Petitons

Today at mass someone prayed for a guy I know who has come into hard times.  It really hit me hard.  He and I aren't close friends, but still, I know and love him well enough to feel bad that he's not doing well right now.  When the mass was over I went over to the person who had made the prayer to find out more, and just to share that sense of grief over what this guy is going through. 

A couple days ago, I witnessed a similar experience. At mass I prayed for a pal of mine, and the rest of the day I had people coming up to talk about him, how they love him and wonder how he's doing. 

When we offer prayers of petition, we do so hoping that God will hear our prayers and bring aid to the people in question.  But perhaps petitions also serve the function of changing us who hear them, by expanding our mental and emotional horizons beyond the boundaries that we might have set.  Ezekiel talks about having his heart of stone turned into a heart of flesh. I wonder if the prayers of others aren't one way that the stony places in our hearts get broken open.