Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2868

2868 The power of intercession....

September 3, 1943: Book 37

As soon as people pray for each other their hearts are capable of love, and since love is strength, this strength flows over to the person to whom love applies.... Prayer now has an effect in that the person to whom the intercession is directed noticeably feels the flow of strength, in that he now either feels relief from his earthly hardship or is now able to cope with it due to the strength flowing towards him. And thus God already fulfills a prayer addressed to Him in love for his fellow human being purely earthly.... Far more blessed, however, is prayer which is only directed towards spiritual perfection, recognition and the striving for light and truth. Then, too, prayer has an effect in the form of strength, which the fellow human being only needs to willingly accept in order to be able to book the greatest spiritual success and thereby, understandably, also reduces the earthly hardship, which is only intended to fulfill the same purpose.... to bring about spiritual maturation. However, as soon as a person ignores the power given to him through intercession, God cannot reduce the suffering for the sake of this person whose soul He wants to save and who will be completely lost without it. Man wants to help his fellow human being who is in need.... But God is love.... and this also wants to come to man's aid. And His love and wisdom recognizes suffering as the only means to win the human being for eternity, and this love and wisdom must understandably leave the prayer for the suffering fellow human being unanswered if it questions the maturity of the soul, which is the purpose and goal of earthly life. And this is why the fulfillment of prayer should always be left to God's will, for God truly knows best by which a soul will gain the greatest spiritual advantage. Although God acknowledges love, if this love, in human ignorance, wants to end a suffering which God's love imposes on the human being, He will certainly acknowledge the former but, at His discretion, will not answer the prayer in order to bring redemption to the soul and thus seemingly disregard the human will. Yet the power of intercession will benefit them by making it easier for their thoughts to turn to God as soon as the human being's will does not completely resist Him. And therefore everything, sorrow or joy, should be left to God and everything should be accepted from His hand with submission and gratitude, for He truly knows best what serves people and He directs everything such that it will benefit the soul and the human being can attain spiritual maturity if he has the will to do so....

amen

Translated by Doris Boekers