Deacon John Writes:
This Sunday is World Communications Day and the scriptures remind us of the power of prayer. Prayer is world communications day in action. It is the conversation we have with God.
The first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, shows us the importance of prayer in our lives – to sustain and to comfort us through the current difficult period.
The gospel contains the opening section of Christ’s great prayer before he begins his passion and death. It has been called the “high priestly prayer” of Jesus. .
When the disciples were uncertain about the future after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven they turned to the one thing they knew that could help them – prayer. Their prayer would not be answered at once – it was nine days before Pentecost arrived and the Holy Spirit would fulfil what Christ had promised. They persevered and did not stop praying — praying for guidance, for wisdom, for “hope unseen.” The disciples didn’t give up. Neither should we!
The psalm today offers us all the gift of hope. “The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink?”
The scriptures cry out to us: trust and pray. Trust in God’s generosity and mercy. Trust in His plan for our lives. In the midst of our darkness, pray for light.
The important word is pray. The disciples did just this in the community when they turned to others for help and support. So should we. We are the Body of Christ, and that means we are, together, not only his hands and his feet – we are also his voice — to one another, and to the world. Trust in Him and no matter how deep the darkness, the light we are all looking for will come.
Wait for it………Watch for it………Pray for it.
The disciples in the upper room did and look what they achieved!