"Whatever you ask in my name, I will do"

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Childhood of the Virgin by Francisco de Zurbarán, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

It appears that he wants to give us gifts at our request instead of anonymously. As in human love, it spoils a gift somewhat if we don't know where it comes from, since part of the pleasure is the knowledge that this person's love is behind it. But sometimes we do not get what we pray for, and this greatly bewilders us—even causing anguish when the request seems desperate and necessary. This is hard to understand without a total trust in him and a firm conviction of his love, which helps us grasp the fact that there must be some reason why he did not grant us the wish we are so sure is important. A child may implore his mother not to let the doctor give him that painful, frightening injection, but the mother would not be truly loving if she gave into his pleas.

Many times one goes to a friend for advice and comes away feeling consoled even though no solution to the problem has been found. The reason is that the loving attention the friend has given is worth more than any concrete answer would be. I think that this is what happens very often when we come to God in prayer. ...

Perhaps the greatest result of prayer is that by constantly bringing all one's thoughts to God, one makes it possible for him to help situate these thoughts in the context of the vocation of love. If the man who prays is willing to openly tell God all that he feels, then he will soon discover what in his life is good and what is evil. Brought before God, the foolish, mediocre, or harmful thoughts may be more readily rejected and the good ones may receive the strength of God's affirmation. ... Have you ever found, as I have, that when your thoughts or feelings are evil you hide from God so as to cherish them in privacy; whereas the moment you turn back (convert) to him, the same thoughts become occasions of deep regret and you desire to strive for patience, kindness, and love to replace them?