HOW TO PRAY AS OUR SAVIOUR TAUGHT US




Isaiah 55:10-11

Matthew 6:7-15




IN PRAYER, WE COME TO GOD OUR FATHER 


We are all familiar with the Our Father as Jesus gave us in today’s scripture.  It is a prayer most of us learned as a child. In Jesus, we see the perfect way of reaching to God in trust and confidence. In giving us the pattern of prayer, Christ revealed to us as children of God the power of honour,, praise, submission, petition, compassion, mercy and deliverance in prayer. Prayer is the lungs of the soul. Prayer is the submission of our hearts and minds to God and the way that Christ gave it to us, describes the kind of God we serve and how we are to relate with Him. He is a loving Father who cares for His children. 



THIS IS WHAT CHRIST TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES 


This is especially true in the teachings of Christ which refer to God as "Father" no less than 160 times. Christ taught his disciples that they must ever pray, to "Our Father." Many times, he went to a lonely place and prayed and most times he invites them to pray. He often tells them to put their into prayer and not pray like the hypocrites.



 God is man's Father because he created him, sustains him, and provides all that man needs. In the Lord’s prayer, God's Fatherhood is presented on a higher level, namely that of the new birth (John 3:5). As Paul expressed it, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14).


It means therefore that, if we approach God as our Father in humility and confidence, we begin to develop our faith and trust in God such that, our hearts and minds become more genuine, true and refine. We become more aware and sincere in loving God and our neighbor. We become more aware of the need of others. 



PRAYER WISHES 


During this season of Lent, we are called to spend more time in prayer, to enter into the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We don’t necessarily have to travel to Israel or to a pilgrimage site to experience life-changing prayer experiences.  JUST HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND PUT YOUR HEART INTO PRAYER AND WHATEVERvYOU ARE DOING FOR THE GOOD AND GOD WILL SEE YOU THROUGH AND REWARD YOU AT THE END.



 During this season of Lent, we can set quiet time aside each day for personal prayer, we can attend Stations of the Cross, can meditate on the Lenten scriptures, we can make a retreat or attend a parish mission.  We can fast from social media, playing games, texting, etc., and instead make a personal visit or place a phone call to a lonely or grieving person.  Whatever we choose to do this Lent, may it be a time of personal transformation, opening us to the Spirit who walks with us through the desert, stands with us at the cross, and ultimately joins us in celebration at the open tomb.  



Have a Blessed and Challenging Lent!

Comments

  1. Flora OdiachiFebruary 28, 2023 at 9:30 PM

    Thank you Father for your Vocation wishes and blessings for the daily Reflections. Have a blessed day.

    ReplyDelete

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