Question: During my meditation I try to pray for health for my father because he's very sick. But sometimes I think that I want him to get better just to make me feel better. Is it all right to pray for my father so he will get better?

Sri Chinmoy: As a human being, you have every right to pray to God to cure your father, since he brought you into the world. He is your closest and dearest. As a human being, you have received affection from him millions of times, and you spontaneously offer your own affection, concern and gratitude in return. This is the human approach to the Supreme. Because your will has not surrendered to the divine Will, there is tremendous attachment in your so-called concern.

For the divine approach we need to add another dimension: "Eternal Father, if it is Your Will, please cure my father." You have to know if his stay on earth will really be of any help to him or to God. Will your father make spiritual progress or work for God if he remains on earth a little longer or will he just lead an ordinary life and create more problems for himself?

You love your father, so you want your father to be cured. But if your father is cured, perhaps he will not be able to progress inwardly at all. If his cure is not the Will of the Supreme, it is best to let him go when the Supreme wants him to. If you identify your will with the Will of the Supreme, you will see that if your father stays on earth, you will be happy, and if he does not stay on earth, you will be equally happy because God's Will will be executed.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Prayer-world, mantra-world and japa-world, Agni Press, 1974
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