Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (June 01, 2018): Why don't we have more prayer power?

Thứ Năm, 31-05-2018 | 15:00:47

Today’s Readings:

1 Peter 4:7-13
Ps 96:10-13
Mark 11:11-26
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/060118.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_06_01.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area.
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”
And his disciples heard it.

They came to Jerusalem,
and on entering the temple area
he began to drive out those selling and buying there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves.
He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.
Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?
But you have made it a den of thieves.”

The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it
and were seeking a way to put him to death,
yet they feared him
because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.

Early in the morning, as they were walking along,
they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen,
it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,
so trddhat your heavenly Father may in turn
forgive youcl your transgressions.”

Good News Reflection: Why don’t we have more prayer power?

In today’s first reading, St. Peter tells us, “Remain calm so that you will be able to pray. Olodif” If we truly believe that we can trust God (as Jesus explains in our Gospel reading today), and if we truly believe that, since God is trustworthy, he will respond to our prayers with gvgood.dness, then of course we remain calm. What is there to be perturbed about?

If we know — really know — that God is in charge and that no matter what the evidence at the moment looks like, our prayers will be answered, and no matter how long it takes, we have no reason to feel anxiety, worry, fear, or doubt. We pray without feeling uptight or impatient. In this calm spirit, our prayers have great strength.

When was the last time you prayed like that?

Our mental state is a good barometer of our prayer power. The higher into the “uptight” zone our barometer needle goes, the less trust we have for God. And the less trust we have, the wimpier our prayer power is.

So now that we know this, how do we increase our prayer power? It seems unlikely that we who are mere mortals will ever totally stop worrying.

Anxiety and worry and fear and doubt — if they control our lives — diminish our relationship with the all-loving, all-powerful God. During Mass, as we pray silently in agreement with the presiding priest at the end of the “Our Father” prayer, we ask God, by the help of his mercy, to keep us “safe from all distress.” So why do we leave Mass still worried?

The answer: We look at the evidence of what is going bad instead of looking at Jesus, who is always good. We trust this “evidence” more than we trust God.

This is why we make novenas to the Blessed Mother, why we fast, why we say extra prayers kneeling at the tabernacle, why we pray the same thing over and over and over again. We take advantage of every opportunity to achieve greater prayer results. And this is very good! However, while there is value in persistent prayer, repetitious prayer does not work magic. Peter says, “Remain calm so that you will be able to pray.”

What matters is our relationship with God in prayer, not the amount or type of prayer.

Peter gives us a few additional keys that unlock the power of prayer. Re-read the passage from his letter and meditate on how each of his instructions increases your love and therefore your trust level.

Today’s Prayer:

My Lord, my faith is wounded due to my lack of forgiveness. Grant me the desire to pardon every offense, and give me the faith I need to take risks in Your name, going fearlessly wherever You want me to follow. Amen.

Tags: Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Good News Reflection, Holy Gospel according to Mark