The richness and love are hidden in prayer.

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

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 O t h e n a s s e, which we consider the most beautiful because the Lord Jesus Himself taught it to us. Today, however, he admonishes us as his brothers and sisters to take advantage of his friendship with us and pray in his name, his and our heavenly Father’s. It is similar to when our good friend says to us:” Don’t be afraid, go and say that I am sending you.”

Jesus, by his passion and death, has obtained for us from the Father a new fountain of gifts and graces. Jesus wants us to address our petitions directly to our typical Father in his name. He wants us to do this so that we may realize what a distinguished position we have been given by his passion and death, that we can appeal directly to our Father and receive what we ask for, precisely because of the merits of Jesus Christ. We shall feel even greater joy in such a course of action. Jesus encourages us even more, to be successful and to have our needs heard by our Father when 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 you have loved me and have believed that I came from God” (Jn. 16:26-27).

Thus, we have received the address directly to the body. It is up to each one of us how we use this excellent opportunity to obtain graces and love for ourselves and the world. The Lord Jesus, in His love for us, greatly desires that we would ask in prayer and that our encounters in this conversation would be frequent, as the Apostle says: “Brethren, pray without ceasing.”

This is a great confidence for us when there is to be so immediate an encounter with God, who created all this around us and in us and directs it. Let us make the best of it, for much depends on it even for the most severe encounter in our lives, at the hour of death. Yet, we can also ask for this encounter already here on earth to be a meeting of those who truly loved each other, who longed for each other. God has done everything for us to learn to ask, give thanks, forgive, and take time in our lives already here on earth to glorify our God.
Let us realize that our prayers will gain in value, and our encounter with Jesus will be transformed into fruitful dialogue, a conversation between two lovers – God and man. We can only come away from such an encounter happy and enriched beyond anything of the riches and beauty of this world. Jesus will give us all that will benefit our salvation if we take the time to meet him in prayer.

So let us thank the Lord Jesus for a new invitation to speak with him, for we understand that our God is always near us. We don’t need to go to a particular place; we don’t need to stand in line; we don’t need favoritism. He is just waiting for us when we take the time. He doesn’t need our prayers. He wants to bless us again, strengthen us, and fill us with His peace, love, and grace. Amen.