Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
Jesus’ instructions to his disciples on prayer continue in today’s Gospel passage.
In yesterday’s Gospel, he instructed them in the form that prayer should take and gave them a model. Today’s passage extends that further and says something about how to use that form and the attitude that guides prayer.
The key idea seems to be persistence, keeping at it. Do not grow weary of turning to God in prayer. But if we are to be persistent in prayer, it’s not so much that we need to badger God to grant our request, but that we keep turning to God, recognizing our reliance on what God always does for us throughout our lives. We can persevere in prayer because we are confident God hears us. God wants us to turn again and again in our asking.
It is in our petitions, in our need, that we most often turn to God. It is in asking for “our daily bread,” (whatever form it might take) that we most often turn to God. Asking for nourish¬ment of one kind or another. That “daily bread” takes many different forms. For some, it may be a return to health, for another, it might be the thirst for stronger faith to guide one’s life, to another, it might mean asking for renewed strength to face life’s challenges. For some, it could be looking for guidance and direction in life. There are all kinds of needs that we all experience at one time or another.
Jesus is saying, do not stop looking, asking, searching. Continue to turn to your loving father in prayer with all that you need and with the needs of each other.
Reflection by Fr. Peter Ullrich, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections