Rev. José Mario O. Mandía
jmom.honlam.org
We have seen the way Jesus prayed. We have seen how every situation was an occasion of prayer for him. The CCCC (No. 542) points out: “The Gospel often shows Jesus at prayer. We see him draw apart to pray in solitude, even at night. He prays before the decisive moments of his mission or that of his apostles. In fact, all his life is a prayer because he is in a constant communion of love with the Father.”
ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE: Jesus was praying always and everywhere. That’s why He told His disciples “that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).
Jesus also taught His Apostles the right attitude in prayer.
CONVERSION: “Jesus insists on conversion of heart: reconciliation with one’s brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies, and prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart, and seeking the Kingdom before all else (cf. Matthew 5:23-24, 44-45; 6:7,14-15,21,25,33)” (CCC 2608).
FAITH: The Catechism (No. 2609; cf. 2610) then says, “Once committed to conversion, the heart learns to pray in faith.” Jesus instructed His Apostles to ask with faith, because they have a wise, loving and all-powerful Father: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11).
OBEDIENCE: Furthermore, faith leads us to be ready to do the will of the Father. “The prayer of faith consists not only in saying ‘Lord, Lord,’ but in disposing the heart to do the will of the Father (cf. Matthew 7:21)” (CCC 2611).
WATCHFULNESS: Jesus “calls his hearers to conversion and faith, but also to watchfulness. In prayer the disciple keeps watch, attentive to Him Who Is and Him Who Comes …. (cf. Mark 13; Luke 21:34-36). In communion with their Master, the disciples’ prayer is a battle; only by keeping watch in prayer can one avoid falling into temptation (cf. Luke 22:40,46)” (CCC 2612).
PERSEVERANCE: Jesus told His Apostles parables on persistent prayer: the friend begging for three loaves (cf. Luke 11:5-8) and the widow pestering the judge (cf. Luke 18:1-8). “Will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:7-8)
HUMILITY: In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus praises the prayer of the latter who, “standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’” The Lord says, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other” (Luke 18:13-14).
ASK IN HIS NAME: Jesus reminds us that He is our advocate before the Father. His prayer is more powerful than ours. “Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name. Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-24).
(Image: mnega16@pixabay.com)
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