How to Pray

 

The Luke 11:9 series: How to pray

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When faced with unsurmountable problems and a sense of utter helplessness, the natural human tendency is to pray to God for help overcoming a financial, health, or emotional crisis or something similar.

Praying is a way of presenting our troubles to God with openness and vulnerability, seeking resolution. After all, Jesus himself said, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30]

A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen to enable them to work synchronously in pairs, pulling together and sharing the workload that would be impossible to do on one's own. So when we yoke our problems with Christ, our problems no longer seem overwhelming.

Jesus, when asked by his Apostles how to pray gave us the model way to pray, saying, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." [Matthew 6:5-15]

The Lord’s Prayer is said millions of times each day - here is a touching 2001 cover by Charlotte Church in Jerusalem 

Let's break down The Lord's Prayer line by line

#1: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Jesus gave us the privilege of addressing God, as Our Father. By calling his name 'hallowed' we make it holy, valuing God's name and presence high above everything else. 

Always start by praising God the Father, an appropriate sign of gratitude and reverence that removes all traces of ego as we humbly submit to our merciful, all-loving God.

#2 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

This statement aligns our goals with those of God our Creator, who has prepared a place for us in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Remember that God our creator, made each and every one of us in his image and placed us on this abundant and marvellous Earth, a prelude to Heaven but Satan corrupts the free will of humans causing them to fall into sin and deviate from God's purpose and plan for us,  causing us to selfishly despoil God's creation. 

We, his disciples, by following the teachings of Christ and loving one another as God loves us, can bring a prelude of that Kingdom here on Earth - and that should be our prayer.

This statement recognizes that our all-knowing and all-loving God knows what is best for us, far more than we can ever comprehend. We need grace and wisdom to have patience and wisdom to understand and accept the will of God, through the gift of the Holy Spirit which comes when we are in a state of grace. 

Far too often we pray with a closed mind, asking for a specific solution, "Cure my loved one of a dreadful disease, or let me get this specific job or God do this, do that". This is like saying, "Listen Lord, your servant is speaking". If this sounds presumptuous, it is because that is precisely what it is.  

Nothing wrong in asking for help but try to emulate what Eli told Samuel to do when he heard the voice of God, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak Lord,  Your servant is listening.” [1 Samuel 3:9-10]

By saying, "Here I am Lord, I come to do your will", you submit yourself humbly to God, and you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables you to overcome obstacles and to say and do things far beyond your expectations and capabilities ...

#3 Give us this day our daily bread 

This is not just food for our bodies but also nourishment for our souls - Christ in the blessed Eucharist. 

We need a daily supply of grace and food to help us through each day. 

So praying only when we are hurting is like worrying about your health only after you are in the ICU, do you see the futility of this approach? 

#4 And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us.

The human ego demands retribution. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth only escalates the problem, prolonging the pain. 

Without waiting for the other person to respond, in your heart forgive the transgression negating the hurt by surrendering your pain to God, asking that God forgive you of your transgressions unconditionally just as you are ready to forgive unconditionally. 

Jesus tells us, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." [Matthew 7:12]

Jesus forgave the penitent sinner, telling her to 'go in peace and sin no more.' [John 8:11] This act of unconditional forgiveness and total love brings grace in the form of peace which has a very cathartic effect - quite contrary to retribution that provokes further retribution, that's what the bruised ego expects. 

#5 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.

We ask God's help to resist sin, in the form of rejection of Jesus' Gospel of love. 

Let's chalk the first part to what is called, lost in translation. God would not lead us into temptation. That is the role of Satan but we ask for grace to resist the temptation, which is what the second part asks of God to save us from the near occasion of sin, which we should avoid at all costs because sin separates us from God.

Sin is the result of the disobedience of God’s laws resulting in pride of power, possession and titles with the allure of fleeting glamour and intoxication that fails to satisfy. Sin also leads to the wanton exploitation and destruction of creation out of selfishness and greed, which darkens the mind, weakens our will and corrupts the soul. All this separates us from God.

Of course, we humans fall into sin. Even God’s hand-picked leaders failed him time and again. King David, the quintessential leader of the Israel chosen to lead the flock falls into sin with Bathsheba [2 Samuel 11].

The Apostle Simon Peter, the Rock on which Christ founded the Church, denied his master three times [Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, and John 18:15-27], deserting him in his hour of need. 

So fear not if you fall into sin, remember Christ fell three times under the weight of the cross and each time he rose up and soldiered on. Repentance, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, is a way to get back to the Lord

#6 For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

We always start and end with praise for our all-loving Creator.

Corollary

There are four levels of prayer - use the one that comes naturally to you, and with time you will get comfortable praying at level 4

Level 1 = Talk to God: present your intentions to God by reciting the Rosary, the Lord's Prayer, The Apostle's Creed, or The Chaplet of Divine Mercies.

Level 2 = Talk with God: You can have a dialogue with God, and bring your troubles and petitions to him. Remember he knows what is on your mind, even before you ask him but you are focusing all your faculties on seeking his blessings. Remain silent in contemplative meditation and let the Holy Spirit guide you.

Level 3 = Listen to God: Here you behave like Samuel, when God called him, Eli told Samuel to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." [1 Samuel 3:9-10]. Jesus never shames you, a feeling of guilt comes from the evil spirit. Jesus is ever ready to forgive a repentant sinner.

Level 4 = Being with God. Here, there is no need for words, no speaking, no thinking, no images - just focus on being present in the moment and even if you get distracted don't feel disheartened, pray to Mother Mary or Archangel Michael etc, re-focus and keep going. Think of a mother holding the hand of her very sick child to show her consolation and love - no need for words. Think of a couple happily married for decades, just sitting in silence, safe in their mutual love and admiration, with no need for extra words or gestures.

Footnote

This series of posts, which I call, 'The Luke 11:9 Series', is an attempt to verbalise various aspects of my Catholic faith as revealed in Scripture; topics include Destination Heaven; Golden ticket; God's Grace; Seeds of Love; Mary, did you know?; Feel the love of God; Love your neighbour as yourself, The Good Shepherd; Receive the Sacraments often; Eucharistic Adoration; Communion of Saints; How to pray; Role-playing Scripture; Mary, Help of Christians; Understanding suffering; Forgiveness; Gratitude, the life-changing attitude; Life after death; One Body of Christ; and Hearts ablaze. I sincerely hope it helps you in your faith journey. Always turn to the Holy Spirit when you search for answers to your questions, because Luke 11:9 says, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."