29th Sunday: The Happy Priest on Learning to Persevere in Prayer

For most people, prayer is a struggle. The struggle is intertwined with blessings, moments of profound peace, and the obvious presence of God. Trust and perseverance: two lessons that we are reminded of as we consider this Sunday's Gospel passage. Although prayer is very effective, nevertheless, it is true that prayer is not an easy enterprise.  The spiritual life will always be a battle. There will always be obstacles that are necessary to overcome if we wish to live a life of prayer.This Sunday's Gospel narrative reminds us that we are to trust in God and draw close to him through a life of prayer.  

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - An unknown Confederate soldier once wrote this prayer: "I asked God for strength that I might achieve.  I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for health that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy. I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men. I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for--but everything I had hoped for... Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among all men most richly blessed."

This Sunday's Gospel narrative reminds us that we grow in our trust in God and draw close to him through a life of prayer.  

Prayer is very powerful.  A number of years ago research at San Francisco General Hospital revealed that victims of heart attack, heart failure and other cardiac problems who were remembered in prayers fared better than those who were not. Cardiologist Randy Byrd assigned 192 patients to the "prayed-for" group and 201 patients to the "not-prayed-for" group.  All patients were in the coronary intensive care unit. Patients, doctors and nurses did not know which group patients were in. Prayer group members were scattered around the nation and given only the first names, diagnoses and prognoses of patients. The researcher said that the results were dramatic. The prayed-for group had significantly fewer complications than the unremembered group.  And fewer members of the former died. The latter group was five times more likely to develop infections requiring antibiotics and three times more likely to develop a lung condition, leading to heart failure.

Although prayer is very effective, nevertheless, it is true that prayer is not an easy enterprise.  The spiritual life will always be a battle.  There will always be obstacles that are necessary to overcome if we wish to live a life of prayer.

First of all, many people struggle with distractions when they pray.  I have always encouraged people to be patient when they are distracted. However, it is true that distractions are rather normal, especially for all those who are beginning to develop a prayer life.  

Personal discipline, choosing a suitable place, using a good text when necessary and selecting a proper time for prayer are all important aspects when determined to overcome distractions in prayer.
    
Secondly, aridity is another major obstacle that people struggle to overcome.  However, it must be understood that spiritual dryness is a normal road of purification that the Lord uses in order to bring us to greater heights of the spiritual life.  

The quality of prayer must not be measured by personal feelings.  Feelings come and go.  Our personal experience of God through prayer will fill us with peace and provide renewal and strength, but it is important that we leave consolations to the will of God.  

Thirdly, many people become impatient with God because they want instant answers.  God is not a computer.  Our God is a loving Father who knows all of our needs.  

Many times our prayers are not answered precisely because we are not corresponding to God's immense love.  How can we experience God's presence if we avoid the sacrament of Confession, if we do not love our neighbor, or we are not willing to financially support our parish family the way we should?  Can we expect God to be generous with us, if we are not generous with him?

The Apostles' asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.  They witnessed first hand how Jesus prayed.  The Gospels narrate how Jesus would spend entire nights in prayer.  Many times the Evangelists point to the eyes of Jesus, and how he would look up to Heaven before pronouncing a teaching.  They longed to pray like the Master.  In response to their quest, Jesus taught them the most perfect prayer.

The Lord's Prayer contains every petition that we need for our earthly existence and our eternal salvation.  It is precisely with the very words that Jesus taught us, that we can find deep consolation and strength during the many trials and tribulations of our journey towards eternal life in Heaven.

For most people, prayer is a struggle. The struggle is intertwined with blessings, moments of profound peace, and the obvious presence of God. Trust and perseverance: two lessons that we are reminded of as we consider this Sunday's Gospel passage.  

In order that we may experience God in our daily lives we need to pray every day.  Mother Theresa once said: "We need to find God, and God cannot be found in noise and restlessness.  God is the friend of silence. See how nature--trees and flowers and grass--grow in silence. See the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence. The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life."

But, in order to pray, we need to obtain the ability to be alone with ourselves.  It is difficult to be alone in contemporary society.  Even when we are alone, the noise of our own worries and fears drown out the silence of God's voice.  Many people are incapable of being alone and they immediately feel an obsession to talk with someone on a cell phone. 
 
We all need moments of solitude.  Spending a quiet time before the Eucharist, reading the Scriptures during a peaceful moment at home, taking tranquil walks through the woods or along the beach all are necessary for our soul.  In order to be with God, we must develop the ability to be alone with ourselves.  

Silence will deepen any relationship.  Silence allows us to listen and to gaze.  Let us take the time to be silent so that we can grow in our relationship with the one who always seeks us and calls us to himself.  

This Sunday's Gospel narrative invites us to be a people of prayer.  We must never let the difficulties of life keep us from turning to God through prayer.  Humility is necessary.  Abraham Lincoln once said: "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day."
____________
Acknowledgments
http://www.christianglobe.com  

Father James Farfaglia, the Happy Priest, is the pastor of Saint Helena of the True Cross of Jesus Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Father has a hard hitting blog called Illegitimi non carborundum.  He has also published a book called Man to Man: A Real Priest Speaks to Real Men about Marriage, Sexuality and Family Life.  You can contact Father at fjficthus@gmail.com.  You can click here for the audio podcast of this Sunday homily.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online