20 February 2018 - heard by the Father

Today's Readings (Audio)

God gives us promises to claim and words to pray. His words are not like the words of men.

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers (see First Thessalonians 2:13).

The word of God is actually powerful. It is living and active (see Hebrews 4:12). It is never without effect.

So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

This is different from our words. Multiplying our own words in prayer tends to be unhelpful.

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words

Instead, we do better to pray as close as possible in conformity with the promises of the word of God. We pray for peace because the word of God promises us peace beyond all understanding. We pray for joy because the word of God tells us that Jesus came to give us his own joy. Most perfectly, we pray the very prayer which Jesus himself teaches. We pray to God in words he himself gives us.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Of course, the Hail Mary is filled with phrases from the word of God as well. Availing ourselves of the power of the word of God can work in spontaneous prayer based Scripture. It can also work in formulaic prayers like the rosary. But to truly avail ourselves of the power of the word of God for prayer we must return to engage the Our Father with our entire hearts and minds. When possible, we should pray it slowly, deliberately, allowing God to fill our minds with the meaning and the desire each part is meant to contain.

When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.