Theme
No 6
The battle of prayer
1. Formation Prayer
(To be recited by all present).
In the name of the Father …
Heavenly Father, as we commence this
session of the Formation Programme, help us to believe you are near to us and that you
care for each one of us every day of our lives. Send the Holy Spirit to be our helper and
our guide, enlightening our minds, giving us the grace to serve you with generous hearts
and inspiring us to stand firm as Christians in your love. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
2. Scripture Reading - Luke 11:
5–8
(Read by the discussion leader or the member nominated by him.)
And Jesus said to them: 'Suppose one of you
has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three
loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before
him." And he answers from within, "Do not bother me, the door has already been
locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything." I
tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend,
at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.'
3. The Message
(Read by the discussion leader or the member nominated by him.)
There are many false understandings of
prayer, for example, a simple psychological activity, or an effort at concentration to
reach a mental void, or mere ritual words and postures. Others think that prayer is
something which is separate from life, and therefore they excuse themselves because they
‘don’t have the time’. Prayer is a mystery that overflows both our
conscious and our unconscious lives. Because many look to results and outcomes of
production, they consider prayer as being unproductive and therefore useless. Prayer is
neither an escape from reality nor a divorce from it. The habitual difficulty in prayer is
distraction. However, every time that we turn back to God, we are making an act of faith.
We choose the master whom we wish to serve. The best weapon against distraction in prayer
is vigilance of heart. Jesus often spoke about his coming at a time we do not know.
Another difficulty is dryness. However, Jesus experienced dryness in his own prayer and
reminds us that it is only when the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies that it
is able to bear much fruit. The most common yet hidden temptation is our lack of faith.
Sometimes we turn to God only as a last resort, but do we really believe that he is? Our
disposition should be based on the claim of Jesus that 'apart from me you can do nothing.'
It is also important to remember that the prayer of petition is only one aspect of our
prayer life; it is much more important to praise, to thank and to seek forgiveness. We
should always remind ourselves that God is like the loving parent who always knows what is
best for the children.
4. The Exercise
(Five minutes of reflection by all members.)
How do I deal with distractions in prayer?
Can I remember my reaction on an occasion
when the Lord did not seem to hear my prayer?
How do I regard God in my prayer life: a
disinterested creator, a person who controls all the movements of a puppet, or a loving,
caring, wise parent?
5. The Sharing
(Members share aspects of their personal faith and its place in their lives that have come
to them through the Exercise.)
6. The Word
(The basis of meditation and reflection for the ensuing month given by the discussion
leader.)
'Pray constantly … always and for
everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father'
(I Thess 5:17).
7. Closing Prayer
(Recited by all members)
How many times, God, have we been told that
you are no stranger, remote from those who call upon you in prayer! Let us see, God, and
know in our lives now that those words are true. Give us faith and give us the joy of
recognising your son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour in our midst.
