Invoke the power of prayer for love

By Renato Gandia
Special to the WCR

I chuckled and said, "Why don't you pray for that yourself?" She said, "I'm losing my trust that God is listening to me."

I said, "Maybe, you have to pray first for what is your vocation in life." She replied, "I think I am being called to married life, but I am beginning to doubt that now."

What struck me was the thought of praying for a husband. Why not? I'm sure that some people do pray to find the right person to be their life mate, to find their soulmate. Although I also think that others don't believe prayer is important in searching and choosing the right person.

When I was at the college seminary, my spiritual director suggested to me that I pray for the people to whom I would be ministering in the future. Pray for their well-being, strong faith and openness to being co-ministers to me and to others.

I do not know who these people are. And I think that's the beauty of it. I am beginning to establish a connection with them even before I meet them.

I believe the same can be applied in finding a husband or a wife.

We pray for so many things: good health, stable jobs, strong family relationships. Why not pray for your future wife or husband even before you meet him or her?

Pray not only that you find each other. But pray that he or she remain faithful to God, that you have the same values in life. Pray for a strong relationship, that you find the person who will journey with you for poorer or for richer, in sickness and in health.

Pray that this person will respect your individuality that this person will love and accept you for who you are with all your gifts, good qualities and even your flaws. And pray that you can do the same for this person.

Pray also that this person will be your co-journeyer, friend and confidante, who will never leave you in times of trials and that you will be patient with each other, with all your foibles and weaknesses. And pray that love be the strong bond between you.

Imagine how powerful it would be if both of you were praying for each other even before you meet.

On one reporting assignment, I heard Janelle Reinhart share with a prayer community how she did pray for her husband even before she met him.

Graham and Maria Hicks' story is worth mentioning. One of their earlier dates was in church on a Sunday.

My own mother told me she was doing a novena prayer to St. Th‚rŠse of Lisieux while dating my father. She asked for the Little Flower's intercession that the Lord make the vision of her future with my father clearer every day.

As Christians, I think this is one value that we tend to forget.

Single people who think their calling is to the married life, tend to preoccupy themselves with the social norms of dating. I am not saying this is bad. They are more drawn towards knowing when it is acceptable to begin holding hands or kissing.

On the other hand, I also admire those people who can find a way to include prayer as an important part of their courtship.

Prayer works even in establishing a married relationship. Trust me. My mother said so.

She also said, "Don't stop praying even when you have found the right person. Continue to ask God to make your spouse the right person every day for the rest of your life."

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