"When you pray..." Words of Jesus (cont'd)

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we continue Chap. 12 of St. Louis de Montfort’s book on “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”, we notice today that the Words of Jesus, St. Louis quotes all have to do with prayer. How important it is for us to pay attention to what Jesus says!

1. 1. When you pray, beware of acting like those hypocrites who love to stand and pray in their synagogues so that men may notice them. Mt. 6:5.
   2. Of what use is it when you pray to use many words, since your heavenly Father knows your needs before you place them before him. Mt. 6:7.
   3. As you prepare to pray, forgive your neighbour the wrongs he may have committed against you so that your heavenly Father may show mercy to you. Mk. 11:25.
   4. When you ask God in prayer for anything, believe that you will receive it, and you will indeed receive it. Mk. 11:24.

Not only do we need to “pay attention” – that is, to LISTEN to what Jesus says to us in His Word, but we need to ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to hear with the “ears of our hearts”. We need to ponder as Mary did in her heart.

It is good for us to remember when Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the temple after searching for Him for three days:

…When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for You with great anxiety.” And He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what He said to them. (Luke 2: 48-50)…

They did not understand at that moment what He said, but we know from the next verse what Mary did:

He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and His mother kept all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:51)

Let us continue to keep all Jesus said and did, pondering all in our hearts as Mary did, and as the saints learned to do by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

 

[patricius79]

When you ask God in prayer for anything, believe that you will receive it, and you will indeed receive it. Mk. 11:24.

That is certainly one of my favorite Scriptures. And we can even ask for the grace to believe it through Mary. God is Good! As a broken man, it consoles me to think how it pleases God when we ask for all the intentions of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I know Jesus is so happy when we simply ask for everything He wills, since He wants to give us so much grace.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius,

Thanks for your reply and for the love you have for Jesus’ Word and for His Mother given to us to be our Mother. Yes, to do God’s Will was always first in the hearts and minds of Jesus and Mary as they walked this earth and so we need to do the same.

All of us are “broken” – as a consequence of the original sin committed by our first parents – but God gives us a “new birth” in Baptism. We are “born again” into Christ and that makes all the difference! God so loved the world He sent Jesus through Mary and continues to do so that we may live in Him. Yes, He wants to give us so much grace, if we ask in faith, and especially through the intercession of Mary.

 

[patricius79]

Thanks MariaChristi,

As a person with anxiety, when I hear “to do God’'s will”, I often feel tempted to an anxious analysis of every move I make wondering what is God’s will. But I know that can’t be what Jesus wants, because He wants us to be like little children. As I understand it, what Jesus wills is that we love God and neighbor, strive to keep the commandments, trust in His Mercy, forgive those who’ve hurt us, practice discernment especially with big decisions, pray to our Blessed Mother, repent and confess our sins, share what we have; and practice gratitude and praise of His Goodness. Above all: trust in His Mercy.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Greenfields and Camehome4john6,

Dear Greenfields and Camehome4john6, Thank you both for your “hearts’” to let us know you appreciate the “Words of Jesus”. How important it is to pray to the Holy Spirit, that we may Listen as Mary did, to all Jesus said and did! By God’s Grace, may we listen in order to follow Him, and do the Truth we hear!