Silent Prayer

Once, in a small village, there lived a woman named Maria.
Every day, before dawn, she would get up and pray in her small room. She didn't want anyone to see her prayers, because she believed that pure love needed no display.
Mary prayed for her son who had left for foreign lands, for her neighbor who was sick, for her friends who were going through difficulties.
Sometimes, she felt like her prayers were in vain, because no one knew them and no one seemed to hear them.
One night, as she was praying, she saw in her dream an Angel approaching her.
The Angel said to her:
"Do not think that your silent prayer goes unnoticed. Every word that comes from love touches the heart of God.
The hearts you pray for are slowly enlightened, even if you don't see it right away."
Mary woke up full of peace. She continued her silent prayers, but she no longer felt doubt or loneliness.
She understood that the love that one offers through the silence of one's heart has power greater than one can imagine.
And indeed, a short while later, her son found his way back home, the neighbor began to heal, and her friends felt relief, without ever learning about the prayer that Mary had dedicated to them.
Silent prayer made out of pure love has power.
God sees and hears even the prayers that are invisible to people, and the light of love touches the hearts we love, even if we do not see it directly.