I will start with a story from St. Francis of Assisi. A student Friar asked Francis, can you teach me how to pray? Francis and this particular student friar went to a mount to pray. Francis said, let us pray the prayer our father. Francis gave a bucket to the friar And said when you finish one our father you will put one stone in the bucket and I will do the same. They started prayer and spent the whole night. When sun raised student friar saw his bucket is full but francis is still holding his first stone. He waked francis and francis said to the brother, sorry brother, when I started thinking of our father I couldn't pray anything other than thinking of him. For francis prayer is everything even his life. Franciscan thinkers say that Francis became prayer himself.
There are many stories about prayer.
John viani used to see a farmer every morning in the church, before he goes to work. He asked what are you praying? He said, I look at Jesus, Jesus looks at me. That was the prayer of the farmer.
Whatever is our prayer form we are all called to be people of prayer.
Today we are too busy and sometime our work become intoxicating or exhausting that we can't find time in prayer. Jesus was highly wanted or sought after people but he found time to hide in the mountain to pray. The disciples must be also feeling overwhelmed and intoxicated by ministry. That's why they asked teach us to pray.
Jesus taught our father the prayer we call as Lord's Prayer. This prayer is said by every Christian. What does this prayer means?
The prayer starts with 'Our father'. Jesus is not calling my father, he calls our father. it's a community prayer. It talks about our new family and new relationship. We are brothers and sisters in one God the father. This father is father of everyone, Asian, European, American and African. Secondly, God is addressed in great intimacy. The word 'Abba' means Pappa, dad. And this father is in heaven and His name is holy. What does this mean ? It means heaven is our destiny and God must be highest value in life. Only God be praised by me. Your Kingdom come. What's the kingdom teaching by Jesus? Peace, compassion, non violence, healing etc. when God become central value of everyone's life the kingdom is here on earth as in heaven. We wish God's kingdom on earth.
Give us this day daily bread- the word used in Aramaic is epi usione. This word is not used much in Aramaic. It means 'super substantial bread'. What are we praying? For daily bread, yes. But we are praying for more than that- food that feeds the soul. We need that bread.
Forgive us - it's the central teaching of Jesus. When we pray think about broken relationship, people who did hurt us. And this prayer reminds us of God's forgiveness and call to forgive others. Jesus did many things but the main purpose of his coming is to forgive our sins. We are called to be agents of forgiveness. Then finally do not lead us to temptation but deliver us from evil. We are in a midst of spiritual struggle and this prayer is asking the Lord to deliver us.
A disciple asked guru why I can't feel to pray?
He said its because you are afraid to look in to yourself.
Mother Teresa worked day and night in the street of Calcutta. Indian express one of the leading news papers wrote about mother Teresa:
'The wonder worker of gutters of Calcutta begins her day with one hour adoration.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us be people of prayer'. And let us find time to be with the Lord.
Fr. John Pozhathuparambil
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