February 5th 2012

This week I want to write about prayer. I am torn by a feeling of inadequacy and the knowledge that there is so much to say. To whom do I turn? Without any doubt to Jesus who taught us in so many ways. I look particularly to when he responded to the disciples’ request for teaching on prayer. They had learned to pray from childhood at home and in the synagogue, but they saw in Jesus’ prayer, something unique, something powerful. In Matthew 6: 5 following and Luke 11: 1 following, we can share some of the teaching he gave to his followers. First of all he warned them against making a show of their prayers, going to a public place and proclaiming to God in a loud voice in order to receive honour. Instead, he instructed them to go into their room and shut the door behind them in order to pray in private.

Today the world has turned around. How many say grace in a public restaurant? How many fear people’s scorn? How much time do we spend alone with our heavenly Father? The important thing is for us to humbly acknowledge him and ask his forgiveness for turning away from him. We are assured of being accepted by him if we also forgive others. Daily we ask for physical sustenance. Do we ask for those who lack the necessities of life? We ask to be kept safe from evil. We are assured that our prayers will be answered. The hardest thing for us to accept is the fact that the answer is not always the one we want. Often it is “yes” but it can be “wait” and also it can be “no”. This does not mean that our prayer is in vain. In prayer, we have been with him and we have been gathered into his arms.