Our Prayer Life

We are just reading from the first chapter of Mark, and we are told about a pattern that will exist in Jesus’ life throughout this Gospel and others.  He goes apart to pray.  Here, the apostles seem to interrupt His prayer and want to come back to where He was; He says, “No, we’re going to go to the other villages.” Some commentators say that Jesus discerned that action in prayer.

As we hear the Gospel this morning, perhaps we can examine our own prayer life, and how consistent we are in setting aside some time to pray each day.  Not simply here commonly in the Eucharist, but going off to a deserted place to pray.

I don’t think it was in the Baltimore Catechism, but somehow it’s ingrained in my head that there are four types of prayer.  It’s the word ACTS—adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, and supplication…it’s burned in my head!  Maybe you and I can somehow find time today to adore, to be sorrowful, to be asking of things, or to be simply thankful for all that we have.

Msgr. Daniel Hoye