When Saint Pope John XXIII became Pope, he had a standard prayer that is so apropos to today’s reflection. As the Pope finished his nighttime prayers, he would add these words to his prayers: “Well, I did my best. It’s Your Church, so I’m going to bed now.”
Isn’t it wonderful how informal and intimate Pope John was when he prayed? Michael White and Tom Corcoran help us to understand that our prayer, our adoration doesn’t begin with advising God of my needs. Jesus shows us HOW to pray when he teaches the disciples. The how to pray comes in the form of the Lord’s Prayer. When we pray, “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come” Luke 11:2), we are acknowledging that God is God, and we are not. That goes hand in hand with our Lenten Message Series!
We start prayer acknowledging we need God in every aspect of our lives. We need to express gratitude. We need to surrender to God’s will. The authors pose these questions to reflect:
Why is it important to have adoration as part of our prayer practice?
Do you regularly turn to worship and adoration? When and how?
As a result of this reflection, what is one action you can take to add more praise and adoration into your prayer practice?
I think today’s reflection offers excellent answers to these questions. It’s important to have adoration as a part of our prayer practice. They say, “When we pause to acknowledge God’s greatness, we are reminded that he is the ruler of the universe, and we are not.” Oh, I need to ground myself in this understanding sometimes. The authors add, “Adoration and worship remind us that God’s love comes first. We did not choose God; God chose us.”
Whether we are gathered with a community at Mass, praying the Rosary, praying the Liturgy of the Hours are going to Eucharistic Adoration … or all of them, it begins with acknowledge God’s overflowing love. For me, presiding at Mass is a humbling, yet uplifting experience. In my sinfulness and aware of my faults, God calls me to worship Him. I must never go on autopilot and worship God with ambivalence. I think that is one of the benefits of teaming with Fr. Joey and Deacon Bob with our seasonal Message Series. It takes more effort and preparation and that’s a small way to adore our Creator.
And now, before I go to bed, Ill pray: “Well, I did my best. It’s Your Church, so I’m going to bed now.”