In the tradition of Catholic mysticism, saints and mystics have often spoken of the supernatural power that lies in prayer and our love for God. This power does not merely affect the one who prays but also mysteriously brings others closer to God. One of the most eloquent voices on this subject is Saint Marguerite Mary Alacoque, the French Visitation nun who was granted mystical visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her writings reveal that prayer, especially when inspired by love, holds within it a divine force that transcends the visible, moving silently but effectively toward the salvation of souls.
The Mystical Power of Prayer
Saint Marguerite Mary Alacoque’s deep devotion to the Sacred Heart exemplifies the belief that prayer is not simply a human activity but rather a communion with divine love. She taught that through prayer, the heart of the believer becomes united with the heart of Christ, who is constantly seeking to draw all souls to Himself. In one of her letters, she writes, “I can assure you that our Lord takes such pleasure in the love of those who devote themselves entirely to Him that He cannot refuse them anything. This is especially true of the salvation of souls, for whom He shed the last drop of His blood.” Here, we see the profound mystery: prayer offered in love taps into the very heart of Christ’s redemptive power, bringing others closer to Him in ways unseen and unfathomable.
This teaching is not limited to Saint Marguerite Mary. Other mystics, like Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, also emphasize the efficacy of prayer, especially intercessory prayer, for bringing souls to God. In her spiritual autobiography, Story of a Soul, Thérèse speaks of her ardent desire to save souls, particularly those who are most distant from God. She writes, “I wanted to save souls and forget no one. I prayed even for the souls of great sinners. I wanted to repair their sins by offering my small sacrifices.” Thérèse’s simple yet powerful prayers, rooted in love, became a channel of divine grace, bringing others to the mercy of God. Through her “little way,” she believed that even the smallest acts of love, when offered to God, could transform the world and save souls.
Love as the Catalyst of Evangelization
In the mystical tradition, love is understood not merely as an emotion but as the very essence of God Himself, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8). It is this divine love that mystics like Saint John of the Cross and Saint Catherine of Siena speak of when they describe the soul’s union with God through prayer. In this union, the soul becomes a vessel of divine love, and this love radiates outward, attracting others to God. Saint John of the Cross, in his work The Living Flame of Love, describes the soul’s burning love for God as a transformative force that purifies not only the soul itself but also those around it. He writes, “Love, when it is perfect, is like a fire that devours and perfects the soul in such a way that it causes the soul to pour itself out in love for others.” In this way, the soul united to God through love and prayer becomes an instrument of divine grace, drawing others closer to Him.
Saint Catherine of Siena, another great mystic, speaks of the soul’s love for God as a “fire” that cannot be contained. In her Dialogue, she recounts a mystical vision in which God explains to her the power of love to bring others to Him: “The soul, inflamed with My love, becomes another Me and works with the same power and grace that I work with. Through her prayers and sacrifices, many souls are saved, even those who are most obstinate.” Here, we see the mysterious and supernatural power of love-infused prayer. The soul in love with God becomes so united with Him that it shares in His redemptive work, participating in the salvation of souls.
The Supernatural Reach of Intercessory Prayer
The mystics also reveal that the supernatural power of prayer extends beyond the natural world. Saint Padre Pio, a 20th-century mystic and stigmatist, had a profound belief in the power of intercessory prayer. His life is full of testimonies from people who, through his prayers, experienced miraculous conversions and healing. Padre Pio often reminded people that prayer is the best weapon we have, saying, “Prayer is the key that opens the heart of God.” Through prayer, he taught, we can bring souls to God even if they are far away from Him, both spiritually and physically.
In the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, we also find a deep conviction in the supernatural power of prayer to bring souls to God, particularly through the prayer of intercession. In her Diary, Saint Faustina recounts numerous occasions when she prayed for the conversion of sinners, offering her prayers and sufferings in union with Christ’s sacrifice. One of her most profound experiences involved praying for the conversion of a dying sinner. She describes how, through her prayers, God granted this soul the grace of repentance at the last moment, illustrating how powerful prayer can be in bringing a soul to God, even in its final hour.
The Mystery of God’s Love at Work
At the heart of this mystical understanding of prayer and evangelization is the recognition that it is ultimately God who draws souls to Himself, but He invites us to participate in this divine work through our prayers. The mystics remind us that prayer is not simply a human effort to speak to God, but a participation in the very life and love of God. When we pray with love, especially for the salvation of others, we are cooperating with God’s own desire to save souls.
In conclusion, the writings of Catholic mystics like Saint Marguerite Mary Alacoque, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Saint John of the Cross, and others reveal the profound truth that prayer and love for God possess a supernatural evangelizing power. Through prayer, we enter into the heart of God and participate in His redemptive mission. In love, we become vessels of His grace, drawing others closer to Him, often in ways we may never see or understand. This is the great mystery of prayer: that in our communion with God, we can help bring about the salvation of souls, sharing in the work of divine love that seeks to gather all people to Himself.
