Jesus ... a model of frequent prayer

 

Jesus,  a prayer model for us

 

Luke 9:18    "Once, when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with them....."

 

All four Gospels, of course, devote time and space to the subject of prayer, but Luke has more to say about prayer than the other three evangelists.   Luke shows Jesus at prayer frequently, especially at crucial moments of his life:   at his baptism (3:21),  before choosing the Twelve  (6:12),   at the Transfiguration  (9:29),   in the garden of Gethsemane  (22:42),  and on the cross  (23:24).   It is this model of frequent prayer that we are called to as Christians.

 

To pray is to be still.   But most people are restless and do not like to be still.   Our culture has driven us to become busy, active beings.   We rush to get to work and rush to get home.   We have no time to waste,  for time is money.  In our era of hyper-speed and super computers, waiting has become almost uncivilized.   Just as Jesus stopped and prayed along the journey to Jerusalem,  we are invited to stop from time to time and be still in prayer.   By being still in solitude, we can truly discover God's revelation and answer the question:  "Who do you say that I am?"

 

(This reflection is by Fr. vanThanh Nguyen, SVD, and appears at the daily meditation for September 26, 2014 in  the  GIVE US THIS DAY missalette published by Liturgical Press,  Collegeville, MN.)