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In the introduction to the encyclopedia of prayer L a P r e g h I e r a (Rome 1967), Professor R. Boccaccio writes his memories of Africa. A primitive woman from a mountain tribe makes a vessel out of clay. He prays to the gods, searching for clay, in mixing and burning. They ask her who taught her that. She shrugs and says, “Who teaches children to cry? Alone. Even prayer is from the heart.”

The definition of what prayer is: Prayer is a person’s conversation with God. In the Gospels, we read a wonderful conversation of man with God, a wonderful conversation of God-man – Jesus Christ with his Father. From each line and sentence as we read the gospel, we feel the greatness and beauty of that connection in conversation. Easter time is coming to an end. Only a week separates us from the feast of the Sending of the Holy Spirit, the great celebration of the beginning of the Church. During Easter, we remembered the secret of our redemption. The work of Jesus Christ does not end with Easter events, resurrections, and ascension. Jesus Christ lives and develops in the Church. That is what Jesus Christ wanted, and he asked for it in today’s Gospel, which we also call with the high priestly prayer. Jesus prayed this prayer at the Last Supper. In prayer, Jesus asks the Father for himself and his disciples. Jesus knows that his mission on earth is ending. He asks for himself to restore the original glory common to him with the Father, whom he got rid of (cf. Phil 2: 7) during his life when he wanted to become like us people in everything except sin. He asks the apostles for unshakable faith in his person and his mission against all hostility. Even more, begging for unity among them.

Jesus promises his disciples, “For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I among them” (Mt 18:20). He also showed them a pattern and a way to achieve this communion. Prayer is a hallmark of religious life. Believers, Therefore, our Church, following the example of Jesus Christ, attaches great importance to prayer and emphasizes the cultivation of common and personal prayers. Prayer has a firm place in the whole liturgy. Family and personal life enriched by regular prayers are happy. By stating that it is appropriate to ask whether prayer has a proper place, seriousness, and appreciation in our lives, let us think a little about not rushing in answering but being able to answer seriously and responsibly.

The most reliable measure of the truth of prayer life for us is Jesus Christ, and his life permeated with prayer. He prayed for all his life. He was in constant, constant contact with his heavenly Father in prayer. His whole act was prayer because he did everything for the Father. In every act, he did his will, glorified the Father, and showed help to men. He set an example for his followers to follow. Jesus’ specific prayers and examples are remarkable. He blessed in prayer (cf. Jn 6: 2); praising the Father (Matt. 11:25); he begged and thanked (cf. Jn 11:41); he begged for Peter (cf. Lk 22:32); he begged for disciples and all believers (cf. Jn 17); he prayed for the enemies (cf. Lk 23:34); showed that one should always pray and not give up (cf. Lk 18: 1); warned of hypocrisy in prayer (cf. Mt 6: 7); he promised to hear the prayer offered in his name out of unshakable faith (cf. Jn 15: 7); he showed and left the pattern of our Father’s prayer (cf. Mt 6: 9-13).

In prayer, Jesus found strengthening and pleasure, so he prayed constantly, in every time and every situation: morning, day, and evening, with food, joy, and sorrow. In all things, he asked for help and blessings of the Father in heaven. We see that Jesus emphasized traditionally in prayer above all the things of God, acknowledging God’s power, respecting God’s will, embracing and helping God’s purposes: “Seek the kingdom of God first …” (Mt 6:33). Importantly, Jesus did not underestimate the temporal values, including human bodily needs, and the success of prayer will be even more real when it becomes clear to all that we are Christians, and this must radiate from our words and deeds.

