PRAYER

I received several comments and requests about my homily on prayer last week. Below is the text of the homily.

More frequently than any other gospel, Luke tells us of Jesus praying. We just heard him describe Jesus praying after his baptism … the Holy Spirit came, the Father spoke … this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.

Eight other times in his gospel, Luke describesJesus at prayer. Before he called the disciples, as he knelt in the garden that last night, from the cross as he died, before a healing, and following the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus prayed. Neither Luke nor the other Gospel writers tell us much about his prayer, what he said, where he would pray or time of day. The disciples asked him, teach us to pray. He did, he taught them to pray … Our Father. IT IS a school of prayer, … take it apart, … phrase by phase … Jesus teaches us how to pray. OUR…not MY or simply Father … Our … God is in relationship with us, all of us … God is Our God, and more … God is … OUR FATHER. God made us, … God loves us … and … hears our prayer…Our Father. HALLOWED…praised and glorified are you. God is God and our prayer gives God … praise, … thanks, … and glory. Our prayer asks … thy kingdom come, thy will be done, here on earth just as in heaven. Prayer connects us with God…praises God, … gives God glory and …. longs … that what God wills … and desires, … God’s Kingdom … will come.

That is where we come in, it is the meaning of OUR baptism. God’s kingdom comes … in us. Prayer enables us to do God’s will … give flesh and blood to God’s kingdom in our time. Give us this day the bread … food for body …and …soul … that we need to do God’s will, to live God’s kingdom. How?? … Doing what Jesus did more than anything else, … forgiving us our trespasses as we forgive others. If you made lists of all the different things that Jesus did during his three years of public ministry, the longest single list would be forgiving sin. When sin is forgiven, … when wounds are healed … God’s Kingdom … God’s dream for our world happens. God’s Kingdom comes, God’s will be done. The Feast of the Baptism also
celebrates our Baptism. Baptized in Christ we are sent into … our day to day … our homes, … relationships, … schools, … places of work, … our world letting His Kingdom Come. Praying, Our Father. God is
listening … and saying … you are my beloved daughter, my beloved son.
 

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OUR PARISH SYNOD GATHERINGS

Tuesday this week at 1PM in the Gathering Room and again at 7PM we will offer opportunities to participate in the Synod called by Pope Francis. A Synod is a listening process and the Holy Father invites our church to listen to one another, our needs and our hopes for the present and the future. What are the pressing priorities you see for us as a parish, a diocese a church in the years ahead. Every diocese throughout the world is offering these sessions that will culminate in a gathering of the Bishops of the world in 2024.  Join in this week.
 

Have a good week love