Teach us to pray

M. Scott Peck, in his book “A World Waiting to be Born” shares something about his prayer life. “Scotty,” he would be asked, “how can you do all that you do?” His answer,` “Because I spend at least two hours doing nothing” — what he calls his “alone” times, times of quiet and solitude, his prayer time. That is no more than 5-10% of the time talking to God, no more than 5-10% of the time listening to God. 90% — he does nothing — just making himself available to God during set specific times whether he feels like it or “what I’m thinking of doing, how does it look through your eyes.”

Now, as the commentaries point out, one of the favorite themes of St. Luke’s gospel account is the prayer of Jesus. Throughout his gospel, the evangelist draws the reader’s attention to the fact that Jesus prayed. Also, Luke emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit. For example, he reports that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan at the beginning of his ministry and that on that occasion, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him while he was praying (Lk. 3:4). Also, after teaching large crowds and healing the sick and the possessed, Jesus would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray (Lk. 5:16). He even spent the whole night in prayer to God (6:12). Again, on the mountain, while praying in the presence of his companions — Peter, James and John — his whole body was transfigured and his glory was seen (9:28-29).

Can you imagine the reactions of those first disciples as they followed, listened to, and observed their teacher? They saw him pray. They must have been impressed, even curious. They must have wondered what Jesus was saying when he prayed. Finally, one day this humble group of fishermen, tax collectors and sinners asked him to teach them how to pray. They wanted to know what one should say when one talks to God. The Lord answered their request by teaching them, and happily us, his prayer. For centuries, we have called it “the Lord’s Prayer.”

We must remind ourselves, however, of a fundamental principle of prayer. The Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus helps the believer to pray. Ultimately, the effectiveness or even the desire to pray does not depend on the merits or ingenuity of man. St. Paul, in the letter to the Romans, informs the Christians that when they cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit Himself expresses their plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what the Spirit means (8:26-27). Paul’s letter to the Romans puts it thus: “The Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings” (Rom. 8:26).

The first disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. It is the holy Spirit who teaches us. Jesus taught them to address God as Father. The Holy Spirit teaches Christians the same thing. In the letter to the Galatians, St. Paul writes that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts; the Spirit that cries Abba, Father” (4:6). The Christian is to understand that God is to be known as “dear Father.” It is the Holy Spirit who makes us realize that we are children of the Father, who convinces us that we are not fearful servants or slaves, but sons and daughters. And yet, how much has adult hardheartedness covered up the child in us. Pride, independence and fear make it very difficult to trust God as a loving father. Nevertheless, here too, the Holy Spirit helps us as we strip away layers of sin to get to our hearts where he is waiting.

We are called to be child-like in our relations with the Father. Now, a child is always dependent on his father and mother. He does not worry about tomorrow, about what he will eat or drink or wear. He does not hold grudges; for him the world begins anew every morning. The Holy Spirit likewise teaches us how to become like little children, how to talk with and listen to our Father.

We have spoken of the essential role of the Holy Spirit in the life of prayer. In fact, the Holy Spirit does everything. To pray is always God’s initiative within us. The danger, however, is that we might think that we don’t have to make an effort. We might think that prayer should be easy. On the contrary, it’s usually plain hard work calling for our time and effort. Nevertheless, if God is the most important one in our life, the battle is more than half won.

We must also understand that we must be persistent in begging God the Father for daily bread. Jesus gives us the promise that if we ask, it will be given to us; if we search, we fill find; if we knock, the door will be opened to us. Of course, what we receive, or find, or discover may not always be what we wanted. But the Lord tells us that just as an earthly father gives what is good to his children, much more so does our heavenly Father give what is good to us.

Let us always pray for each other and for what we need. Let us pray for the most important of all the good things he can give us. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to possess us. For as Pope John Paul II says: “Man achieves the fullness of prayer not when he expresses himself, but when he lets God be most fully present in prayer.”

17th S in O.T.: Lk. 11, 1-13.