Importance Of Prayer

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:


Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

If prayer wasn't important, then Jesus would not have done it.  But, if we look carefully in the Bible we can see that Jesus prays an awful lot. In this reading, He prays before calling the disciples from their everyday affairs and bringing them into the work of being fishers of men. 

Very often we are afraid of prayer because we believe that we do not do it well.  We look at people such as Thomas Merton, Saint Francis, monks, brothers, sisters, and nuns we have known and we know we cannot pray like they can pray.  We never have the words to say like they do.  Well, let me assure you of something, everyone on earth is an expert at prayer because prayer does not require expertise. 

God does not want flowery talk with a lot of "thee's and thous" sprinkled on top like doughnut toppings.  God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit want to hear from you, not from St. Francis, unless you are St. Francis!  Speak to God in your prayers as if He is in the chair across from you. He wants to know what you want to tell Him and He knows what you haven't said as well.  To grow in prayer is to grow in the trust of God.  The more you speak to Him as a friend, the more you will realize that God's friendship has no end and that the love he has for you is real and deep and infinite.  

We have, through Christ, an immediate audience with God. Do not be afraid, He is listening. 

Please pray for the poor souls in Purgatory.  The time for doing good is on this side of death's door. these souls cannot help themselves. An Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be take only a moment or two but it brings them such comfort.  Won't you take a moment now for them?