His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist of blessed memory would often tell this story about the efficacy of prayer:

There was once a young monk who complained that his prayers were never answered.  His abbot asked him to take a straw basket used in gardening to a nearby brook and return with water.  The monk did as he was told, but on the way back all the water had seeped through.  Then the abbot asked him to try again.  This happened thrice, and each time the monk returned with no water.

Then the abbot suggested that the monk look within the basket.  What did he see?  When beginning, the basket had been soiled with bits of weeds and dirt.  But now it was clean!

Prayer is like this.  As we pray time and again, our souls are refreshed and cleansed, although we may not get exactly what we ask for.

Today is Clean Tuesday.  Let us pray.  

Fr. Paul Martin
Annunciation & St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church
New Buffalo, MI