Daily Mass Gospel Reflection

Friends, today’s Gospel asks us to do three things: pray, fast, and give alms. Let’s focus today on prayer. Studies show that prayer is a very common, very popular activity. Even those who profess no belief in God pray!

What is prayer, and how should we pray? Prayer is intimate communion and conversation with God. Judging from Jesus’ own life, prayer is something that we ought to do often, especially at key moments of our lives.

Well, how should we pray? What does it look like? You have to pray with faith, and according to Jesus’ model, you have to pray with forgiveness. The efficacy of prayer seems to depend on the reconciliation of differences.

You also have to pray with persistence. One reason that we don’t receive what we want through prayer is that we give up too easily. Augustine said that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand.

Finally, we have to pray in Jesus’ name. In doing so, we are relying on his influence with the Father, trusting that the Father will listen to him.

Prayer is the fuel. Our souls are the powertrain. The
objective and purpose in life is converting the fuel into
motion by running it through the powertrain.
Thus, prayer is not the end unto itself. Prayer is the means of
moving toward the end, which is eternal life in heaven or damnation.
We will be judged based upon the route we
take. Did we do the right thing and take that left turn at Albuquerque? ....

But here is the difference, and I think that this explains why so many people are just sitting and watching as everything goes to hell.
People have been taught that prayer is the OBJECTIVE of the Christian walk, and not the FUEL. And so we hear people say,
“Oh, we’re not supposed to concern ourselves with earthly matters. We are supposed to withdraw from the world and pray.”

Our Lord’s great commissions to us are earthly ACTIONS. DO THIS in memory of Me. GO and MAKE disciples of all nations. LOVE one another as I have loved you.
It is our ACTIONS on this earth that will be the basis of our judgment. Hence, it is completely illogical to argue that nothing that happens on this earth or how we engage it matters.
Of course it matters... What we DO will determine whether we end up in heaven or hell. Prayer is the spiritual fuel that enables and fortifies the person to GO and DO the right.
This is why Jesus commanded the disciples to “watch and pray” in the Garden. He knew they were about to be tested and would have massive,
terrible decisions to make as His passion and death unfolded. As it turned out, instead of praying, they fell asleep, and as a result, all of them except John bugged out, and Peter denied Him.
No gas in the tank. I would guess that all of the women spent that evening in prayer with the Blessed Virgin at His command, and thus were the ones who were able to summon the courage,
loyalty and perseverance to stay with Jesus from the pillar to the Cross to the tomb.
Ann Barnhardt

Barron is a heretic who dares hope Hell is empty and thus Christ lied in the Gospels.

Barron tells non-Christians that Jesus Christ is only the “privileged route” to Heaven, not “the only route”.

Barron says he does not want to reverse homosexual marriages.

Barron is no shepherd; he’s a ravening wolf.

Barron needs prayers; not publicity and daily promotions.

Barron has as many needs of prayer as Bergoglio, Murph.

Why not pray for the conversion of the both them rather than pimp their empty words?

But then again, if Hell is empty (Barron) or Hell is non-existent (Bergoglio), why even pray for either of them?

Have you heard of the Killer Bees: Bergoglio, Barron and Biden?

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