Why Pray? Maybe this story can help us think about why to pray?

 

 Why Pray? Maybe this story can help us think about why to pray?

A monk was returning to his monastery along the way he found a precious stone on the road. Continuing on his way, he came upon a wandering beggar. When the monk opened his traveling bag to share his food, the beggar saw the precious stone and admired it. To his amazement the monk gave it to him.

The beggar stammered a thank you and continued on his way, as did the monk. A few days later, the beggar came to the door of the monastery to find the monk who gave him the precious stone. When the monk came to the door, the beggar gave him back the stone.

The beggar asked, “I would like something more precious than the stone.  Give me what enabled you to give me the stone in the first place.”

That precious stone is a faithful prayer life, commit or recommit to a life of prayer.                              [Adopted from Connections, “A gift more precious than jewels.” Born in Water & Spirit, p.5]

  

Take time to reflect on The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

“He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income. But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

N.B. Pope Leo XIV's October prayer intention, “Let us pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice and human fraternity.”

 

 

May our life be a prayer in words and in actions.

 

May God Be Praised.