Prayer is a time of relaxing into the mystery of God’s love

Reading: God knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:7b.

Good morning, happy Thursday, and many blessings.

Today’s gospel (Matthew 6:7-15) reading begins with Jesus telling his disciples that they should not babble their prayers like the pagans do. The pagans may think that more words are better and they may hope that many words will bring them a favorable response from their gods.

Jesus then teaches his disciples how to pray. He teaches them the simple yet profound prayer: the Our Father. This is a prayer we can recite without even thinking about it. However, when was the last time we meditated on this wondrous gift Jesus has given us? As I write this, I realize it has been a very long time since I have truly meditated on the Our Father! However, I pray (say) it every day at Mass. Often, I am thinking of something else as I pray this beautiful prayer!

This short and simple prayer is rich, but profound in its simplicity. Today I invite you to find a quiet place and pray (truly pray) the Our Father slowly and deliberately. Be aware of the words. Pray them from your heart, not your head! Then sit quietly for three to five minutes.

As you go about the rest of your day, notice if there is something different for you today? I pray there is. You may even sense Jesus’ presence with you and within you throughout the day. What a gift that would be!

Are you having difficulty praying just now? Maybe you are confused, annoyed, day-dreaming. Try to be still for a few moments. Do you not know what to say? Try the prayer that Jesus offers here, the Our Father, praying it slowly, or just be still and silent in the Lord’s presence. Prayer is a time of relaxing into the mystery of God’s love, letting go of tensions and worries for this period of time.

Prayer engages us in praise of God, in desiring God's will to be done and God's kingdom to come on earth; in prayer we ask for what we need for the day, and for the grace of forgiveness for self and others, and to stay on the path of our love and convictions. This is a main part of Jesus' prayer; daily prayer engages us in one or more of these as we grow in the likeness of the heart of Jesus.

Say the Our Father slowly today, pondering a word here and there. Say it aloud to yourself if you are in a suitable place. Each word, each phrase can be a way of deepening our awareness of God in our lives. Let the words echo so that their tone and meaning become a sort of mantra you can often return to. Another nice exercise can be that when you pray the Our Father you replace the word Father with Mother. What or how do you feel knowing that God is Father and Mother?

Blessings,

Fr. Luis+