Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."
Nobody knows as well as the priest how difficult it is to find time for daily prayer. He is the one who is supposed to model a life of prayer for other Catholics; and yet, after meeting the demands of his ministry, his disposable time and his disposable energy have elapsed and collapsed. He too suffers that concupiscence that prays with great reluctance.
Hospital chaplaincy in the VA, which permits and pays for no more than forty hours per week, has allowed me ample time for prayer but I find my prayers are formal, if not pro forma. That is, after observing the Liturgy of the Hours, daily Mass and a rosary -- all formulaic prayers -- I don't have much to say to God, and little energy for silent listening.
In my defense I often re-recite psalms and prayers that rattled through my skull-cage unheeded the first time. The current phrase for these second attempts is "mindfully."
Saint Luke often tells us of Jesus' personal prayer, as he does in today's gospel. That may come as a surprise to some people. Why would God need to pray?
Perhaps he enjoys it. Probably, he wants to. Very likely, he must pray to maintain his focus as he nears Jerusalem.
There is no suggestion anywhere in the gospels that Jesus found his ministry easy. It was a challenge, an uphill climb every step of the way. Jerusalem and Calvary are hilltops, literally and figuratively. No one accomplishes these challenges without the fortification of prayer. The weak, cowardly and reluctant will drop out, along with the inattentive and querulous.
The Christian disciple discovers that prayer is like eating, drinking, sleeping and breathing; we cannot live without it. Saint Paul has told us, "Pray without ceasing." Something dies when we stop praying.
In today's gospel the disciples asked Jesus, "Teach us to pray...." He will give them more than words, he will give them the breath of prayer. Words are formed when they pass from our brains to our vocal apparatus (cords, tongue, teeth and cheeks) and are animated by breath. Say a word without breath and nothing comes out!
Without the Holy Spirit we cannot pray. Jesus gives us the Breath and our prayers enter His Father's presence.
This gospel reminds us that we must ask Jesus to "teach us to pray." We fail so readily. We cannot find the time or the energy unless he awakens that hunger -- like air hunger -- which forces us to inhale his Holy Spirit and exhale our words of prayer.
Taking a moment to say "Lord, teach me to pray!" gives the Lord the opening he needs to arouse the hunger and the willingness to pray constantly.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.