No matter how wealthy a person is, he\/ she cannot have everything they want in life. Think about it. Money cannot buy everything, not even a vaccine in this time of pandemic. A person has something and he\/she desires more. Sometimes people think if they plead long enough for something, they will get it.\u00a0 At this time of pandemic, people plead with God in prayer for the sick, their carers on the frontline and for those who live in difficult circumstances.<\/p>\n
Scripture assures us that prayer \u2018can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine\u2019. Praying is something we do when we wish to communicate with God. People do this in many different ways. Sometimes they pray in thanksgiving to God. Sometimes they express their sorrow and other times they beg God for a favour. Prayer is conversing with God. It is a two-way conversation, which requires speaking and listening. When God answers our prayers, do we acknowledge thanks? If God does not answer prayer do we give up on asking? \u00a0We pray in faith, hope and love to God in whom we trust.<\/p>\n
In the first reading proclaimed at Mass today (Is 55:10-18), the prophet Isaiah describes the Word as life giving, fruitful and nourishing. The Word is more than words spoken by the prophets.<\/p>\n
Isaiah personifies the Word of God.\u00a0 In St John\u2019s Gospel (John 1), John introduces the Word made flesh-Jesus. The Word, which comes from the Father and returns to him, is Jesus Christ. Isaiah says when Jesus comes he will do the Father\u2019s will. \u00a0Jesus\u2019 life on earth is also fruitful, life giving and nourishing. The disciples follow Jesus in his mission of fruitfulness and nourishment. Jesus continues to nourish the disciples today through the Word and the Eucharist.<\/p>\n
In the Gospel (Mt 6: 7-18), Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray. God tells them not to use too many words in prayer. God knows our needs before we even ask him. God gives generously and he loves unconditionally.\u00a0 It is not about the quantity of words used in prayer, but the quality of relationship between God and the person. Jesus loved his Father and he instructs the disciples how to pray Our Father. The Our Father is an inclusive prayer, which includes praise, desire, intercession and contrition. It is an appropriate prayer to say most especially in the Lenten season and links with the annual Tr\u00f3caire Lenten Campaign. This campaign highlights the \u2018cry of the earth and the poor.\u2019<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s focus is on the country of Sudan. When the faithful pray Our Father, they ask for their \u2018daily bread\u2019. We remember those people from whom war has taken everything. They suffered \u2018hunger and thirst as they fled for their lives.\u2019<\/p>\n
The Our Father is a universal prayer. God\u2019s people pray the Our Father at Mass; at other liturgical services; at the beginning of each decade of the Rosary; for the Pope\u2019s intentions. Sometimes the assembly of people gathered for Mass sing the Our Father. Usually, as a mark of respect for God, we stand or kneel to pray Our Father.<\/p>\n