This means that we must be Christian not only in the church but everywhere: at home, in the family, in the workplace, and society. Our prayers should be conducted in this direction no matter where we pray because it is not decisive where we pray, but how we pray. This means that prayer must be a matter of the heart, not a habit, because only then can it be true. However, this does not detract from the importance of prayer in the church. Common prayers in the church are essential for establishing a good relationship between God and one’s neighbor. The temple in Jerusalem was close to Jesus. He often spent time in prayer but prayed wherever he was not disturbed by anyone or anything, where he could concentrate, open his heart in complete trust in the Father, and express his pleas and gratitude to him. In this context, we understand the words: “If you want to pray, enter your chamber, close the door behind you …” (Mt 6: 6). This means that we should pray everywhere, wherever, and in all the needs of life. Jesus is our most beautiful, for example. His prayer, the conversation with the Father, represents an immense wealth from which we can constantly draw. Many before us were convinced of this in their own lives and never regretted it; on the contrary, prayer lifted them and attracted them more to the pattern of prayer – Jesus Christ.

13.11. 1983 Holy Father John Paul II. declared Mary Bauardi Blessed. The liturgy was held in three languages: Arabic, Greek, Latin. In a homily focused on the life of the prayer of the new Blessed Holy Father, he said: “The Arab family of Bauardi from a small village near Nazareth was visited by misfortune after misfortune. Twelve children were born and all twelve died shortly after birth. Desperate parents a healthy child Happened The child is named Mary and both parents die two years ago Mary goes to relatives in Alexandria As a 13-year-old they want to marry her according to the local custom It happens something unexpected The girl disagrees At this age she wants to consecrate to God. When punishments do not help, he has to go to a Muslim family for re-education. Further punishments follow because he prefers not to accept the faith of the natives. After many adventures, he goes to France as a maid and in a short time becomes Sister Mary from the crucified Jesus. He lives in India, Spain and finally in Bethlehem, dying in the service of love as he brings water to the workers Abu. An accident occurs there, and he dies on its consequences on August 26, 1878. She was only 33. “The Holy Father ended his speech with a prayer to her, a woman of prayer, to Mary From the Crucified Jesus, just as Jesus at the supper:” Please follow them. I pray and pray for the peace of the whole world, for unity, for the peace of human hearts and the profession of faith. “

It is an excellent feeling when a person finds himself in difficulty when he starts to catch hopelessness, fear, even despair, and he can lean on someone next to him. It’s amazing when she gives him hope when she pours out his strength when she hears the necessary words from his mouth: “Hope!”

Jesus’ words are a wonderful reinforcement for a person who believes, and we can feel that from the Gospel when Jesus says to the apostles, “In the world ye have affliction, but trust; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).

Jesus gave many explanations only to the apostles. This is how he prepared them so that they, too, might go out into the world and pass on his teachings to others one day. He explained many things to the apostles. Although they did not immediately understand them, they stated that he spoke to them not only in parables, that is, on life examples known to them, such as the good shepherd, the lost sheep, but also openly. He told them about his relationship between him and the Father, who will decide to do here on earth. He also told them about the suffering that awaited him and his departure from this world. The apostles could be convinced that Jesus could see even in their hearts. He doesn’t need to ask them what they were talking about along the way. He is, after all, the omniscient God. That is why even in the Gospel, they say to Jesus today: “Now we know that you know everything and do not need to be questioned to you” (Jn 16:30).
The apostles gradually considered what Jesus taught them, discussing everything that happened around Jesus. And so they could say that Jesus did come out of the Father and return to the Father. When Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you think I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16: 15-16). Peter’s cooperation with the Holy Spirit, through which God the Father revealed this to him. Thus, there is a gradual faith in the apostles. But their faith is not yet final. We know that they believe in Christ, and when the trial comes upon them, they will disappoint. Peter denies the others scatter.

When we look at it with human eyes, we say that it is not unusual. After all, something similar has happened or may happen to us. Let’s not be too sure. We may think that we are good and that nothing can happen to us to betray Jesus because we have experienced, our age, our position, so we will not sin again. We will not have to go for a long time, and our pride will sound – and the fall will follow. . Today, we must realize that only God is faithful!

