Q: In the face of suffering, why should we pray for others or ourselves for healing? Shouldn’t we accept our suffering without prayers? Thomas à Kempis wrote, “Learn, at present, to suffer in the little things, that then you may be delivered from more painful sufferings. Try first here what you can endure hereafter. If you can now endure so little, how will you be able to bear eternal torments? If a little suffering now makes you so touchy, what will hellfire do hereafter? Surely you cannot have both joys — your pleasure in this world and afterward to reign with Christ.” — Maria

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:

Prayer amid suffering is important for several reasons.

First, if we are praying, we are more likely to see suffering with the eyes of faith.

We can more easily unite our suffering with that of Jesus on Calvary since we can sense that there is value in suffering, that it can be offered in reparation for our sins or for the intentions of others.

Praying for others who suffer is an act of charity since it can merit God’s grace and strength for them.

Praying for others is especially helpful for those who have a tough time praying or who might not see the value in it.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with asking God to relieve us of suffering. Lots of people did the same in the New Testament — and Jesus cured them. Think of the two blind men at Jericho (Matthew 20:29-24) or the man born blind (John 9).

Thomas à Kempis, the author of The Imitation of Christ, is referring to those sufferings that are a normal part of life.

You’ll notice, by the way, that Thomas doesn’t say not to pray about the sufferings.

God allows sufferings of all kinds to help keep us humble and reliant on him — and close to prayer.