THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
We know that the Gospel of Matthew can best be understood through the lens of Jewish Christian community concerns and worship, and the Gospel of Luke through the lens of Gentile Christian community concerns. But what of the Gospel of Mark? If not focused sharply on Jewish or Gentile interests and challenges, then what? Like I mentioned yesterday, it focuses on a community suffering persecution. Only when we follow Him to the way of the cross and in our suffering can we discover Him as the Son of God. The Lord hears the cry of the poor and humble in heart. Thus, prayer is important in this regard as the way to discover the will of the Father through His Son in the the Holy Spirit.
TODAY’S GOSPEL
In the morning long before dawn, he got up, went to a lonely place and prayed there. Throughout the Gospel, the theme of prayer is fully emphasized to tell us never to cease to pray. Prayer was the source of His confidence,strength, healing and compassion.
We depend on God . Pray is the lung of the soul. We persist because prayer is the key that opens the heart of God the Father. St Augustine would say, pray as though everything depends on God. Work as though everything depends on you.
PRAYER AND APOSTOLATES
Prayer is a major theme that the Gospel of Mark captures especially when it comes to the activities surrounding Christ ministry both in private and in public. Jesus while praying asked for wisdom from His Heavenly Father before carrying out his activities and special moments of decision making. In choosing twelve men of faith who loved Him and would be faithful to His purposes, he had to pray throughout the night (John 14:21-14). Even when he is working, he is praying and he want to find time to be alone. Prayer and works must be balanced. Before you make a critical decision in your life do you pray? Is there anything you prayer cannot do? Anyone who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.Romans 10:13
SAMUEL : A MODEL OF PRAYER AND RESPONSE TO GOD
When God called Samuel, the response that Samuel gave was that a familiar voice that had just called him, a call of a Father to a son not until Eli the priest helped him out to discover God. Speak Lord your servant is listening.
When we call on the name of the Lord, we are lifting up our minds to God. There is a bound. A relationship of a Father and a son or daughter. There is companionship . We listen and obey!
PRAYER REQUEST
Jesus also taught us the importance of going to our Heavenly Father with our requests. If Jesus needed to be in prayer all night before making an important decision, how much more do we need to “never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Before you make a step in your life. Before you take that step that defines your existence. Before you make definitive choice, it is important to pray to the Heavenly Father who loves us and gave us His Son to die for our sins and brings us to righteousness in earth and in the eternal bliss in heaven. Amen.
NEVER CEASE PRAYING! PRAYER NEVER FAILS !
Never cease to pray. Prayer is your communication to God. It does not have to be only when you are asking. We pray because we see God as Our loving Father who wants to share His divine life with us. We depend on God and with Him all things are possible. St. John Paul II once said that, prayer is in fact the recognition of our limits and dependence. We come from God, we are of God and to God we return.
Osho
