PRAYER  OF  PETITION 

  

INTRODUCTION

This week I have been presenting various specific practices for Lent.

Monday: The Golden Rule. Don’t do things to others that you would not want people to do to you. Do things to others that you would like be done to you.

Tuesday: The Our Father. This is in the gospel of the day. It’s a great prayer, especially when you find it difficult to pray.

Wednesday: Contemplation. I stressed contemplation. It’s the sign of Jonas. Lent is a great time to become quiet and reflect and see great realities, God’s realities all around us.

Today: Prayer of Petition. Today I would like to move into prayer of petition.

THEME: PRAYER OF PETITION

So some reflection on prayer of petition.

St. Alphonsus would love today’s 2 readings, both are about Prayer of Petition.

In the first reading Esther cries out to God for help. [Cf. Esther c, 12: 14-16, 23-25.]

And in the gospel Jesus tells us how to pray: ask, seek, knock. [Cf. Matthew 7: 7-12]

When it comes to being stuck, have we thought about trying God?

Have we thought about going to God with our needs and if we get there and the door seems to be closed, knock and knock loudly.

If we can’t find the right door, ask, seek, knock, till we have tried every door in the mansion.  

Stand outside every door and scream, “Help!

Let her or him with the most needs pick up stones and throw them at God’s window.

Be like the Syro-Phoenician woman, outsmart Jesus.

MOREOVER

Moreover, if we ask for the wrong things, God will give us the right things.

If we ask for a poisonous snake, God will give us a fish.

If we’re asking for a rock to throw at our neighbor, God will give us a loaf of bread that we can share with them.

PRAYER OF PETITION

So prayer of petition is a good practice for Lent.

ST. ALPHONSUS AGAIN

In St. Alphonsus’ time, there were a lot of arguments and questioning about the issue of freedom vs. grace. 

Is it me or is it God?

Of course it’s both.

That’s why I love the 15^th chapter of Luke - and its three stories - three parables.  In the first two stories God goes looking - and searching out sinners - whether we are a lost sheep or a lost coin. In the third story, God waits for us to get up from the pig pen and return home.

That’s why I love the story of the monkey who fell down the well. The mother monkey reaches down for her child - and makes noises that her child has to reach up for her hand - otherwise she’s lost.

That’s why I love the saying: “Pray for potatoes, but pick up a shovel!” or “In a storm, pray to get back to the shore, but start rowing.” 

Then there is the Moslem saying, “Pray that your camel doesn’t run away in the night, but make sure you tie his reins to your tent peg.”

How many times have we heard in a sermon the story of the man in building with the river rising and he keeps praying - but is drowned.  When he faces God, he yells at God for not helping. And we know God's answer. "Hey turkey I sent you a row boat and a helicopter - but no, you kept praying."

In other words, life needs to be a relationship, a cooperation, a working together with God and each other.

Into these discussions, St. Alphonsus slipped into the answers prayer of petition.

Ask, seek, knock, and don’t worry about who did what.

Just pray. Just do.

Ask and God will send help.  Ask and solutions will appear.

TODAY

Today the question is, “Why pray to God? Why ask God for help to intervene?

Are we supposed to twist God’s arm or are we supposed to go out and work for our daily bread by hard work?

Isn’t prayer about changing attitudes?

Isn’t prayer less about healing of cancer and more about grace to deal with cancer?

Yes or no?

A change of mind can change one’s body.

A change of attitude can change one’s health.

Yes, we Catholics have not been arrested for faith healing nor that we tried to stop blood transfusions.

We pray as we wait outside the operating and recovery room in the hospital.

We pray for peace and work for justice -- realizing that’s the way to arrive at peace.

In today’s first reading from the Book of Esther we see Esther praying her people about to be exterminated - but she also does something. Then she acts. Then she makes her move.

CONCLUSION

Today I talked about Prayer of Petition - a major theme of the Redemptorist founder, St. Alphonsus.

I love his saying, “Pray and you’ll be saved. Don’t pray and you’ll be lost.”

I apply that to here and hereafter.