The apostle Paul also urges us to seek after the greater gifts, particularly love (1Cor. 14:1). Likewise, the blessed Isaac teaches that "The Creator of eternity does not wish that something perishable, something cheap, something time bound, is sought from him. It would be a terrible wrong to His generosity and lavishness to ignore requests for what eternally endures, in favor of petitions for what is transitory and perishable."(2)
Does this mean that we are not to ask God for things or needs that are transitory or perishable? Doesn't that contradict Jesus' teaching that we are to ask God for all our needs, including our most basic, our daily bread? Jesus and Paul and the blessed Isaac all seem to be instructing us not to limit ourselves to mundane requests. They are teaching us, as we grow and mature in faith, to have the courage to ask for the greater gifts: gifts of wisdom, discernment, compassion, understanding, patience, knowledge, fortitude, peace, generosity, piety, faith, hope and love.
We are encouraged to pray for the spiritual gifts that will endure and build up the body of Christ. When we seek these greater gifts, God is not only pleased, God is delighted. God is so delighted that God gives us these greater gifts and those things we need--in abundance--just as God did to Solomon. Jesus tell us "If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks him" (Mt. 7: 11). And the greatest of these gifts is the Holy Spirit (Lk. 11:13).
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(2) Ibid.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
III. Ask Something of Me
Jesus emphasizes God's readiness to hear our prayer by assuring us that God knows all that we need before we ask (Mt. 6:8). There can be no doubt that God, as Creator, knows what every creature needs for sustenance and survival, or that God knows what abilities and gifts each creature possesses and those that are lacking. Why, then, if God already knows what we need, does God want to be asked--indeed, waits to be asked? One possibility may be that God wishes us, like Solomon, to search our hearts and minds and so have the opportunity to grow in consciousness of our need, our dependency, and our weakness. Another possibility may be that God waits for us to ask because God needs our consent. God may be able to grant us only those gifts and graces that we are ready and willing to receive. Our asking is an indication of our readiness, our willingness, and our consciousness. Perhaps, God must wait on our prayer even though God knows what we need and is ready to give it.
Jesus teaches us most about prayer, and how to pray, however, by giving us his own prayer, the Our Father, as a model for all prayer. First, we address God as Father, humbly and reverently, giving him glory and seeking first his kingdom and his will, acknowledging our intimate relationship. Then we ask simply and directly for our needs, for God's forgiveness, guidance, and protection, acknowledging that all is God's. These are the essential elements of prayer. In the conferences of Cassian, the blessed Isaac, a desert father, points out that in the Our Father "There is no request for riches, no reminder of honor, no plea for power or bravery, no reference to bodily well-being or to this present life."(1) The Our Father is both a model and a summary of Jesus' teaching on prayer.
Jesus concludes his teaching on prayer by encouraging us to ask our heavenly Father for all our needs. "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you (Mt. 7:7). Thus, Jesus instructs us to dismiss all anxiety from our minds and not to worry about what we are to eat, or what we are to drink, or what we are to wear--not because these things are not important, but because God desires to give us greater gifts than these (Mt. 6:31ff). God is only waiting for us to ask. Have we ever thought of asking for these greater gifts? Gifts like the one Solomon asked for? Jesus urges us to seek first God's kingship over us, God's way of holiness (Mt. 6:33).
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(1) John Cassian: Conferences, The Classics of Western Spirituality, Paulist Press, NY, 1985, p. 116.
Jesus teaches us most about prayer, and how to pray, however, by giving us his own prayer, the Our Father, as a model for all prayer. First, we address God as Father, humbly and reverently, giving him glory and seeking first his kingdom and his will, acknowledging our intimate relationship. Then we ask simply and directly for our needs, for God's forgiveness, guidance, and protection, acknowledging that all is God's. These are the essential elements of prayer. In the conferences of Cassian, the blessed Isaac, a desert father, points out that in the Our Father "There is no request for riches, no reminder of honor, no plea for power or bravery, no reference to bodily well-being or to this present life."(1) The Our Father is both a model and a summary of Jesus' teaching on prayer.
