The legacy Jesus left to the Church

When the disciples came to Jesus with the request, "Lord, teach us to pray," they uttered one of the deepest and most significant cries. But for most of us who consider ourselves to be God’s children, prayer is little more than token recognition of God. It is like sending SOS signals when we are in trouble, or a heart cry letting God know that we would like Him to rescue us or give us what we think we deserve.

One fundamental failure is that when people are supposed to come together for prayer, they talk...and talk some more. They talk about what they need to pray about but watch the hour pass by quickly and notice that prayer is usually a postscript to the meeting!

Yes, you can pray alone, and there are some things that need to be settled just between you and God. Jesus had times of solitude for personal prayer, yet there is something powerful, energizing, and homogenizing about praying together with others. Jesus recognized this because He said, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:20).

Nothing brings people together more than prayer, or causes them to lose sight of their personal agenda or forget petty differences. You might not have a prayer meeting in your church but why not in your home? Lay some ground rules on what you will talk about, but focus on prayer, not conversation. Meet with a group of other women, or start a group for men who meet early in the morning. But whatever you do, realize that where there are two or three, the very presence of Jesus Christ Himself is in your midst.

Today Counts is available in bookstores nationwide. For more information, write to Guidelines Philippines, Box 4000, Makati; e-mail [email protected]; website www.guidelines.org.