TEACH ME TO PRAY

The followers of Jesus asked him to teach them to pray. They watched him often in prayer, sometimes overnight. They saw the healing and compassion, maybe if I learn how to pray as he does I will also know healing and compassion.

Have you listened to your prayers lately? What do they tell you about yourself? Prayer is a relationship a conversation with God and the one who is praying. 

The followers were accustom to the multiple prayers, sacrifices and yet God told them I do not take pleasure in your sacrifices give me your heart.

Jesus listened and did tell them how to be in prayer, relationship with God.

Praise God as our Father, He is good and holy and wants us to share in the goodness of the world as He made it. He wants us to bring his love and caring to others so his way on earth may be as it is in heaven.

He will provide for us our daily needs, perhaps not our wants. 

We do ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who we feel have trespassed against us. How do we honor the no trespassing signs of others or do we just barge in and violate their boundaries. We  don't like those who do that to us but we are saying forgive me for when I do it as I forgive them. One way to forgive them is to pray for God's blessing on those who have trespassed against me. Sometimes not easy as it sounds, at least not if I wish to be sincere and honest with myself and God.

I ask God to not let me walk in the way of that temptations which will lead me further away in our relationship with each other. Deliver me from evil. Have you thought about what is evil for you. Perhaps it is gossip, ignoring others, telling stories that change how we think positively against the other, not doing the best I can in relationships at home and at work. Evil comes to us in the way that is attractive to each of us. 

We again acknowledge that God alone has the power to help us bring about goodness in the world. 

I pray I acknowledge the good that God does though me to bring his love to the world. 

As we all know relationships are enjoyable but also need nurturing. Take some time this week and listen to how you pray and decide is it relational or just a give me Santa type of thing. 

Doing and Being

Today's reading is about Martha, the cook and Mary the one listening. The balance of doing and being is a daily endeavor.

I am sure we all can identify with Martha, working hard to make a good meal while those who could help are chilling out or listening to someone talk. I am sure we can talk a break and chill out ourselves and join in the conversation. Sometimes I get so engrossed in the cooking I forget to just chill out and enjoy it. Jesus says just relax and learn to be there.

On the other hand learning to listen and just be there is a task as well. It takes discipline to be quiet and totally present to the other. Sometimes the cooking seems easier. 

the adventure is to balance both.

Good Samaritan or for my good

Recently I have been reading the 1st encyclical letter by Pope Frances called LUMEN FIDEI or light of faith. In this writing he states christian faith is based on the belief in the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Christ's life, his way of knowing the Father and living in complete and constant relationship with him, opens up new and inviting vistas for human experience. 

We believe and follow Jesus doing good because it was his way. We have the choice to do good so we can show we can do good and thereby do it for our own edification. Doing good works alone does not make one a follower of Christ. 

Today we hear the story of the Good Samaritan who stopped to help a injured man beaten and lying on the wayside. He stopped not only to help but took him to be taken care of. The story says the priest, the Levi a church minister not only passed the man by but crossed the street. 

We too have a choice to be followers of Jesus and help those in need as he would.  Or we too can cross the street, take a different hallway, ignore on crying, not only not help at the warming shelter, or food program but choose to not want them in our neighborhood, make judgments against those who partake of these programs. 

You can find the encyclical letter on line it is worth the read no matter what religious tradition you follow. This week be more aware of your choices are they of a good Samaritan or not?

Relax, contemplate, serve

Today the 4 Th of July Holiday weekend is over with many experiences of relaxation, some were camping, swimming, cooking out, meeting family. Some of us watched parades, family gathering, enjoyed sitting in gentle rain showers, and just plan relaxing in chair, iced coffee and zoned out. 

Now refreshed to be sent out as Jesus sent out his followers in the reading this Sunday. They went out in Jesus name giving hope, curing sick, encouragement. We too are sent out tomorrow in Jesus name as baptized persons. We too will have the opportunity to bring hope, encouragement, helping those who are sick. Do all you do in Jesus name. 

Avoid going out in your name, resist as our culture says we can do anything.