Homily: Janaury 20, 2024, Monday of the second week in Ordinary (Prayer)

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 “In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence."

In my younger days when I was preparing for my First Holy Communion, I learned something about prayer which struck deeply in my understanding: “Prayer is a loving conversation with God.”

Just as everyone of us converse with others differently, according to our personalities, cultures and the types of relationship, each of us would also pray and converse differently with God.

How do you pray and converse with God?

One of my sisters prays by following all novena prayers and litanies. There isn’t any novena or litany she hasn’t prayed before. And she often asks me questions about prayers I’ve never even heard of! She also has a big collection of prayer books. Once, she asked me about my prayers, and I showed her the breviary, which contains the Liturgy of the Hours which we priests use for daily prayer. She was a little disappointed and said, “You should pray more than this.”

In the Gospels, we see Jesus praying very often, and usually alone, in the night, all night. He prayed early in the morning, before performing miracles, before sending out His disciples, when in agony and deep sorrow, and even from the cross as He was suffering and dying.

Jesus was always conversing with God the Father, in any situation, any time, all the time.

In His divinity, Jesus is every moment in full union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Yet, in His humanity, He prayed to keep that union alive and strong. He showed us the importance of prayer as an act of love, trust, and connection with God.

How does Jesus pray and converse with God?

As described in the Letter to the Hebrews: “He offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears.”

Jesus prayed with strong emotions. His prayers come from the depth of His heart, filled with compassion and a strong desire to save each one of us.

His prayers are heard, always.

Whichever prayer method or style or preference, let us all pray like Jesus - from the heart, sincere, humble, with pure love and deep reverence for God who is hearing our prayers.

Let us pray and converse with God about anything, everything, anytime, all the time, anywhere, everywhere, with hearts always ready to listen and open to the Father’s will.

Amen.


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