Many times we pray for things only half expecting a positive result. While knowing that there are things we will pray for that we will never receive and things we pray for that we would have received even if we had not prayed for them, it is good to keep in mind the third category which are the things that we would not gain were it not for our prayers. For our prayers to have a chance to be successful we must be in a state of sanctifying grace i.e. free from all mortal sin.

    From this starting point there are additional things that can help us to obtain that which we seek in prayer such as praying with confidence, knowing that God has the power to grant whatever we ask and will do so if it is in conformity with His Will. Persevere in our prayer. "Knock and it shall be opened." And pray novenas to the Holy Ghost, our Lady, Saint Joseph and other favorite Saints. Offer all the Masses that have been offered, are being offered and will be offered with your prayers.

    Did I fail to mention penitential prayer? Kneeling 'til it hurts and longer, offerings our pains and sufferings to our Lord, consecrating ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and having none "una cum Benedictio" Masses offered for souls while giving generous stipends for the Masses offered. Additionally, our prayers will have a better chance of success if we add fasting to our prayers. You may recall how our Lord told His disciples that certain demons can only be cast out through prayer and fasting. Fasting helps to detach us from our own disordered self will which in turn allows our will to be more aligned with God's, which in turn makes it more likely that the intentions we seek in our prayer will be conformed to our Lord's Divine Will.

    I might add that generally speaking, our prayers are most effective right after we have received the Most Holy Eucharist and when we are in the Physical Presence of God in the Holy Tabernacle. Lastly, we should ask all the Angels and Saints to pray with us and ask for their intercession.

    With that let us go to the account found in The Liturgical Year:

    The Church has inserted in her Office of this feast the account given by St. Gregory of the last interview between St. Scholastica and St. Benedict. It is as follows:

From the second book of the Dialogues of St. Gregory, Pope.

    Scholastica was the sister of the venerable father Benedict She had been consecrated to almighty God from her very infancy, and was accustomed to visit her brother once a year. The man of God came down to meet her at a house belonging to the monastery, not far from the gate. It was the day for the usual visit, and her venerable brother came down to her accompanied by some of his brethren. The whole day was spent in the praises of God and holy conversation and at night-fall they took their repast together. While they were at table, and it grew late as they conferred with each other on sacred things, the holy nun thus spoke to her brother: 'I beseech thee, stay the night with me, and let us talk till morning on the joys of Heaven.'

    He replied: 'What is this thou sayest, sister? On no account may I remain out of the monastery.'

    The evening was so fair, that not a cloud could be seen in the sky. When, therefore, the holy nun heard her brother's refusal, she clasped her hands together, and resting them on the table, she hid her face in them, and made a prayer to the God of all power. As soon as she raised her head from the table, there came down so great a storm of thunder and lightning, and rain, that neither the venerable Benedict, nor the brethren who were with him, could set foot outside the place where they were sitting.

    The holy virgin had shed a flood of tears as she leaned her head upon the table, and the cloudless sky poured down the wished-for rain. The prayer was said, the rain fell in torrents; there was in interval; but so closely on each other were prayer and rain that the storm came as she raised her head.

    Then the man of God, seeing that it was impossible to reach his monastery amidst all this lightning, thunder, and rain, was sad, and said complainingly: 'God forgive thee, sister! What hast thou done?'

    But she replied: 'I asked thee a favor and thou wouldst not hear me; I asked it of my God, and he granted it. Go now, if thou canst, to the monastery, and leave me here!'

    But it was not in his power to stir from the place; so that he who would not stay willingly, had to stay unwillingly, and spend the whole night with his sister, delighting each other with their questions and answers about the secrets of the spiritual life.

    On the morrow, the holy woman returned to her monastery, and the man of God to his. When lo! three days after, he was in his cell; and raising his eyes, he saw the soul of his sister going up to Heaven, in the shape of a dove. Full of joy at her being glorified, he thanked his God in hymns of praise, and told the brethren of her death. He straightway bade them go and bring her body to the monastery; which having done, he had it buried in the tomb he had prepared for himself. Thus it was that, as they had ever been one soul in God their bodies were united in the same grave.