Michael Vargas, LC
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Christ, our King.
Thy Kingdom come!
Preparatory prayer (to put me in the presence of God)
Lord Jesus, please teach me to enjoy each moment of union with you through my humble prayer.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the holy Gospel according to Luke 18:1-8
At that time, Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them the necessity for them to pray always and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. And in that town there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I neither fear God nor respect men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not go on coming and wear me out.'” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will secure their rights quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
On certain occasions, it's very easy to say that we don't know what God asks of us; we even claim that we don't hear Him, or worse, that He doesn't speak to us. But how much do we prepare ourselves to engage in a heart-to-heart dialogue with the One who loves us? How much do we seek Him? How much do we insist when we ask for something? Have we ever asked ourselves if we are truly asking for what we need? For what truly benefits us?
Jesus wants to give us a great teaching through this parable, as He wants to prepare our hearts for a true encounter with Him. He wants us to experience what it's like for children who feel in their hearts the need to ask and thank a Father who is always listening to them. At all times and in any circumstance, whether good or bad, the Lord is listening. What we often don't understand is that there are times when the Lord sees that what we ask for is not convenient for us, or it may be that we do not insist enough, perhaps we lack patience, that patience of which Saint Teresa spoke: “Trust and living faith, let the soul maintain, for whoever believes and hopes, obtains everything.” For God, who is a great Father and does not neglect any of His children, is not indifferent to what we ask of Him from the depths of our hearts.
Let us never doubt, nor tire of asking, for hope ought to be that living flame that fuels our confidence through prayer. Let us ask the Lord, above all, to teach us to pray, for as Pope Francis constantly reminds us: “It is necessary to pray always and without discouragement.”.
«Like Jesus in Gethsemane, we must pray, entrusting everything to the Father's heart, without trying to make God conform to our demands, ways, or timing. This leads to weariness or discouragement because it seems our prayers are not heard. If, like Jesus, we entrust everything to the Father's will, the object of our prayer takes a backseat, and what is truly important manifests: our relationship with him. This is the effect of prayer, to transform desire and shape it according to God's will, aspiring above all to union with him, who encounters his children full of merciful love.
(Catechesis of H.H. Francis, May 25, 2016).
Dialogue with Christ
This is the most important part of your prayer, prepare yourself to talk with much love with the One who loves you.
Purpose
Propose a personal one. The one that involves the most love in response to the Beloved... or, if you believe that this is what God is asking of you, live what is suggested below.
Today I will talk with Jesus about everything that is in my heart. Whether it is good or bad, I will leave it in his hands and I will have the hope and certainty that they will be heard with much love.
Farewell
We thank you, Lord, for all your benefits, you who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Christ, our King!
Thy Kingdom come!
Most prudent Virgin, Mary, Mother of the Church.
Pray for us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
