Growing into the lifestyle of Prayer

INTRODUCTION

Brothers, Jesus is our model of prayer. He himself is a prayer of offering acceptable to the Father. We are to meet him in the Eucharist where he will give us his body and blood. The Father is the giver each time we seek, the door-keeper each time we knock, and the Father who gives us what we ask for each time.

HOMILY | Malachi 3:13 | Luke 11:5–13

When I became a Deacon, many things changed in my routine. First, prayer time became a very really extremely serious full swing matter as compared when I was not yet a deacon. The joy of being ordained seem to necessitates the joy of praying. When I received my copies of the Divine Office, I saw it as an extension of the ordination I received. In fact, the promise to pray the Divine Office is asked from us during the Ordination Rites along with the promise of being guardians of the Christian Traditions. We are sworn into the habit or way of life of prayer. It is part of our identity. It is our life.

When I make a homily such as this, I first ask the Lord Lord what do you want me to tell them? Let you be the one speaking, not me. There is always the risk to make homilies theological discourses or moments for self-aggrandisement, but unless one prays and asks God what He would like to tell his people, the Homily becomes a personal affair. I am sharing this my beloved Scholastics as an invitation to all of you to grow into the lifestyle of prayer, one which I am grappling with myself. Our credibility to preach is founded on our faithfulness to prayer and our witnessing.

Prayer is essential for us religious. On the Lay man’s perspective prayer is our identity, and our function. They come to us to pray on their behalf, to help them pray for something, and they see us by the virtue of our religious vocation in that way. Prayer, therefore, puts color and life to our proclamation. Prayer dignifies our other apostolates and missionary activities.

In our first reading, Yahweh is said to be attentive to the words both of the just and the wicked. His countenance is merited by the kind of words the just utter. We are invited not just to utter the right words in prayer, but to grow through the lifestyle each prayer stands for.

Our Gospel reminds us of our identity. What Father among you would would hand as snake to his son when he asks for fish? The identity of the Father is identified with his duty to his child. Our credibility to become Frontline Missionaries, University Presidents, Administrators, School Directors, Parish Priests, Finance Officers later on is closely identified with our identity as religious and our prayer life.

Bakit masungit si Father or Brother?

Pari pa naman. Walang puso.

Parang hindi siya pari.

Parang hindi siya Seminarista.

The lay people, the people of God no less, could identify and categorise us by our actions. Prayer safeguards our hearts from falling into the trap of tearing our identity and function apart. Prayer guarantees the supply of wisdom in disposing our functions with gentleness and faithfulness. The people prefer their pastors first and foremost as men of prayer.