Jesus concludes his teaching on prayer by encouraging us to ask our heavenly Father for all our needs. "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you (Mt. 7:7). Thus, Jesus instructs us to dismiss all anxiety from our minds and not to worry about what we are to eat, or what we are to drink, or what we are to wear--not because these things are not important, but because God desires to give us greater gifts than these (Mt. 6:31ff). God is only waiting for us to ask. Have we ever thought of asking for these greater gifts? Gifts like the one Solomon asked for? Jesus urges us to seek first God's kingship over us, God's way of holiness (Mt. 6:33).
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(1) John Cassian: Conferences, The Classics of Western Spirituality, Paulist Press, NY, 1985, p. 116.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
II. Ask Something of Me
Like Solomon, we are faced with the same opportunity--not just once, but daily. Every day our heavenly Father awaits our prayer and our requests. Every day God says to us: "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." But what are we to ask for? How are we to pray? The same question puzzled the first disciples as well. The disciples, who frequently had the opportunity to observe Jesus at prayer, sensed that his way of prayer was somehow different from that of the Scribes and the Pharisees. They observed that Jesus not only prayed and prayed differently, but they saw that prayer had an effect on him, his life, and his ministry. They wanted to learn to pray as he did, so they asked him to teach them to pray, as John the Baptist and other rabbis taught their disciples to pray. Like the disciples, we too, long to learn how to pray as Jesus prayed. We would like to pray as wisely as Solomon prayed.
What does Jesus teach us about prayer? Jesus teaches that prayer is an act of relationship. "Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Mt. 6:6). Prayer is an intimate conversation between persons in relationship--and that relationship is one of Creator to creature, of Father and Mother, source of life, to child. Furthermore, when we wish to enter into this intimate conversation, Jesus instructs us to go somewhere private, somewhere that we won't be observed or disturbed. This may be our own room or some other special place, or it may be the inner room of our heart in the midst of the day's activities.Wherever our place of prayer, we are to enter alone into God's presence. Here in the silence and the privacy of God's presence, we may open our hearts to God freely and intimately with the confidence of beloved children.
Jesus also teaches us that prayer is to be kept simple and to the point. "Do not heap us empty phrases" (Mt. 6:7). We are to understand that our loving God does not need long explanations, fancy words, or excessive pleading. We do not need to convince God as though we were Philadelphia lawyers arguing a case before judge and jury. God will hear our prayer, no matter how halting or inarticulate. God hears all prayer, even the slightest stirring of our hearts, and is pleased with our efforts, however small or great. We are to trust in faith that God will hear our prayer.
What does Jesus teach us about prayer? Jesus teaches that prayer is an act of relationship. "Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Mt. 6:6). Prayer is an intimate conversation between persons in relationship--and that relationship is one of Creator to creature, of Father and Mother, source of life, to child. Furthermore, when we wish to enter into this intimate conversation, Jesus instructs us to go somewhere private, somewhere that we won't be observed or disturbed. This may be our own room or some other special place, or it may be the inner room of our heart in the midst of the day's activities.Wherever our place of prayer, we are to enter alone into God's presence. Here in the silence and the privacy of God's presence, we may open our hearts to God freely and intimately with the confidence of beloved children.
Jesus also teaches us that prayer is to be kept simple and to the point. "Do not heap us empty phrases" (Mt. 6:7). We are to understand that our loving God does not need long explanations, fancy words, or excessive pleading. We do not need to convince God as though we were Philadelphia lawyers arguing a case before judge and jury. God will hear our prayer, no matter how halting or inarticulate. God hears all prayer, even the slightest stirring of our hearts, and is pleased with our efforts, however small or great. We are to trust in faith that God will hear our prayer.
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