Prayer, Mercy and Grace

The idea of Wednesday being "hump" day drives me crazy! Why do we have a day that we try to just "get by" or "get over" to make it through the week? Every day is a gift! We should cherish each and every one and not try to just get by. Ok, mini rant done...On this Wednesday, be sure you READ and/or LISTEN to the daily Mass Readings.

Today's Gospel is another extra short, extra sweet, and so very important!

I have mentioned before and I will say it here again, I love when we see Jesus by himself praying. It is such a solid example and firm reminder how important prayer is and needs to be in our lives. If Jesus needs to get away and spend time with The Father, how much more so should we?!?

Once Jesus is finished praying, the disciples ask him how to pray. As I was in my bible and reading this short passage I was struck by the note that went along with it. I never really paid attention to the idea that Jesus is teaching about corporate prayer. I never connected the start of this prayer as being "Our" Father. If he were teaching me to pray as an individual he would have said "Father" or "My Father," right? If Jesus is teaching us to pray corporately, it must be important and something we  should do, eh?

I use to think it was so strange that the Catholic Church had so many different prescribed prayers. The backgrounds I came from would occasionally recite the Lord's prayer, but other than that, everything else would have pretty much been considered "spontaneous."

In various reading I learned that it was a common practice for rabbis to teach their students short, easy prayers they could use daily and this is very much what Jesus was doing.

I have grown to find comfort in some of these prescribed prayers. It's nice to be able to go to a book and pull a prayer for a specific situation when I may be struggling to find the words! It is nice to know so many that I can pull from them when I need a prayer and the words just don't want to form on my lips.

Jesus totally gives us the "bottom line" in praying. We learn right away that God is our Father and when we go into prayer we are going into time with our Father.

When we go to God we can do so with a BIG BOLD and expectant faith. He loves us, He wants to give us the things we need and forgive our sins. He wants to keep us protected. He IS Grace and Mercy.

Have you ever had someone wrong you and then ask you for a favor or want something from you? How quick were you to forget everything that happened and reach out? How quickly did you forgive?

We do God wrong every single day! We hurt Him when we disobey and when we sin, yet, He forgives us immediately, is there for us and loves us. Do you extend even a fraction of the Mercy and Grace God has given you?