Yesterday, the scripture readings gave us insight into the Lenten practice of almsgiving, today we hear all about prayer.
When Jesus warns his disciples not to pray like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners, he is not condemning either praying while standing or praying in public. Rather, Jesus is criticizing the motive the hypocrites bring to public prayer, his concern is about their hearts.
Instead of praying for the purpose of expressing their love for God, they pray in public for the purpose of being seen by others. They seek the praise of men. And Jesus says the attention they garner for themselves will be the only reward they will receive for their prayer.
Whether we are in public or private, we are to go to the inner room with recollected minds and hearts truly open to listening to the voice of the Father. Mother Theresa said, “The first requirement for prayer is silence. People of prayer are people of silence.”
Secondly, Jesus condemns the babbling prayer of the pagans, who think they will be heard because of their many words. Again, Jesus is not criticizing repetition in prayer, and certainly not persistence in prayer, both are pleasing to God.
However, we don’t pray in order to change God’s mind. God isn’t Santa Clause or a wish-granting genie of the lamp. Nor, do not pray in order to negotiate with God. Our prayers are not magic spells that if perfectly performed or with obsessive persistence guarantee perfect results.
Mother Theresa also said, “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at his disposition, and listening to his voice in the depth of our hearts.”
When Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray, he uses the word, “Father” to denote that prayer is meant to be intimate. Gregory Nyssa, explains this when he says that true prayer is “intimacy with God” and the purpose of prayer is union with God.
The solemn, quiet, reflective mood of Lent is to offer us an opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us to prayer and to purify our prayer life—to allow God’s Spirit to lead us into that deep intimacy with Him. He knows our needs, and therefore invites us into a relationship of profound trust.
St. Francis de Sales wrote, “Do not worry about what may happen tomorrow. The same Eternal Father who takes care of you today will take care of you tomorrow, and every day of your life. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then, and put aside all useless thoughts, all vain dreads and all anxious imaginations.”
Prayer is not listing off all the things we are worried about, but listening and surrendering and trusting. May the Holy Spirit teach us to pray this Lent, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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