Genesis 18:20-32 Colossians 2:12-14 Luke 11:1-13
Reflecting on the scriptures
Everything I know about prayer I learned in fifth grade from Sr. Albert. Well… not everything. But a great deal. There are four types of prayer she told us and you can remember them by remembering “ACTS”: A, Adoration, we praise God, C, Contrition, we express sorrow for sin, T, Thanksgiving, we thank God for our blessings, and, S, Supplication, we ask God for what we need.
Today's scriptures are about prayer, and mostly about that last kind, prayers of petition. “Ask, and you shall receive.” That certainly sounds like good news. And so simple to a fifth grader's ears.
But we grow and our prayer grows. And, hopefully, we learn that prayer is not about getting something from God… it is about our relationship with the One who loves us and wants the best for us.
And our petitions change. No longer do we try to convince God to agree with us. Instead, we strive to make God's will our own. Of course, we still bring our wants and needs before God. That is what friends do. But then we leave them there in God's loving hands.
Living the gospel
It might be spiritually fruitful to spend some time reflecting on your prayer life this week. Which type of prayer is easiest for you? Which is the most difficult? In which have you grown the most over the years?
[Note: Learning to Pray: a Guide for Everyone, by Fr. Jim Martin, S.J., offers suggestions and guidance for anyone seeking to grow in their prayer life. I recommend it.]
by: Pat Schnee