PRAYER REFLECTION

(winter look at the Prayer Fraternity)

 

The Gospel for the Tuesday of the First Week of Lent is from Matthew 6:7-15 and is Jesus teaching about prayer;  offering in that teaching the words of the OUR FATHER.  Fr. S. Joseph Krempa in his DAILY HOMILIES reflection for today has some important things on prayer for us to consider:

 

The Lord gives the disciples an example of how they are to pray:   with economy, trust and intimacy with God.   Like making love,  prayer is one of the things we all have to do on our own.  Nobody can do it for us.  Speaking with God is an intensely personal event.  

 

There are two extremes that make prayer difficult.   The first confuses prayer with our daily routine.  Prayerful living is not identical with prayer.  If getting through the day is the extent of our prayer life,  prayer loses its distinctive character.  The opposite extreme identifies prayer exclusively with surges of mysticism.  A rapid pulse and wild transports of spiritual passion are not attractive to many people.   There must be a middle ground between the two.   This is what the Lord describes.

 

We should have a set time for personal prayer.   In addition to our regular prayers, we should find a time when we are most at ease to simply communicate with the Lord and not be interrupted by anything else.   Some people even set aside a place of prayer in their homes.   Secondly,  our prayer should be authentic.   There is no need for us to posture before God or recite prayers written by a great saint which we think God will like to hear.  Thirdly,  we should await the Lord's response.   After a while,   we will not be greeted by silence.   We will slowly tune in to the Holy Spirit.

 

An important meaning of the Lord's Prayer is that we can contact the God of the universe.   Reading a great deal about prayer is not initially helpful.   Like teaching,  litigating,  preaching, driving or swimming,  we have to start at some point and will improve slowly.   After several months of experience,  books will be more helpful.  

 

Through prayer, we locate the still point inside ourselves.   When we locate that point,  there we will find the Spirit of Christ.