When a child asks his or her mother for something, if it is good, for the benefit of her child, he or she receives it. The situation is different when the child wants something immediately. What happens when the child, with stamping feet, says: “I want it now! I want it now, it is owed to me, everyone has one so I deserve one too.” What about us? Sometimes we have a “We want it now” attitude. Why do we want something now, and why do we ask for it? When we pray, we should be patient and ask for what is good for us in order have everlasting life.
First, have perseverance. We are willing to invest the time for prayer. We can be impatient like a child, for example, watching TV, surfing channels like a tsunami wave, and if there isn’t anything interesting, we move on quickly. The same is true with prayer. Perseverance is the key here. Of course, sometimes it can be difficult for the people with some kind of temperament. Sometimes people pray “thousands” of prayers so fast in order to finish them all, like speeding on highway, even not understanding what they are saying. Saying one or two prayers less and meditating on it would be more beneficial.
Second, when we pray we receive what is good for us. How often do I pray for things that help me in my salvation? God gives us what is beneficial to us. He takes care of us like a loving parent. God preserves his children unharmed. Yes, we are God’s children, and our Father loves us and longs to give what is good for us. God isn’t an instrument to be used during our prayer. We ask God, and He knows what we need before we ask him, but he respects our freedom. The Father loves us so much that he has given us his only Son that we may have eternal life. We praise God and remember his love for us as we sing the psalm, “Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
My dear friends, it is important to ask the Holy Spirit to help us in prayer. Let us pray to our loving Father that we won’t be discouraged when we pray.
Amen.
Fr. Rafal Duda
Parochial Vicar