Sunday, May 12, 2024
Today, on Mother’s Day, we honor and celebrate our mothers. From the very moment of our birth, mothers nurture, teach, and protect us with wisdom and kindness. They are a constant source of guidance, leading us through life with unconditional and unwavering love and support. In St. Paul’s letters, he tells people how his prayer for them is with joy and never ceases. Likewise, mothers pray unceasingly for their children.
Like the last two weeks, today’s Gospel reading is taken from what is known as the Farewell Discourse, chapters 14-17 of St. John’s Gospel. Jesus addressed His disciples after the Last Supper and before his arrest and crucifixion to prepare them for what was to come. Just as mothers prepare their children to go out into the world, in today’s Gospel reading, Jesus prays for His disciples, asking God to prepare them for going into the world. He recognizes that the disciples will be in the world without Him and asks God to be united with them and to keep them from the evil one. He acknowledges that while the disciples are in the world, they do not belong to it. The readings offer a personal and intimate glimpse into Jesus’ earthly life, His relationship with the Father, and His prayer life.
Many of us devotedly attend church, serve God faithfully, and share our faith by proclaiming the Gospel to others in words and deeds. Are we also growing our relationship with God or only staying busy serving Him? God desires to be with us always. “Abide in Me, and I in you.” (John 15:4). We need to tap more into the power of prayer. Here are some practical ways we can grow our prayer life:
- Jesus prayed in public but often went away to pray alone. Find a quiet place where you can comfortably sit undistracted. Silence the phone, radio, and screens.
- Pick a good time to pray when your attention is not diverted and you’re not too tired. Begin and end every day in prayer.
- Start by centering yourself. Repeat the Jesus Prayer multiple times to help still your mind: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
- Invite the Holy Spirit in. In the words of Saint Francis de Sales, “Place yourself before God. Ask Him to inspire your heart.”
- Remember that the Holy Spirit is your Helper in life and prayer. “In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.” (Romans 8:26).
- Find prayers and devotions that speak to you and use them in your prayer time. Pray the Scriptures. Read a Chapter from Psalms or the Book of Wisdom. Meditate on the Word of God.
- Listen for God’s voice and words for you as you pray.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.