Dear friends,
We all have some references to make to whenever we share stories about the power of prayers. In our talks, we name so and so as powerful people with regards to different signs God realizes through their ministry of prayer. However, very seldom do we ponder and ask why these things happen when such people pray.
Jesus told His disciple that they do not receive what they ask for because they do not know how to pray. Thus, at their request, He taught them how to pray. And following in their footsteps, we all pray, or I may say, we all recite the Lord’s Prayer. One could ask why I say, “we recite” rather than “we pray.” The reason is simple: it is because we very seldom ponder every words of that Prayer whenever we “say” it. Pondering the meaning and the implication of every word and sentence of the Lord’s Prayer in our life will always take us back to an attitude of faith and surrender to the will of God; because, as the Lord says, “Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Faith implies surrender and perseverance in prayer. The latter is thus humble attitude of total trust and confidence in God’s providential love. Prayer means recognition that everything is in God’s hands, and that everything we ask for in prayer will be given us.
This coming Wednesday will be Ash Wednesday. It is the beginning of Lent, the season during which we are called to focus on three actions in our spiritual journey: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Today’s gospel reading plunges us in the heart of the first one, namely Prayer. We are invited to reflect and meditate on the place and importance of prayer in our life and take action to improve our communication and dialogue with God.
During the Lenten season that already knocks at the doors of our hearts and lives, let us ask God to help us to be good stewards of the time He gives us and dedicate more of it in prayer. And let us continue to pray for one another and for our parish family.
Fr. Emery