculously saved. Meanwhile, Mary and a group of Christians met in her house and prayed for him. They were so focused on praying that they got annoyed when the maid, Rhoda, disturbed them to say that Peter was just outside the door. They did not believe he was actually there!! "Don't bother us, we're praying" - meanwhile the answer to that prayer stands right outside the door.

How often do we pray but not really expect anything much to happen?

Picture from the Catacomb of Calixtus.