The Lord Jesus knows us better than we can know each other because he created man. The Lord Jesus knew of our weaknesses, but also that man would betray him, forsake him, deny him. And yet God will remain faithful. In the gospel, he offers us his love to hope for in him.
He stands with us. He is always willing to intervene, help, protect us, please, true, when there is goodwill on our part. In other words, if we believe in Jesus and try to live in his sign, we will overcome the world. Jesus overcame sin by a short-lived defeat when people thought his death on the cross was the end of everything. It was actually Jesus’ victory, God’s victory over the whole world. His death over all the evil and sin in history.
And this is what strengthens us to hope for Christ. So that our lives never enter such an alley of life that we would think that he can no longer help us, he cannot, and we don’t even care about it anymore …

And yet, today, the words that we gladly accept are clear. I hope in you, Lord! We hope he will overcome our sin. He forgives us, gives us back his friendship, his love. He loves him more than we love him, and yet today, he wants our decision again. It’s a wonderful feeling to live in peace with God.

Thank you, Lord, for your encouragement. Lord, you have strengthened us that when we find ourselves in despair when we are filled with fear, we have nothing to fear, for you are with us. When we fall and feel defeated, we can lean on you and win. May God be praised for all this today.

The close gate is repentance, remorse, confession of one’s sin. The narrow path is love to God, which answers God’s love in Jesus Christ. This journey will lead us to the Kingdom, whose fruit is the love for the brothers we love, we truly love. From such a mutual of the love of the families of Heaven – because Heaven is the place where God’s Life lives and God’s Life is just this love. Where is this love, wherein this way “brothers live together in love” (Ps 133: 1), there already exists on earth, and Heaven is present — that is, the Church, God’s Family of believers. There, we are infallibly and irreversibly into it; there is a tight gate and a narrow path if we have really set out on it!

But why should we embark on such a journey at all? Why should we long for Heaven? Because we are dissatisfied. We are dissatisfied, what’s more! We are dissatisfied in the usual way how the surrounding people are constantly dissatisfied: I am dissatisfied with the weather, dissatisfied with the government, dissatisfied with pay, dissatisfied with employment, dissatisfied with the level of education and health care, dissatisfied with neighbors, and all these things.
Our dissatisfaction goes much deeper. It is deep dissatisfaction with the very essence of the world, the Universe, life, and in general, dissatisfaction with the fact that things are not as they should be. That what is normal is, in fact, it is abnormal, and what is abnormal has become normal. That the world is facing up feet, we see it now. Clear and distinct. Everything is upside down. Everything is wrong. Absolutely bad. Nothing does fit as it should. Others may not understand us; they point out that, look, it’s enough to change politicians, improve legislation, cut red tape, and poison a neighbor… well, a neighbor does not, just his annoying ok so good, not even… but the rest is possible, and everything will be better. But they don’t see what we do. They don’t feel what we do. I don’t understand. They do not understand that things are spoiled in much greater depth and that if we do not find someone who can repair, heal, and rebuild the Universe itself from the ground up, no boss, politician, or legislation will do anything about it! It’s like you want burned to improve the cake by sugaring it or placing it on a decorative plate and claiming that everything is corrected…

Try to imagine a normal world for a moment: Great bunch. You don’t have to hide anything from anyone. Understanding. Support. One for all. All for one. Cooperation on everything. Compliment everyone to everyone. No lawyers are needed. No security guards. The word “privacy” basically loses its meaning. Science and technology and civilization advance by leaps and bounds because no one does not hide, nobody envies anyone, nobody competes with anyone, everyone helps everyone. Thanks, nothing is done unnecessarily twice or threefold… No poverty. Everyone with everyone is divided into big one’s joy. What is more normal, more logical, desirable, more welcome, and more natural than living like this and Act?
This is, by the way, the reason for the attractiveness of the communist utopia of the Marxists: it is logical, natural, normal, efficient, much more effective than capitalism, which is so far the best the world could invent. That is why so many people, even after all the horrors of Marxism and Communism, still do a fan of this idea. However, it will never happen… We try again and again. Elections. Revolutions. Wars. Reforms. Activists. Politicians. Terrorists. Everyone is striving to make the world normal. Do you understand? Quite usually normal! And the result? It’s abnormal! Still just as abnormal!

