But, I Did Pray!

We were warned to pray, and to especially pray the Rosary.

Despite election results not being finalized, yet, I think a lot of Catholics are dismayed at the results so far. So many of us prayed: daily Rosaries, novenas, Adoration. We joined our evangelical brothers and sisters. We called upon our Patroness of America, the Immaculate Conception. Preserve us!!

I have heard from lay Catholics and pulpits alike that America fractured its founding and faithfulness because we became lazy in our faith, or left it behind all together. Indeed, I do believe this is true! For quite some time that error has been preached about and we've been called to prayer, especially to the Rosary once again. But, it leaves those faithful to praying wondering why their prayers aren't "working."

When are enough Rosaries enough to change the world? Am I praying enough? Is it because not enough Catholics are praying? Why am I wielding a sword of prayer, but not striking down any enemies? Why are answers not coming, or coming opposite of what I pray?

Even frustrated religious have admonished those who are praying that it isn't enough. It begins to fall into superstition and scrupulosity. This is something I ran away from in Evangelicalism, the idea that enough isn't enough.

When I was Assembly of God, we expected our effectual fervent prayers to accomplish much. We expected miracles and prophecies and changed hearts. While they refuted the health and wealth "gospel," enough of it seeped in that they did expect it. My family and I went through years of hardship and members of the church began the interrogation of whether or not the elusive "enough" to merit God's grace and favor (meaning, our chosen answer to our prayers) had been accomplished. To them, so long as we suffered, we were coming up short. We weren't praying enough. We weren't tithing enough. We weren't repentant of our sins enough. We didn't have enough faith. It was because my husband wasn't speaking in tongues, yet. Even a church deacon came up to my husband and I and said, "I don't understand why you're still going through this, because I'm praying."

I would cry out and agonize to God that I didn't know what else He wanted from me. It became a checklist where I'd check off every box only to have another appear. It was never enough. Then, we would face judgement and condemnation from the church in the method of them trying to figure out what those unchecked boxes were. I asked a local "on fire" evangelist and he basically said, "you're doing everything right (meaning: everything he told us to do during his crusade in our church). I don't know why God isn't answering your prayers."

This is why I am very wary of anyone in Catholicism harping on those who are praying that their prayers aren't enough because our desired results haven't come about.

What if our prayed-for Trump doesn't win? What if our prayed-for battle against abortion only sees abortion increase?

I had posted before that this is a wheat and chaff time in the Church. I stand by that statement. I also believe that the Bible says it will get worse in the world. It will get worse, but the Remnant of the Church will get stronger. The Holy Catholic Church was perhaps strongest during the eras of the most prosecution. I don't mean politically or economically the strongest. I mean faithfully the strongest.

As our nation and world become more polarized, so will our Church. We already see it with a sort of modernist church and the so-called "Rad Trads." We have a portion of Catholics who want to move forward in the flow of the changing world, even to the point of women "priests" (women can't be priests. They may wear the vestments and go through the motions, but they will not be valid in the eyes and power of God, thus any Masses done by them will be false, and any Eucharist will just be snack time.) We have a portion of the Church that wants to rebuild the strength and faith of the traditional Church. That chasm between the two will only widen.

That doesn't mean that our prayers aren't being answered. If the faith of the true Catholic Church increases, even if just among the few faithful, that is answered prayer. We've ridden the comfortable wave of an overall Christianized culture. Now, that comfort is being put to the test. Wheat (true Catholics who actually believe in the dogma) or chaff (cultural Catholics who do not believe in the dogma).

Keep on praying. Pray faithfully. But, also pray that your eyes will be opened to the answering of the prayers and the workings of the Lord where it isn't blatantly obvious. After all, the suffering and questioning of the beliefs of the Assembly of God Church helped put me on the path Home to Rome.