Sunday, July 29, 2007

Love and Prayer


“Lord, teach us to pray?” This is the request of the disciple to Jesus. And so, Jesus taught them to call God, Father. The Lord’s prayer teaches us not only what to pray, but how to pray. Praying the Lord’s Prayer presupposes a disposition, an attitude. Our Father will only be meaningful if we consider ourselves children of God, and as such if we find in our hearts love for the Father. Without this love, Our Father will remain empty words, meaningless and dead. Prayer is not a word that we offer to God to communicate with him. No. Prayer is relationship. Nagdarasal tayo hindi dahil meron tayong kailangan sa Diyos, hindi dahil me reklamo tayo sa Diyos, hindi dahil obligasyon, o nakasanayan, o natatakot tayo sa anung puedeng mangyari pag hindi tayo nagdasal. Bagkus, nagdarasal tayo dahil mga anak tayo ng Diyos, at sa ating puso’y matatagpuan ang pagmamahal ng isang anak sa kanyang Ama.

Madalas ang sarap ng kuwentuhan hindi naman dahil sa pinag-uusapan [madalas nga paulit ulit naman ang kuwento], kundi sa kung sino ang kakuwentuhan. Ganyan din ang panalangin, higit sa hinihiling natin sa panalangin, ang halaga ng pagdarasal ay sa pinatutungkulan ng ating dasal. Sa pagdarasal kasama natin ang Diyos at kasama tayo ng Diyos, kaya tayo nagdarasal.

Let our prayers be rooted in a heart that longs to be with the Father. Let our prayers be expressions of our desire to embrace the Father. Let our prayers be signs of how much love we have for the Father. Without these, “Our Father” means nothing.