St. John Vianney: “We are beggars who must ask God for everything. How many people we can call back to God by our prayers! Ardent prayer addressed to God: this is man’s greatest happiness on earth,”

The power of intercessory prayer. There are many examples of this in the scriptures and in our own lives. Moses  interceded for the Israelites often during their forty years in the desert that God would not destroy them for their disobedience. Esther plead before the Lord to spare her people for their proposed destruction. Mary interceded at the wedding feast of Cana. There is the prayer of the persistent woman before the unjust judge. St. Monica prayed for the conversion of St. Augustine for thirty years.  Many times all we can do is to intercede for another person who is going through difficult times. In doing so, we are acknowledging that God alone can make a difference. We can't make it happen, but we can pray that God will make it happen according to his will. Never cease to intercede for others.