As Catholics, we have a very relational prayer life. Prayer often arises out of relational issues. I relate with saints that I think can grasp my situations. I ask others to pray for me, though perhaps not as often as I should. Most of all, prayer is to and for a relational God.
Therefore, it should not surprise us, in today's Gospel, that Jesus' prayer through the night ends up being about people and relationships...specifically about forming His Twelve Apostles. Nights when I've prayed hard and long are often about the stuff of relationships. Jesus prayed all night, and we imagine that the communication between Him and His Father will have epic consequences...and it results in the choosing of twelve men to be Jesus' earthly friends. At first it seems such a simple thing to follow such a long prayer time, but as Catholics, we do recognize the extraordinary results of Jesus' night long prayer: a relational Church founded on the relations of twelve men to Jesus Christ.
Relationship is the stuff of prayer because it is the stuff of our Church and of our faith. If we want outstanding relationships in our lives, then we should pray for them as Jesus did: intentionally, lovingly, and knowing that the end goal is beatitude together in Heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment