Lord, Teach us to Pray

Today we celebrate the beginning of the 17th week of Ordinary Time. In the gospel reading (Luke 11:1-13), the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, and his answer was so simple, praise God and present your needs to him. We often complicate prayer with additional prayer tasks like devotionals and journals, which are all useful in helping to keep us connected to a prayer routine and to help us better understand scripture. However, these prayer tasks can become like a "to do" list if we aren't mindful. We can end up being busy like Martha in last week's gospel (Luke 10:38-42). Martha was so busy taking care of the guests (including Jesus) that she was not able to sit with Jesus. Jesus made it clear that Mary chose the better part; she sat at His feet and gave her whole heart, mind and soul to attend to Jesus. This is what we are called to do every day. He waits for us with patience and love.

Although our actions may be in an effort to serve God, our hearts can become anxious with worldly concerns. The priest offers up prayer at every mass (the Embolism), "Deliver us Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress (anxiety) as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ." Similarly, the Lord's prayer is a simple way to refocus our hearts to be totally engaged with Christ. Our society offers ample opportunity to divide our hearts and even to push God out completely through mortal sin. Fortunately, Jesus instituted the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist to offer us ample opportunities to commune with Him. If you are in a state of mortal sin and have not been able to reconcile, offer aspiritual communionand set a concrete plan to attend reconciliation as soon as possible.

We can sit at the feet of Jesus in the same capacity as Mary did when we attend adoration. He is there, present in the Eucharist adorned in the monstrance, waiting for our full attention, our whole hearts. In today's gospel, Jesus also tells us that God knows our needs and the desires of our hearts and that we should not hold back requesting them. He states, "ask and you will receive, 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" (Luke 11:9). Bringing our whole hearts to Jesus means bringing those requests with full expectation of not only receiving them to be granted but to also expect more than we ask for. The receipt of these requests may not be exactly in the way we intend, but "all things work for the good of those who love God" (Romans 8:28). Keeping our hearts open to God's plan can ease anxiety related to unexpected blessings in the disguise of circumstances that initially appear detrimental to our plans.

If you struggle to pray with full attention and reverence, adoration is a perfect way to settle the desires of your heart. Adoration chapels are typically intimate settings, quiet, small and simple. Even if the Eucharist is not exposed, He is present in the tabernacle (look for the glowing red candle that tells you He is there). The silence is deafening compared to the business of the world outside. Your own breathing is loud in that kind of silence. If you aren't familiar with it, the prominence of the silence can cause anxiety. If that is the case, you should definitely start going to adoration more frequently. Start small. Jesus doesn't judge if you stay 20 minutes or 2 hours. But I promise you this, if you start going to adoration for even 10 minutes regularly, you will crave attending for as long as possible as often as possible. The Lord will be near to you and "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). For those of you who are new to adoration, A Parent's Guide to Eucharistic Adoration is an excellent resource; although it was intended for parents to bring children to adoration, I found it very helpful in my own adoration experience. If you can't get to an adoration chapel, find a quiet place and pray the Our Father. Focus on the words of each line. Offer your worries and desires to God and wait for the overflowing blessings he will respond with!

Sacred heart of Jesus, I trust in You!