Word to the Wise
Thursday, March 10, 2022 - 1st Week of Lent - Thurs
[Esth C:12, 14-16, 23-25 and Matt 7:7-12]"God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand. As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers that you, O Lord, always free those who are pleasing to you. Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord, my God." [Esther] "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." [Matthew]
I'm not sure there would be enough library space on this planet to hold all the books, videos, CD's, or other written materials on the subject of prayer. I have certainly read quite a few of them myself and the line, "Lord, teach us to pray!" [Luke 11:1] suggests to me that the reading material for the course would be impossible. In fact, the scriptures would be more than enough! Esther's prayer, quoted above, is a wonderful example! Jesus' reply to the request of the disciples is the prayer we call the "Our Father!" Solomon's prayer for wisdom [1 Kings 3:1-14] is one I have repeated many times in my several roles as a religious superior.
In giving spiritual direction about prayer, I often ask the directee to do a "history of prayer" in their life. How does their current effort to pray compare with the first prayer experience they can remember. In retreats I remind the retreatants that PRAY(ERS) words, methods, etc. + a PRAY(ER) - the person trying to pray, does not necessarily equal PRAYER. There is no one formula that is THE one way.
I have an oil painting on the wall of my room of a boy out in a field with a rock in his hand getting ready to throw it in the air in the hopes of hitting God!! (This was told to me by a student years ago about his way of expressing anger with God.) He was ENRAGED AT God but he was also ENGAGED WITH God. Jesus, Esther and Solomon all invite us to ENGAGE with God in the way most natural to us and e xpresses our true self and situation. The child-like (NOT child-ISH) dependence on God's providential love and care expressed in those prayers is a great starting point for anyone who wants to pray. AMEN
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