Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’
“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Prayer is a beautiful gift from God. Imagine what it would
be like not being able to communicate with important people in our life – may it
be our parents, siblings, friends or partner. These people would want to hear
our stories of happiness. They want to know how much we need them when we call
to them during sorrows and even just news from us. These are the same things
God would want to hear from us. He would like to hear from us how happy we are
with the countless blessings He sends us. He wants us to lean on Him when we
are downhearted. Talking with God only shows how much He matters to us. We don’t
just to call Him when we’re in trouble but we also share to Him our stories of
happiness. And because He loves us immensely, He would gladly listen to us.
Prayer is not merely talking to God. It is talking with God.
Which means it is two-way. Be ready to listen as well. Read God’s Word. Read and
reflect on the Gospel every day. Then, you’ll discover how God speaks to you in
the most amazing ways that could even move you to tears.
In the Gospel today, Jesus teaches us to pray. I’ve heard
other Christians say that Catholic prayers such as the Apostle’s Creed are vain
repetitions but that’s only true when we say it without meaning. This should remind
us that when we pray, it’s the heart that matters. It’s about how we mean each
word we utter in prayer. We should not be discouraged by such criticism. Just
pray and tell God everything. Just pray when you need someone to talk to. He’s
the best listener there is.
Pray not out of habit. Pray with heart. Pray in complete
humility. Pray in complete joy.
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