Colorful-Scripture-7-21-16

Photo illustration by Phil Younk
Click on the photo for a printable PDF!

Jesus teaches 
power of prayer

Based on Gen 18:20-32; Col 2:12-14; Lk 11:1-13

This Sunday’s readings highlight the power of prayer.
In the Gospel, the disciples, having followed Jesus for some time, notice Jesus prays often and for long periods of time. They are so touched by how Jesus prays that one of the disciples says, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Jesus teaches them the beloved words of the Our Father: to know God as their loving, protective Father; to praise him; to ask for the peace and justice of his kingdom on earth; to receive from him their daily needs; to ask for the forgiveness of their sins and for the grace to forgive others; and to ask for the faith and strength to keep from giving in to temptation.
Jesus also tells them to continually pray with trust and confidence because their Father in heaven understands all their needs and wants them to have all that is good.
Prayer brings us closer to God. Jesus teaches that God the Father is someone we can turn to in good times, bad times, or the in-between times. Jesus says, “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
God hears every prayer. He always answers our prayers, but sometimes the answers are different than what we expect. Whatever the answer, we know we can always count on God’s fatherly love and continuous concern for us and his desire to respond to our every need.
Check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2759-2865, on the deep meaning of the Our Father and #2734-2745 on trust and persistence in prayer.
As today’s Responsorial Psalm says, “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.”