Teach us to pray

 

The Gospel Lesson for the seventh Sunday after Pentecost according to the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) is Luke 11:1-13.  The reading begins, He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

 
This fascinates me at a lot of levels.  One of the striking points is the nature of the request.  By chapter 11 the disciples have seen Jesus teach insightfully from the scriptures, exorcize a demon, heal the sick, grant a great catch of fish, cure a man afflicted with leprosy, make a paralytic well, restore a man’s withered hand, teach in parables, healed the servant of a Centurion, raise a widow’s dead son at Nain, calm a storm, drive a legion of demons out of a man in Gerasa, performed other healings, raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, fed five thousand people with a handful of loaves and fishes, exorcised another demon, and instructed people with further parables.
 
That is quite an impressive roster of activity.  Imagine hearing Jesus unlock the truth of the Bible in a way that they had not heard before.  What an extraordinary thing to be able to overcome storms and illness and even death.  The disciples of Jesus witnessed all of this – and more.  Yet, when they approach Jesus collectively, they ask for instruction in one thing.  It might be that they would desire to learn how to heal.  Think how much they could accomplish with that knowledge.  We would understand if they expressed a desire to learn how to multiply a little food into enough to feed a great number.  Hunger in that region would be a thing of the past.
 
But when they approach Jesus, they don’t ask for any of these things.  Instead, they make only one request.  They say, “Teach us one thing.”  To pray.
 
In Luke’s gospel, the prayer life of Jesus is central.  Jesus frequently withdraws from the commotion of people, even removing himself from his disciples.  His prayer is intense and lengthy, sometimes lasting all night.  He prays at times of great significance in his ministry.  He prayed at the time of his baptism.  He prayed before selecting The Twelve.  He prayed before leaving the comfortable setting of familiar places and setting out on his travelling ministry.  There would be other examples subsequent to this reading.  But, the prayer life of Jesus made a deep impression on his disciples. 
 
Let’s be clear: prayer is communication (or communion) with God.  It is coming into the presence of the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.  Jesus demonstrates that there is a way to do that, and a way not to do that.  Prayer is not giving God a laundry list of things we want done.  Earnest, fervent prayer is primarily an activity of listening.  When we DO speak, it is an event of gravity.  I hear people pray about, or report on praying about, some of the most trivial things.  I would ask anyone, if you were physically face-to-face with God, would you still spend your time asking for good picnic weather or for help in finding a desirable parking space?
 
When Jesus prayed, he asked things like, “How can I be more faithful?  When I am gone, who are the people in whose hands I should place the care of the church?  To whom should I take this gospel message?”  Jesus prayed big things.  And, while not always comfortable, he received big answers.
 
The disciples of Jesus come to him and say, “Lord, we have seen you heal sickness, overcome death, calm storms.  So, Lord, teach us to pray.”
 
This may be one of the greatest marks of discipleship.
 
The peace of the Lord be with you.