Every time I get a prayer request, I will stop for a moment and say a prayer immediately. Why? Two reasons: first, there are so many prayer requests that I do not want to have a huge backlog; second, there is so much power in prayer.

Consider these findings from a study:

• Hospitalized people who never attended church have an average stay of three times longer than people who attend regularly
• Heart patients were 14 times more likely to die following surgery if they did not participate in any religion
• Elderly people who do not attend church had a stroke rate double that of people who attended regularly
• Religious people had a 40 percent lower death rate from cardiovascular disease and cancer
• People who are religious can deal with depression better than those who are not

This is the message of the Gospel. Jesus heals.

Hence, remember that in this life, there is the seen and the unseen. The unseen world is very real although we do not see it. Prayer is very powerful.

1. Remember, prayer is most powerful when it is done by the Church. Jesus said, “When two or three are gathered in His name”, he is in their midst. When we offer a Mass for our loved ones, it is the whole Church praying with us.
   
2. Remember, prayer is most powerful when it is complemented with fasting and almsgiving. 
   
3. Remember, prayer not only affects the body but the soul as well. Pray unceasingly even when we feel nothing is happening. It is the soul that is most important.

For a moment, we remember and pray for people who are in need of healing, holding on to the fact that with the Lord nothing is impossible.