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"We are gifts from God to each other. The richest facets of these gifts are found in our differences, which include gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, class, physical and mental abilities. Our learnings come from each other as we listen and value what each of us has to offer theologically and in all ways, out of our uniqueness."
- Mary Kay Sauter, Unmasking the Holy (Be open to the gift that you are, and the gifts that others you encounter today have to offer.) |
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Gal 2:1-2, 7-14; Ps 117:1bc,
2
Lk 11:1-4
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, teach us to pray just as John
taught his disciples."
He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final
test."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“One day [Jesus] was praying in a certain place.” —Luke
11:1
“One of [Jesus’] disciples asked Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples’ ” (Lk 11:1). Jesus answered with a ‘Yes’ and a ‘No’: “Yes, I’ll teach you to pray.” “No, I won’t teach you as John taught his disciples.” Jesus teaches us not to imitate St. John’s disciples, pagans (Mt 6:8), or anyone else when we pray. We learn most things by imitation, but we cannot learn to pray this
way.
Prayer is not primarily an activity but a relationship. Every relationship is unique. We learn to relate by relating, not by imitating. Likewise, we learn to pray by praying. Although we can learn some things about prayer from others, prayer is learned primarily by on-the-job training. Therefore, those who pray the most often pray the best. There’s no substitute for spending a lot of time with
someone in building a deep, personal relationship. The Lord teaches us to pray by calling us to pray often, even for hours (e.g. Mk 1:35; Lk 6:12). Give the Lord both quality and quantity time, and He will teach you to pray. Prayer: Father, give me the grace to stifle the flesh and stir up the spirit of prayer (Gal 5:17). Promise: “Steadfast is His kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.” —Ps 117:2 Presentation Ministries
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From Meditation to Contemplation by James Arraj (all rights reserved) Beginnings of Contemplation 1. The beginning of contemplation is
often gradual and blends imperceptibly with the simplification of ordinary prayer. However, it can also take place in a sudden and disconcerting fashion. This latter case is instructive because it points to the underlying discontinuity of the two states. St. John has likened this transitional stage to the weaning from the breast of sensible consolations, and to the shutting out of the sun of divine favor. “Consequently, it is at the time they are going about their spiritual exercises with
delight and satisfaction, when in their opinion the sun of divine favor is shining most brightly on them, that God darkens all this light and closes the door and spring of the sweet spiritual water they were tasting as often and as long as they desired.” (“Dark Night of the Soul,” 1,9,8) Online book
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