Pierre-Alain Giffard, Director of Pastoral Work
Articles on evangelization and parish revitalization:
- Everyday Evangelization
- Every Act of Love is Evangelization
- Loving Jesus and Making Him Loved
- Embracing a Lifestyle of Worship and Praise
- A Prayer for Divine Healing and Restoration
- Factors That Have Proven to Attract People to Christ
- Evangelization: Finding Life and Giving Life
- The Eucharist: Source And Summit of All Evangelization
- Practical Steps for Reaching the Unchurched
- Bible Sharing Guide for Small Groups: A Synodal Approach
- Bringing People to Christ by Inspiring Love and Praise for God
- Proclaiming God’s Word: A Sacred Call
- From Decline to Renewal: The Transformation of New Life Church–Farmington
- The Church’s Social Doctrine and Evangelization
- Kindness: A Christian Perspective
- How to Bring Someone to Christ
- The Ultimate Purpose of Human Life – Glorifying God
- From Near-Death to New Life: A Rural Church’s Revitalization Journey
- Evangelization simply: “Taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8)
- Revitalization of Rural Churches
- Attracting Converts to the Catholic Faith
- Addressing Low Attendance in Churches
- Fostering a Sacred Atmosphere during the Sunday Mass
- Prayer to be baptized in the Holy Spirit
- Jesus is Thirsty for Souls
- Praying And Sharing The Good News With God’s Redemptive Names
- Embracing the Call to Evangelize
- What is Most Pleasing to God? Bringing Souls to Christ
- The Growth of the Church of the Nativity (Fr. Michael White)
- Deliverance Prayer, by Fr. Stephen J. Rossetti (AUDIO – mp3)
- The Growth of Saint Benedict Parish (Fr. James Mallon)
- Five Pillars of the Christian Life
- Encountering Christ: The Path to Transformation
- What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus?
- Unleashing The Evangelization Potential of Your Parish
- The Ultimate Goal of Evangelization
- God’s Longing for Love and our Mission to Make it Known
- A prayer for those whom we wish to encounter Christ
- Memorable Sundays
- Fr. Bedard’s Three-Step Blueprint for Evangelisation
- Guide for The Missionary Transformation of Parishes
- Divine Encounters: A Practical Guide for Small Evangelization Groups
- The Missionary Transformation of Sant’Eustorgio Parish
- Creating Vibrant Faith Communities: Insights from ‘Excellent Catholic Parishes’
- Sharing The Gospel According to People’s Needs And Receptivity
- A Prayer for Inviting Others to Evangelization Meetings and Services
- Welcoming Church Guests and Visitors: Dos and Don’ts
- Various Dimensions of Evangelization
- The True Measure of Success
- Pope Francis on Evangelization
- Revitalizing the Rural Parish for Mission
- Factors Leading to Christian Conversion
- Evangelizing Through Random Acts of Kindness
- Questions To Start Spiritual Conversations
- Three Feet From Gold
- Spreading the Gospel One Act at a Time
- Gather, Witness and Invite
- Prayer to Receive the Spiritual Gifts of The Holy Spirit
- The Language of Evangelization
- Key Factors for Parish Growth According to Rich Birch
- How to defeat Satan?
- Bringing Love, Hope and Healing Through the Gospel
- Love: Our Fundamental Vocation
- Touched by the Master
- A Man, a Dog, and the Ultimate Love
- The essence of evangelization: Loving God and our neighbours
- Loving Our Enemies and Reconciling with Others
- A Powerful Prayer for Healing: You Are The LORD Who Heals Me
- Living a Life of Love: Mother Teresa’s Legacy
- Living a Life of Love: Lessons from the New Testament
- In The Shadows Of Darkness, A Powerful Force Is At Work
- 19 Pastoral Orientations for Parish Renewal and Growth
- The Missionary Renewal of Catechesis
- Characteristics of missionary parishes
- Powerful healing prayer attributed to St. Padre Pio
- We are called to share our faith with others
- Should we seek to grow the Church?
- Find a Need and Fill It – Revealing God’s Heart in the Community
- 15 Habits to Evangelize on a Daily Basis
- The Church’s Mission
- Three Barriers to Building An Invitational Culture In Your Parish
- The Relational Evangelizer
- Doing Church at Home
- The Blind Girl
- A Group of Frogs
- The Elephant Rope
- A Shared Faith is a Growing Faith
- In The Shoes Of The Unchurched
- Parish Evangelizing Cells
- Six Unique Features of Missional Parishes
- Steps Towards Becoming A Missional Parish
- What Is Evangelization, And How Should It Be Carried Out?
- Discussion And Self-Assessment Questions For Parish Evangelization
- A Missional Church Is A Church That Prays
- The Jesus Prayer: A Method To Pray At All Times
- What can help children raised Catholic continue practicing the faith as adults?
- An Example of a Missionary Parish: Phoenix First Assembly of God
- Satan’s Tactics
- Learning to Be a Missionary
- When we cry out to God, he answers
- Presence and Proclamation
- Saving those who are lost
- Saint-Nazaire Parish: The story of a missionary transformation
- Small Groups and Evangelization
- Evangelizing By Inviting People To Receive Jesus As Lord And Saviour
- You Will Receive Power…
- Have You Heard About the Law of Three Hearings and Seven Touches?
- Three Habits of a Fruitful Christian Life