Everyone loves each other in a good family. They like to stay together. They spend moments of rest together. They always have something to say to each other.
And how is it in your family ? How do you feel, when you cannot talk to your father or mother ? How would you rate such a family, in which children do not talk to their parents for a long time ?
We are the family of God's children. God is our Father. Can we also talk to Him ? About what and how ?
Jesus is talking to his Father, that is, he prays
Jesus prayed often. He did this especially before important events. He prayed in Capernaum after Simon's mother-in-law and the other sick were healed, when he announced, that he will also preach the Gospel to other cities (Mk 1, 35). He prayed after the bread multiplied (Mt 14, 23 ; by. J 6), when he was to announce the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. He also prayed on Mount Tabor, when he changed before the disciples (Luke 9, 28-29), before the resurrection of Lazarus (J 11, 41-42), in the Cenacle (J 17, 1-26). Jesus prayed especially fervently in the Garden of Olives before his Passion and death (Mt 26, 35-44) and on the cross for their persecutors (Luke 23, 33).
Jesus' prayer was His cordial conversation with the Father. During the prayer, Jesus, Son of God, he was with God the Father. He harmonized his whole life with the will of the Father. With humility and obedience, he gave in to it, what the Father wanted. Strengthened by prayer, that is, talking with God the Father, he undertook the most difficult tasks and fulfilled God's saving plan.
Jesus teaches us, how are we to pray
The apostles were constantly with Christ, they were his friends. They were often witnesses, how Jesus prayed. They watched, how he talked to his Father. They also wanted to talk to God the Father themselves, that is, to pray, just as their Teacher did, Jesus Christ.
,,While Jesus was in a place for prayer, and he finished it, one of the disciples said to him : «Lord, teach us to pray »… And He said to them : «When you pray, speak :
father, hallowed be your name; let your kingdom come.
Give us our daily bread for each day, and forgive us our sins, because we also forgive everyone, who will blame us ; and don't let it, that we would be tempted »”
(Luke 11, 1-4).
Gospel of St.. Mateusz, who tells the same event, adds one more request : ,,Let your will be done on earth, just like in heaven " (Mt 6, 10).
So the Lord Jesus taught the Apostles to pray ,,Our father". We call it the Lord's Prayer. This prayer is the model of the prayer of all Christ's followers. A Christian must address God as a Father with faith, love and devotion. He is to pray for this first and foremost, that all people may build the kingdom of God, they did the will of God the Father on earth so faithfully and willingly, how the angels in heaven fulfill it, and thus they were truly worshiping God.
Christ also encourages us, that we commend all our affairs to God. We are to ask Him for daily bread. Above all, however, we are to ask Him for the forgiveness of our sins, and to such an extent, in which we let it go, who have trespassed against us. He also instructs us to ask God for help in temptations and for deliverance from evil. Today Christ also calls us to prayer. When we come together to celebrate the Eucharist, we hear words of encouragement : ,,Summoned by a salutary command and enlightened by God's instruction, we dare to speak ". Then we pray the Lord's Prayer with the whole Church.
What is our prayer to be ?
You found out, that the Lord Jesus prayed often and long with the deepest reverence for the Father. When he taught the Apostles, how to pray, thus he called us all to prayer. Christ encourages us, that we may stay with God and talk to Him. st. Matthew gives us the encouragement of the Lord Jesus :
"Ask, and it will be given to you ; look for, and you will find ; knock, and they will open to you.
For everyone, who asks, receives ; who is looking for, is located ; and to him who knocks will be opened. When any son of you asks for bread, is it like that, who will give him a stone ? Or when he asks for a fish, would give him a snake ? So if you, though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more is your Father, who is in heaven, will give what is good to them, who ask him " (Mt 7, 7-11).
Christ assures us in these words, that God the Father will hear every persistent prayer, which is according to His will. Although it does not always fulfill our request in this way, as we ask Him, however, it is each, even the shortest prayer, it has great value before God.
In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Lord Jesus instructed us (Luke 18, 9-14), that prayer should be humble. We should remember, that in it we turn to God, who is our Creator and Lord, on which we are dependent in everything and to which we have often been guilty. Our humility should be expressed in the right words, and also in the outer posture of the body.
How will I answer God ?
You are a child of God. God is your best Father. You belong to the great Family of God - to the Church. Every Sunday during the Eucharistic Assembly, that is, during the Holy Mass., you hear a call to prayer. You pray with the whole Church. How attentively do you turn to God ? Christ is calling you, that you may turn to God as to the Father. And you, how do you pray ? Perhaps you are saying the words of the prayer thoughtlessly ? Your prayer should be a cordial conversation with God. How often do you try to speak to God in your own words ? Do you strive for it, that there may be more love of God in your prayer, rather than the words learned ?
Everyone in your family is God's children. Do you strive for it, to pray the Lord's Prayer at home with the whole family ? Sometimes ask for the gift of prayer : "Lord Jesus Christ, one said : «Ask, and you will receive ; look for, and you will find ; knock, and it will be opened to you » ; give us, please, the feeling of your divine love, let us wholeheartedly, They loved their mouth and in deed, and never ceased to worship. Give us a gift, Lord, constant fear and love for your holy name, for you never refuse to care for it, whom you confirm in your love ".
■ Think :
1. What did the Lord Jesus do before important salvation events ?
2. What prayer the Lord Jesus taught the Apostles ?
3. What it is for our prayer ?
4. When today Christ calls us to prayer ?
5. What should our prayer be like ?
■ Remember:
26. What is prayer ? Prayer is talking and being with God, our Father.
27. How We Should Pray ? We should pray : humbly, confidently, persistently and with submission to God's will.
■ Task :
1. Compare the Lord's Prayer with the Holy Mass. with the words written in St.. Luke.
2. find out, how the followers of other religions behave during prayer.
Jesus Christ is calling us, that we pray
