477 IMITATING JESUS

YOUCAT Lesson 477

YOUCAT the catechism of Catholic youth

477  What does it mean to learn from Jesus how to pray?

Learning from Jesus how to pray means entering into his boundless trust, joining in his prayer, and being led by him, step by step, to the Father.  [2607-2614, 2621]

The Lord's Prayer (Le Pater Noster) by James Tissot –Brooklyn Museum. …..477

The disciples, who lived in community with Jesus, learned to pray by listening to and imitating Jesus, whose whole life was a prayer.  Like him, they had to be watchful and strive for purity of heart, to give up everything for the coming of God’s kingdom, to forgive their enemies, to trust boldly in God, and to love him above all things.  By this example of devotion, Jesus invited his disciples to say to God Almighty, “Abba, dear father”.  If we pray in the Spirit of Jesus, especially the Lord’s Prayer, we walk in Jesus’ shoes and can be sure that we will arrive unfailingly in the heart of the Father.  495-496, 512

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”  Matthew 6:6

 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will.”  Mark 11:24

  

“There are two parts to a prayer of petition: assurance that the prayer will be heard and absolute renunciation of an answer according to one’s own plan.”  Karl Rahner (1904-1984, German Jesuit and theologian.

  

[2607-2614, 2621]

Jesus teaches us how to pray

2607 When Jesus prays he is already teaching us how to pray. His prayer to his Father is the theological path (the path of faith, hope, and charity) of our prayer to God. But the Gospel also gives us Jesus' explicit teaching on prayer. Like a wise teacher he takes hold of us where we are and leads us progressively toward the Father. Addressing the crowds following him, Jesus builds on what they already know of prayer from the Old Covenant and opens to them the newness of the coming Kingdom. Then he reveals this newness to them in parables. Finally, he will speak openly of the Father and the Holy Spirit to his disciples who will be the teachers of prayer in his Church. –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

2608 From the Sermon on the Mount onwards, Jesus insists on conversion of heart: reconciliation with one's brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies, and prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart, and seeking the Kingdom before all else.( Compare Matthew 5:23-24, 44-45; Mt 6:7,14-15,21,25,33.)⁶⁴ This filial conversion is entirely directed to the Father. –CCC

 2609 Once committed to conversion, the heart learns to pray in faith. Faith is a filial adherence to God beyond what we feel and understand. It is possible because the beloved Son gives us access to the Father. He can ask us to "seek" and to "knock," since he himself is the door and the way.( Compare Matthew 7:7-11,13-14.)⁶⁵ –CCC

 2610 Just as Jesus prays to the Father and gives thanks before receiving his gifts, so he teaches us filial boldness: "Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will."(Mark 11:24.)⁶⁶ Such is the power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt: "all things are possible to him who believes."(Mark 9:23; compare Matthew 21:22.)⁶⁷ Jesus is as saddened by the "lack of faith" of his own neighbors and the "little faith" of his own disciples(Compare Mark 6:6; Matthew 8:26.)⁶⁸ as he is struck with admiration at the great faith of the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman.(Compare Matthew 8:10; Mt 15:28.)⁶⁹ –CCC

 2611 The prayer of faith consists not only in saying "Lord, Lord," but in disposing the heart to do the will of the Father.(Compare Matthew 7:21.)⁷⁰ Jesus calls his disciples to bring into their prayer this concern for cooperating with the divine plan.(Compare Matthew 9:38; Luke 10:2; John 4:34.)⁷¹ –CCC

 2612 In Jesus "the Kingdom of God is at hand."(Mark 1:15.)⁷² He calls his hearers to conversion and faith, but also to watchfulness. In prayer the disciple keeps watch, attentive to Him Who Is and Him Who Comes, in memory of his first coming in the lowliness of the flesh, and in the hope of his second coming in glory.(Compare Mark 13; Luke 21:34-36.)⁷³ In communion with their Master, the disciples' prayer is a battle; only by keeping watch in prayer can one avoid falling into temptation.(C0mpare Luke 22:40,46.)^74ˇ --CCC

2613 Three principal parables on prayer are transmitted to us by St. Luke:  --CCC

- The first, "the importunate friend,"(Compare Lk 11:5-13.)⁷⁵ invites us to urgent prayer: "Knock, and it will be opened to you." To the one who prays like this, the heavenly Father will "give whatever he needs," and above all the Holy Spirit who contains all gifts.  –CCC

 - The second, "the importunate widow,"( Compare Luke 18:1-8.)⁷⁶ is centered on one of the qualities of prayer: it is necessary to pray always without ceasing and with the patience of faith. "And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" –CCC

 - The third parable, "the Pharisee and the tax collector,"( Compare Luke 18:9-14.)⁷⁷ concerns the humility of the heart that prays. "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" The Church continues to make this prayer its own: Kyrie eleison! –CCC

 2614 When Jesus openly entrusts to his disciples the mystery of prayer to the Father, he reveals to them what their prayer and ours must be, once he has returned to the Father in his glorified humanity. What is new is to "ask in his name."( John 14:13.)⁷⁸ Faith in the Son introduces the disciples into the knowledge of the Father, because Jesus is "the way, and the truth, and the life."( John 14:6.)⁷⁹ Faith bears its fruit in love: it means keeping the word and the commandments of Jesus, it means abiding with him in the Father who, in him, so loves us that he abides with us. In this new covenant the certitude that our petitions will be heard is founded on the prayer of Jesus.( Compare John 14:13-14.)⁸⁰ –CCC

IN BRIEF

2621 In his teaching, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with a purified heart, with lively and persevering faith, with filial boldness. He calls them to vigilance and invites them to present their petitions to God in his name. Jesus Christ himself answers prayers addressed to him. –CCC