prayer

There are 8 posts tagged prayer (this is page 2 of 3).

Trinity 11 ’12 – Luke 18:9-14

Old Testament: Gen. 4:1-15
Epistle: Ephesians 2:1-10
Holy Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

Summary: True faith is the fountain of prayer. True prayer strengthens faith. (Augustine) This truth is given us by Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. While both “pray,” only the Publican prays from faith that rests in the mercy of God. Humility is the character of Christian faith and prayer. Those who are humble will be exalted by the mercy of the Father given in the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God, always more ready to hear than we to pray and to give more than we either desire or deserve, pour down upon us the abundance of Your mercy, forgiving those things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us those good things that we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Rogate ’12 – John 16:23-33

Summary: On this Sunday of Christian prayer, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us three necessary and essential marks of the Christian life. First, the Christian lives a life of prayer. Second, this life of prayer is grounded in the life of sonship. Third, a life lived in prayer and trusting in our adoption of sons is a life lived at peace. This is the life of the Christian, lived in communion with the Holy Trinity and with each other as one body.

Lenten Catechesis III 2012 – The Lord’s Prayer

Psalm 121 (antiphon: vv. 1-2)
Office Hymn: 421 Jesus, Grant That Balm and Healing
OT: 1 Kings 8:22-30; Ep: Eph 3:14-21; Gos: Mt 6:5-15
Catechetical Hymn: 766 Our Father, Who from Heaven Above

Summary: Prayer is not optional in the life of the Christian. First, God has commanded us to pray in the Second Commandment. Second, Christian prayer is a repetion of God’s Word back to Him. He has promised to hear prayer in His name and by His Word. Thus, prayer is both our duty and a gift from our heavenly Father. “Call upon me in the day of trouble… I will deliver you.” “Ask, and it will be given to you.”

Some would also accuse frequent prayer by the Lord’s Prayer as mindless or unthinking repetition. It is not, for it is given by Jesus himself and is His Word. Jesus teaches us why to pray, how to pray, and what to pray for. You can rest assured that this Word of prayer is pleasing to Him and will be heard by Him.