We are horrified to find that being abnormal in an abnormal world is perfectly normal – to the point that so far, no earthly force, no earthly power, has been able to do anything about it, for good or after the break. And with even greater horror, we find that what seems good, correct, natural, and normal to all of us is, in fact, so abnormal that it has never, ever happened to anyone or anything in this. The world has failed to do so. We get dizzy because we suddenly realize that we are completely and perfectly helpless – and we stumble on the edge of Hell, terrible in its normal abnormality and abnormal normalcy, and we are overwhelmed by the panicked fear of being trapped here forever, irreversibly and without hope of escape.

And suddenly, the voice here the voice of Jesus sounds: “Come to me! Do you hear? Hey, you there, can you hear me? Come to me! I will set you free! I’ll get you out of this! I know the way – I am the Way! “
Heavenly music for our ears and heavenly manna for our aching inside! That’s why we’re here. Jesus offers us an escape from this horror. He offers us a way out of this madhouse in which folly is considered normal and where fools smile at each other and pat on the shoulders, delighted that they are crazy like everyone else around… That’s why we became Christians, Catholics.

We have already talked a lot about prayer, we have thought, and we can say that we also pray regularly, and we want to be focused on prayer. And yet, even today, we can talk about prayer because the Lord Jesus Himself wants to talk about it. Jesus tells the disciples, “Ask, and ye shall receive that your joy may be complete” (Jn 16:24).

We know that after one conversation with his Father, Jesus was approached by the apostles to teach them to pray. Then he taught them the prayer we call the Father and which we consider to be the most beautiful because the Lord Jesus Himself taught us. Today, however, he warns us as our brothers and sisters to use his friendship with us and to ask in his name, his and our heavenly Father’s. It’s like when our good friend tells us, “Don’t worry, just go and say I’m sending you.”

Through His Passion and Death, Jesus received a new source of gifts and graces from us from the Father. Jesus wants us, in his name, to address our common Father directly. This process wants us to realize the prominent position we have received through his torture and death, that we can turn directly to our Father and receive what we ask for, precisely for the merits of Jesus Christ. We will feel even happier in such a process. Jesus encourages us, even more, to successfully act and hear our needs with our Father as he remarks, “In that day you will ask in my name. And I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God “(Jn 16: 26-27).

This is how we got the address directly on the body. It is up to each of us to take this great opportunity to gain grace and love for ourselves and the world. The Lord Jesus, in His love for us, longs for us to ask in prayer and for our meetings in this conversation to be frequent as the apostle emphasizes: “Brethren, pray without ceasing!”

This is a wonderful trust for us to have such an immediate encounter with God, who not only created all this around us and within us but also controls it. We will make the best use of it because it matters a lot, even for the most serious meeting in our lives, at the hour of death. Nevertheless, even this meeting can be begged here on earth to be a meeting of those who were truly in love, who longed for themselves. God has done everything to learn to ask, thanks, ask, and find time in our lives here on earth to glorify our God.
Let us realize that our prayers will gain value, and our meeting with Jesus will be transformed into fruitful dialogue, a conversation between two lovers – God and man. We can only leave such a meeting happy and enriched, which cannot be compared to anything from the wealth and beauty of this world. Jesus will give us everything that will benefit our salvation when we find the time and meet it in prayer.

Therefore, let us thank the Lord Jesus for a new invitation to talk to him. After all, we understand that our God is still near us. We don’t have to go to a special place; we don’t have to stand in line, we don’t need protection. He is just waiting for us when we find the time. He does not need our prayers. He wants us and again only to bless, strengthen and fill us with His peace, love, and especially grace.

