Jeremiah 7:16-20. God instructs Jeremiah not to pray for the people, for God does not hear him. He asks, doesn't Jeremiah see what they are doing? "The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven [that is, a false god], and they pour out drink offerings to other gods." Who is it that they are provoking with this behavior, God asks? God is angry, yes, but only because they are hurting themselves and others with their behavior. They provoke themselves to confusion. Therefore God's anger will be poured out upon Jerusalem and His people, and upon the beasts, the land, the trees - everything will feel the fire that cannot be quenched.

I have been reading the Marian messages from Fatima and elsewhere, including the ongoing ones at Medjugorje. The messages always ask us to pray for sinners, to pray for the world, and to fast. So I do, and I am. Here, though, God tells Jeremiah not to bother praying or interceding for the people - they are too far gone and God's judgment has to come upon them before they will change. So when I first read this I thought "Should I not be praying for the world? Are we also too far gone?" But I know that Mary would not tell us to pray if there was no hope in it, so no - I know we are to keep praying.

I think there are two things going on with our prayers at this time. First, I truly do not believe that the majority of people are as far gone as our leaders and the people in power are. There is great need for us to pray for the people who have been led astray or never learned of Jesus - they are like lost sheep looking for a shepherd who will not lie to them, use them, or abuse them. Our prayers for them will help call down God's mercy on them. So those prayers are absolutely essential.

Second, our prayer, I think, is hastening the chastisement (or whatever it is that is coming, something definitely is!), it is hastening God's justice. The people who are hardened against God need to feel the pouring out of his anger in order to repent, if they are going to at all. It will be better for all of us when that time comes, since they are doing great damage to the world and to its people right now.

So I will keep praying, but I will just pray that His will is done, I think that is the best and most effective prayer I can make. His will is the only thing that is truly right and good, and we need His kingdom to come, His will to be done.