CHOOSE PRAYERFULLY
(Luke 6:12-19)
We celebrate two apostles of
Jesus today: Saints Simon and Jude.
The Gospel of today enlisted the
names of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. But an important point to note is
the fact that Jesus did not just wake up and make the choice of His disciples.
He chose them after a whole night of prayers.
Important decisions in our lives
should not be taken in the flesh. We need to climb the mountain of prayers like
Jesus seeking God's face, direction and approval. If Jesus, the Son of God, the
Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, True God and True Man needed to pray before
making the choice of His followers, what about us? We need to pray more.
Most of the mistakes we make in
life is that we keep God aside awhile only to run back to Him when the
consequences of our wrong choices bounce back on us. In the choice of our leaders,
we need to seek divine approval, this involves looking beyond human and
material qualifications and possession. This involves evaluating how close the
person is to keeping the commands of God and treating people as those created
in the image of God.
In the choice of vocation, prayer
and spiritual direction is also of paramount importance. In choosing a life
partner as well, people need to pray God for their best half.
Do not allow your prayer life to
dwindle. Just as the tabernacle light that never goes off, always fan your
prayer life into flame. Be aflame in the spirit. Do it in season and out of
season. Do it in thanksgiving, do it in plea for mercy, do it in petition, do
it in intercession. Choose to pray and teach others to do same. Jesus prayed
and taught his disciples to pray. Guide the choices of your children with
prayers. Punctuate every one of your activities with prayers.
Pray in words, pray in action.
Live the life of prayers. Let what you pray reflect who you are. Don't stay
back when communal prayers are going on. Pray the Mass, pray the devotionals.
Pray also privately.
Never undertake any serious task
without prayers. The Lord speaks when we pray. Because in prayers we also listen,
since it is a conversation. May God
answer our prayers and bless our choices.
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, you're God and yet
you prayed. We are mere humans in need of prayers, but most of the time we
sleep off, we are wearied by the cares and troubles of life, we are weighed
down by uncertainties. Give us the wisdom to realize our need for you in our
endeavours. Bless the decisions we make. Grant that we may make them in the
spirit and never in flesh. Bless all those facing indecisions in their lives.
May we through prayers, make right choices that will bring us happiness and
lead us to heaven through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saints Simon and Jude, pray
for us.
God bless your Wednesday.
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
And bless you too.
ReplyDeleteAmen