When God Doesn't Seem to Answer Your Prayers | Homily by Msgr. Richard Ryan

Have you ever prayed hard about something serious and felt like God wasn't listening? Maybe you even wondered if something was wrong with you, or if God had simply decided not to hear you. In this homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Msgr. Richard Ryan reflects on St. Paul's words in Romans 8:26-27: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought." Paul isn't scolding us. He's reminding us of our human limitations. We can't see the future. We sometimes pray for things that would actually hurt us. And sometimes the difficult situations we beg God to remove are the very ones that deepen our faith, our patience, and our perseverance. In this homily you will hear: Why unanswered prayer is not a sign that God has rejected you How our limited view of the future shapes what we ask for What lottery winners can teach us about wanting the wrong things The surprising prayer advice of the philosopher Socrates Why the essence of prayer is trust, not control This Sunday's Gospel is the parable of the wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30). A question to carry into your week: What do Paul's words say to me about my approach to prayer? If this homily spoke to you, share it with someone who is struggling in prayer, and leave a comment below. What helps you trust God when the answer doesn't come?