Vol.5 No.33 E Message:
Spiritual Gift of the Week
We pray for the grace to love as Jesus loves us. We pray to model Mary’s love.
As Pope Benedict XVI wrote: :Mary is a woman who loves…” (Deus Caritas Est)
Spiritual Instruction of the Week
To pray is to love—“In prayer the heart is drawn by love.” (Catherine of Sienna)
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Dear Beautiful Daughters of Mary,
In the Catechism we are are told that ‘prayer is bound up in human history.’ (2568). God called out to Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” and in that moment the ‘revelation of prayer’ began. God who is love, speaks first, and we can hide (as Adam and Eve) or we can respond to his love. As Catherine of Sienna said: “In prayer we are drawn by love.”
Old Testament stories of prayer teach us a great deal. The Greek word often used for prayer in the Old Testament is ‘euchomai.’ The term itself may be translated: to ask, to beg for, to wish for, to implore, to evoke or induce God’s favor. In other words, prayers of petition were understood and accepted as the norm. So much so in fact, one biblical dictionary, Kittel, points to the emotional and dramatic character of Hebrew prayer. There was sighing and singing, moaning and groaning, weeping and roaring, we are told. To give thanks, to extol, to magnify, to confess, to petition, to praise, to worship–it was all prayer. Jewish prayer in other words had many voices. There was a sense of God’s presence and action. But, there was no sureness about how God would act. Prayers were not overly confident. God’s love was not taken for granted.
As a man schooled in the Jewish tradition, Jesus most surely learned his own voice before God. He was a man who prayed. He often withdrew to pray and at times his prayer was public. He prayed the Hebrew Psalms. He quoted the prophets. He prayed in fact with the voice of both rabbi and prophet, blessing children and healing the sick. He prayed with the voice of a friend, offering words of thanksgiving, (i.e. at the raising of Lazarus), He prayed also with the voice of the Son, petitioning his Father (for his disciples and for us). And Jesus taught his disciples to pray, as sons and daughters. Jesus was drawn by the love of God –and and he did not hide. The character of Jesus’ prayer was distinct however for it revealed his confidence in God’s love. Most importantly, Jesus voiced his love for God and his prayers were proved in his actions. He prayed and acted in fact as the fulfillment of God’s presence and action. His prayer and God’s action were one. In this way, Jesus’ prayer issues forth from us complete confidence in God’s love.
Felix Just, S.J. offers an outline of the voice of prayer in the New Testament. His chart is for sure worth our reflection: 60 Times—prayer is to worship—bow down ; 61 Times—to prayer is to give glory ; 41 times—to pray is to bless ; 53 Times—to pray is to give thanks ; 36 Times—to pray is to request ; 22 Times—to pray is to do more than merely ask—it is to beg or plead . Finally, 85 times in the New Testament —to pray is simply to talk to God .
How is all this instructive for us as we seek our own voice before God? Respond, don’t hide. Worship. Praise. Bless. Give thanks. Petition. Most importantly, talk to God. Talk to God with confidence and with love–for we can be sure of God’s love. Remember, to pray is to love–for God, who is love, draws us in prayer. Preghiamo…Let us pray!
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As we continue, during this Easter season, to ponder the merciful gift of Christ’s resurrected presence let us consider the words of Pope Francis on Easter, 2016: Life has conquered death. Mercy and love have conquered sin! There is need of faith and hope to open this new and wonderful horizon!”
Veni, Spirito Santo, la misericordia di Dio ci salva—Come Holy Spirit, it is by God’s mercy that we are saved,
Deb
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