The Gospel reading for this week comes from St. Luke 11: 1 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." 5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 And he answers from within, "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
It seems an odd thing that the disciples would ask Jesus to be taught to pray. It was still early in Jesus' ministry, but some incredible, unexplainable things had already happened, including that they had seen the disciples of John the Baptist being instructed on how to pray. They saw the power in Jesus, and had even had part in some incredible ministry adventures themselves, but they knew something basic was missing in their spiritual lives. This request comes just after they saw Jesus praying. As the entire book will point out, praying was a holy habit of Jesus. I believe it was them asking, Show us how to stay connected to the Source of Power and Grace; there's something to that experience called prayer and we want it for ourselves.
Jesus begins with what we know as The Lord's Prayer. The one most quoted is the one found in Matthew's gospel, but this is another version of that prayer of Jesus'. And by the way, this was a question asked by the Border Patrol to those seeking admission to the USA by declaring they were clergy coming to serve in our country; "Besides the passage found in Matthew, where else can we find The Lord's Prayer?" (Now you know!). The prayer declares many things useful for us in our prayer. Number one is to begin with the relationship we need to have with God. Jesus called God, Father. The positive parental aspect of God's love and grace is important to hold as we pray. The second thing is the holiness of God. As we approach the throne of God we do so reverently and in awe of that holiness that only God can possess. Number three, there is a petition for us to ask for the coming of God's kingdom here on the earth; where all will know God and understand the power and authority that God should have in our lives. Number four, we should acknowledge that our basic provisions for life can be found in God, namely our daily bread. An attitude of thanksgiving should accompany our requests for God to continue to provide that which keeps us fed and going. Number five, we need to recognize that God can and does remove our sin, and the removal of sin in our prayer time is important. Remember the holiness aspect of God, we seek to be made holy as well, and that cannot occur without asking the removal and forgiveness of our sin. Number six, there is a responsibility on our part to seek to be right with others and that begins with our forgiving others as God has forgiven us. Number seven, we rely on God to keeping us on the path of righteousness and away from the places that test and try us. We know we're weak spiritually and we need God's strength to keep us close to God and away from our own self-destruction.
Jesus then shares some sensible illustrations on the aspects of prayer. There is the element of praying always, if not often. There is a value to persistent prayer. Notice that Jesus says we can pray even after bedtime, while others may be sleeping; whatever time our need to pray comes, we should pray. Jesus then shares a formula we find in Matthew 7; Ask, Seek, Knock. Prayer is asking, seeking, and knocking. We ask of a person; we seek on our own; and we knock on doors. There is that understanding that prayer takes our part and involvement. Prayer is a response and an ingredient of true worship. Prayer is a listening as well as a sharing endeavor. Jesus then teaches the goodness of God. No parent who loves their child will give snakes to a child who asks for fish. No parent who loves their child will give their child a scorpion when they have asked for an egg. God gives what we need, including the special and wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit to all who ask that of God.
Prayer is a part of our empowerment as disciples of the Living God. It requires our willingness to make time to pray. This is time well spent for it is time with God. As stated above it requires our willingness to connect with God and then to stay connected after we say amen. Those who begin their day in prayer, will spend the day with God, listening and acting on whatever God may share with us. Like the disciples after being with Jesus, our faces, our answers, and our very lives should reflect that we have been in the presence of Jesus.
PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God, for the gift and tool of prayer. Help me to worship You and help me respond to You through my prayers throughout the day. Grant me peace and boldness. Grant me the wisdom and the ears of faith to hear Your answers during the day; let me recognize that all prayers are answered, not all the way I would like, but answered nonetheless, for Your good; which is what I seek. In Jesus' precious and powerful name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
