“TEACH US HOW TO BE A PRAYER”

“TEACH US HOW TO BE A PRAYER”

A Biblico-Theological Reflection based on Luke 11:1-13

Rev. Jeric C. Cortado, July 31, 2016

July 21, 2016, it was exactly 7:27 in morning when I received a text message saying, “When a prayer becomes your habit, miracles becomes your lifestyle.” Thus, further led and inspired me to journey with our college seminarians who gather every 5:00 in the morning from Monday to Friday for a Morning Praise and Prayer. They pray every day for SPMCI, for those who are in pain and trouble, for our country, for the world, and for the Church. We are looking forward that when a prayer becomes a habit of SPMCI, miracles becomes the lifestyle.

In our gospel lesson, prayer is the habit of Jesus taught by his parent and part of the Hebrew people tradition. After his prayer, one of the disciple asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). And Jesus did not only teach them how to pray but how to become a prayer.

First, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. He said, when you pray utter this, “Our Father”. The word “Our” signifies that the God we called “Father” is the God for all and not only for individual person and a particular community. The God that we worship is a cosmic God, the God of the universe. The term “Father” for the Hebrew people means “Source”, “Provider”, and “Creator”. In this sense, “Our Father” could also addressed as “Our Provider”. “Hollowed be you name” on the other term is, “May we worship your name”. The term “Worship” means “to give worth” or “to give respect”, or “to give honor” to God of the Universe, or to the Inclusive God.

Jesus taught his disciple the following features of prayer:

1.       Adoration. “Hollowed be thy name…” (Luke 11:2)

2.       Confession. “Our Father (Luke 11:2)…who art in heaven……forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against…

3.       Thanksgiving. “Hollowed be thy name…”(Luke 11:2)

4.       Supplication. Your kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this our daily bread….Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil…..”

Second, Jesus taught his disciples how to become a prayer, a blessing to everyone. For Jesus, to become a prayer is to become the visible expression of the inclusive grace of God. How our presence in our family, in the faith community, in the office where we are working, or in our day to day walks of life becomes a prayer or a channel of God’s blessings – a channel of God’s miracle. And being a prayer, a channel of blessings is the purpose of our existence. Jesus taught us to become a prayer – a proactive respondent to the needs of our neighbor beyond friendship or established relationship. Allowing ourselves to become a vehicle or sacramental expression of God’s love, grace, accommodation even during the time we hated because it goes beyond our comfort zones (Luke 11:6-7).

In our Gospel lesson, we are called to be persistent in our prayer life and consistent of being a prayer that gives life and hope for our neighbors (Luke 11:9-10). Consistent to be a prayer means to be relevant, engaging, and liberating (Luke 11:11-12). This is the essence of our prayer after we partake the Holy Communion, “Eternal God, we give you thanks for this Holy Mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world to give ourselves for others (to live in a prayerful life and to be a prayer for others). In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ (who taught us how to pray and to become a prayer). Amen.”

God empowers us to live out a prayerful life and be a prayer to everyone. Persistent and consistent thus, Jesus gave the assurance, “Ask and you will receive, search ad you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you”. Because God knows our intention is not for our own interest and welfare but for the good of God’s creation and community. We are called to be persistent in our prayer life and consistent of being a prayer that gives life and hope for our neighbors. Thus, when a prayer becomes our habit, miracles becomes our lifestyle. Amen.