Those are "magic" words. They go right to the most Holy, Sacred Heart of Jesus and He can't help but respond immediately and with much love when asked a question in all sincerity.
Today I had to give my scripture reflection to the RCIA class (This Sunday's readings), and this assignment meant that I would also be the prayer leader for the evening. It was my job to begin and end the night with prayer.
I agonized over this all day because I am NOT gifted in the area of spontaneous prayer. Sure, I can speak to Jesus myself at any time, have an all-out conversation and I think I've even entered into contemplation a couple times. But leading a group in a spontaneous prayer? Foggeddabodit.
So this evening before class began I went to the Adoration chapel and in desperation, poured my heart out to Jesus in a simple prayer:
Jesus, tonight I have to lead prayer and you KNOW that I am horrible at this! Please tell me what to say! Jesus, please teach me how to pray!
I waited, I adored Jesus, and I recieved a very strong prompt to read today's Gospel. I had not done so yet and would not be attending Mass as I would be--gulp--leading prayer at the same time. As the prompt just got stronger, even though I wanted to focus on Sunday's Gospel as the topic of my talk, I realized I had to be obedient. What was a few minutes reflecting on what I should have read earlier today?
I opened my "Magnificat" and thumbed through to today's readings.
I nearly fell down in absolute adoration on the spot.
Have you read today's Gospel? In case you haven't, I'lll just repeat it. It's a short one.
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyon in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."
(Luke 11: 1-4)
As I sat, stunned, reading the Gospel over and over, a great sense of being loved surrounded me in a way I'll never be able to explain. It was as though Jesus had come to me through a room full of people, took my hand, looked right through my eyes and into my soul, and literally BREATHED the words into my heart. It was so powerful I'm not sure I even had to breathe for myself for awhile.
I'll never say the "Our Father" in the same way ever again. It'll never mean more to me than it did tonight.
Thank you, Jesus, for teaching me how to pray.
4 comments:
Adoro: Good post. I could be about ME too!
How did you teaching session go in light of your reservations about the material? Did Father get back to you yet?
Enquiring minds want to know.
Speaking of the "Magnificat", that wonderful prayer book, I once read in there, or maybe it was in Sister Faustina's (now St Faustina) diary, that one way to pray the Our Father is to do it one phrase at a time and meditate on each one.
The Our Father is actually seven petitions.
And each one becomes extremely powerful when said that way.
"Thy will by done on Earth as it is in Heaven" is a real stickler for me.
Cathy- The reservations on the material is not the actual class material, but supplemental reading provided to all students. I don't have to discuss it and if I did I would study and refute each issue with authentic teaching. But I don't need to do that so instead I'm trying to get those "supplements" replaced.
My topic was on scripture. I actually tried to post it last night but windows crashed on me and I lost all of it. I may try to post it tonight.
I'll also be updating the issue in the previous post, or another seperate one as that's where people will be looking for updates.
Ray- yeah, that one gets me, too
~ Adoro
What a powerful moment. Thanks for sharing it with us. :-)
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