We have commemorated the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus. For forty days, he appeared to his disciples and his other brothers and sisters and supplemented his teaching, which he had taught the apostles and the multitudes three years before his torture. As you hear Jesus’ words, the hearts of the apostles often burned. They were glad that Jesus was their companion, so let us not be surprised when Jesus lost sight of them with his departure to the Father, that a little fear got into their hearts for a while. That is why Jesus told them words of encouragement and consolation during the meetings on earth:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice. You will regret it, but your sorrow will be turned into joy “(Jn 16:20).

The grief of Jesus ‘disciples at the departure of Jesus will be transformed into joy by the action of the Holy Spirit, who, through faith, will make them know that Jesus’ physical absence is replaced by his mysterious presence in the Sacrament of the Altar, in his word. to explain his teachings, but also in the community of believers who have received baptism: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I among them” (Mt 18:20).

The grief and abandonment of the apostles lasted only a short time. Jesus once told them that they would not see him for a while. He meant his death. Then they would see him again, and he meant the time after his resurrection to his ascension. Such timelines – for a moment – can also be understood about the new Church, when the Lord Jesus will be present in it in mysterious ways until his second coming to this world. The apostles did not dare ask the Lord Jesus for what it means “for a while.”

It is still a current problem for many people today. They try to find out, count, speculate about the second coming of the Lord Jesus into the world. After all, the Lord Jesus said that neither the angels nor the Virgin Mary knew about this day when He would come. Whether the Lord Jesus has left for good does not bother us because we are convinced of the presence of the Lord Jesus among us by the teachings of the Church. Jesus is still present among us. It is enough if we understand the participation in the Holy Mass correctly. To accept the teachings of the Church about the sacraments and proceed in reading the Scriptures in the Church’s intention.
The Lord Jesus likens how the apostles’ sorrow quickly turns to joy to a woman in labor. When the child is born, the woman quickly forgets the pain she had to endure. Motherly love far exceeds all pain. So it is with the apostles, who quickly forget the sorrow when they are convinced that Jesus lives and forms one communion with them. They are no longer frightened of them, uncertain apostles, but they become new people after receiving the Holy Spirit.

We are also grieved when we do not see the Lord Jesus. It is even more difficult when internal unrest, insecurity, dryness, and prayers without some joy fall on us, St. receiving without a sense of enrichment. So these are the moments of meeting Jesus when we don’t feel him, and he seems far away. In such difficult moments of life, let us realize that we must have confidence and courage. It is good at such a moment to have a spiritual leader, preferably a confessor, close to us and to be led by him, or we should realize for ourselves that even if we do not feel the joy of the presence of the Lord Jesus, he is still here.

An event from the life of St. Teresa, who often took on the role of a ball. She offered to the Lord Jesus that she was waiting for this moment if she wanted to play with her. But even if he puts it in the corner as unnecessary, he will wait for the moment to come when he takes it in his hands again. This saint had to live a lot in her life, even though she died young.
Once, after such a difficult trial, when for several weeks she was not happy to meet the Lord Jesus and complained to him about where he had been all this time, she received an answer in her heart: “Teresa, I was in your heart. And I was very he was glad you were looking for me. I was happy for you. “

This means, brothers and sisters, that we do not have to worry after the departure of the Lord Jesus. He is still present among us, even though our eyes cannot see him. He is here. He wants us to stay true to him even in trouble.

The forty-day period when the apostles met the risen Christ was over. We are now experiencing a time as we prepare to receive the Holy Ghost, who continues with his strength in the work of the Son of God.

Jesus’ departure from the earth connected the cross with the crown. The Ascension took place on the Mount of Olives, at the foot of which lies Bethany. Jesus goes to the Father and sends us among the people. Our role is to keep all that the Lord has commanded us, our mission is to love God.