Lord. Teach us to Pray

In his Gospel, Luke tells us:

He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say…”

We all know what follows. We have the words in memory from way back in grade school. We say them from memory over and over. We say (or sing) them aloud with the congregation at Mass.

In the  Gospel from either Luke or Matthew, some of us may be inclined stop reading or listening right at there. We can tell ourselves, “I know what’s next.” Then we recite the words that we know so well. We say in our minds, “I’ve been around long enough to say the words that I learned as a child. I don’t have to pay much attention to the next few verses. What else is there to add?”

So, we tell ourselves that we’re all done with this lesson. “I’ve got this one; let’s move on.” That’s mostly true except for the fact that the words that we know so well aren’t exactly the same in the text of the two Gospels. There’s more to hear and understand if we can humbly open our hearts and minds to realize that we don’t know it all.

Brothers and sisters, we shall move on beyond this point in the text; and we shall come back here in due time.

The first lesson is this. Right after giving us the words to say, Jesus tells his disciples, and us, to pray persistently:

"I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence."

So many people just run right past this one. It doesn’t seem to fit in with the big lesson about prayer. We all want to be nice and polite, especially when we talk to God. So, we say, “I don’t want to be a pest. Is that what He’s suggesting? Let’s move on.”

We shall move on; we shall come back.

The second lesson follows immediately. Jesus tell His disciples, and us:

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

This is the very next verse. Sometimes, we can say to ourselves something like this: “I’ve been praying a long time for God to give me what I am asking for. I even prayed persistently – like He said. It didn’t happen; it ended up worse than it was before, etc. The age of miracles is over. God doesn’t do that kind of thing anymore, not for me anyway. Let’s leave this alone and move on.”

We shall move on; we shall come back.

"What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?"

Again, this is the very next verse. Instead of looking past this one, let’s look at it.

We are given the image of loving father giving his child something good. The father, in his wisdom, knows what’s good and what’s not good for the child. He presents the right gift – because he loves the child. How many of God’s children – that’s you and me – without knowing what we’re asking for, have asked for snakes and scorpions because we want them? They might even seem like the right thing.

Now, we do move on; and we do come back.

Fish and eggs are good things; maybe they are right for us; maybe they’re not. Maybe the loving father, in His divine wisdom, wants to give us something else, something even better. There is one thing that He did promise to give us.

"If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

It seems that the Holy Spirit is the greatest gift – the one that God wants to give us. Now, let’s look at the entire lesson. This time we should allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit.

In Matthew’s Gospel, we find some more words. It’s the version that nearly all Christians remember and recite. Matthew’s text  includes “thy will be done”. If we really mean to pray for that when we pray as Jesus taught us, then the whole rest of the teaching makes sense.

We pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom, where the holy will of the loving God governs us and governs all of creation. The loving God – Our Father – knows what’s good for us and He sincerely wants good for us. He won’t give us every single item on our wish list. He will give us the Spirit. Without the Spirit, we might be asking for a snake or a scorpion, without even knowing it!

There’s a saying in popular wisdom.  “Be careful what you wish for; you might get it.” How true! Think of the big lottery winners whose lives take unfortunate turns after the money comes in. If you can remember it, think of the old TV show “Fantasy Island”. Each visitor to the island got what they asked for. They weren’t always happy with it when they got it and found out the result, but they went away with more wisdom about what to ask for.

Look at what God does promise to give us: “the Holy Spirit to those who ask him”.

As promised, we have come back. Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit who will help us to move on.

AMEN