MONDAY: October 28, 2013 The Gospel are replete with images of Jesus spending time in isolation to pray. In this particular text, it is easy to imagine that Jesus would always make major decisions & face challenges in his life & mission on his bended knees, with head gazing up to the heavens in complete prayerful silence. The mere fact that we see Jesus spending time to pray shows the importance of prayer. In fact even the disciples, by frequently seeing Jesus drawn to prayer, requested, Master, teach us to pray! There must be something beautiful in that image or picture of Jesus praying in isolation. That beauty, that attraction to Jesus at prayer speaks of who Jesus really is. As Pope Benedict XV1 points out, it is by the prayer of Jesus that the disciples came to know more about Jesus. And as his Church , it is by the prayer of Jesus that we come to know more about Jesus & about ourselves. In the same way, it is by our prayer as a Church that people come to know us more fully. Therefore, when we say that prayer becomes the very life of the Church in general & a Christian in particular. We cant imagine ignoring the fundamental consolation that Christian life is given birth by Jesus at prayer by a community in prayer. This is so because, as the good Pope further explains, the twelve apostles, & consequently the Church as a whole, were chosen by way of the prayer of Jesus. The next time we fine ourselves on bended knees, perhaps praying too in isolation, it might be good to first ask Jesus, Please Lord teach us to pray! And by teaching us to pray, we may experience him more deeply, with the joy of knowing that it is he who brings us to the Father, so that we can truly say at the end, I make this prayer THROUGH JESUS OUR LORD, AMEN. _- ( Fr. Roland U. Aquino, SVD ( St. Jude National Shrine, Manila )
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 11:02:28 +0000
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