Praying to God is the only Reason

 

Prayer is a cry and lifting of soul to God.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Wednesday of 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, October 11th, 2023
Texts: Jonah 4:1-11; Psalm 86:3-6,9-10; Luke 11:1-4 

Today’s Psalm is very instructive and enlightening. It teaches us that prayer is the basis for receiving God’s favour. The Psalmist puts it thus: “Have mercy on me, O  Lord, for I cry to you all the day long. Gladden the soul of your servant, for I lift up my soul to you, O  Lord.” Praying to God is the only reason he claims mercy and gladness of soul from God. He claims mercy and gladness of soul from God on the basis of prayer: “for I cry to you”; “for I lift up my soul to you”.

Praying to God does not only open access to God’s grace, it also brings us close to God. Prayer is a communication with God. Even physical contact becomes empty without communication. God may be close or even living in us, without communication it is all in vain. We are far away from God without communication, prayer, in spite of His closeness to us.  

 Prayer is a cry and lifting of soul to God

The Pslmist uses the words “cry” and “lifting of soul” for prayer. Prayer is a cry because it is about drawing Father’s attention to our needs, just as a child does. We cry to God as our Father in our state of need, helplessness, weakness, etc. 

Prayer is lifting of soul because God is our Saviour, the redeemer of our souls. As we live in this world we must save our souls. We save our souls by lifting it up to the Lord.  Lifting up of soul to God is unburdening of the soul before God; it is the offering our sorrows, troubles, fears and joys to God. Unburdening our souls, we open them up for God to come in. Hence, prayer as a communication is a way of entering into God and God into us.

Jesus affirms the importance of prayer by praying Himself. Having realised the importance of prayer, a disciple asks Jesus to teach them how to pray. This tells us that prayer is not any kind of communication; it is not any kind of talk. There is a way to speak with God. Even touts will not talk with state governor like touts, without honour and showing sense of responsibility. Jesus teaches us to speak with God the way a child speaks with his father. Hence, He asks us to call God “Father”.  

We are to come to Him in humility

Jesus Christ also teaches us to come to God in holiness. He asks us to say, “hallowed be thy name.” We hallow His name in our words and ways of life. We are to come to Him in humility, submitting to His authority, His reign. That is what “Thy kingdom come” means. Speaking with God also requires having sense of moderation; He hates greed and inordinate desire. Hence, Jesus teaches us to say, “Give us each day our daily bread”. 

Jesus teaches us to do to others what we ask from God. In His words: “and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us”. Speaking with God requires that we acknowledge His power to protect us from evil. Hence, Jesus says, “and lead us not into temptation.” 

Prayer  

Lord Jesus Christ, teach us how to pray and may the Holy Spirit always intercede for us. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke