Daily Prayer

Day 26, Evening Prayer:  Lord, I am lifting my hands towards You, have mercy on me!

  After the whole day’s of effort, what we gain and what we lost? We have to examine ourselves wholeheartedly. In the evening of the day examine ourselves with a humble and contrite heart, how efficiently we spent our day with the Lord. ‘The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds: and until it does, he is not to be consoled, nor will he desist until the Most High takes notice of him, acquits the upright and delivers judgement.’ Eccles. 35: 16-17. So do the prayer in a humble nature because our Lord humbled Himself to accept the death on the Cross. He did not count equality with God. The evening prayer is so important because all our efforts which we done in the Spirit of God during the day should be examined and say thanks to God for His mercy. More over ask pardon for our failings (the sins in words and deeds) which we done against God’s will. Our prayer should be like incense which is pleasing God as the priests offer during the time of Sacrifice of Holy Mass. ‘Yahweh, I am calling, hurry to me, and listen to my voice when I call to you. May my prayer be like incense in your presence, my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice? Ps. 141: 1-2. When we lift our hands all our bondages will be broken and we will be free to accept the Spirit of God.

Daily Prayer

Day 25, Lord, You have counted my sorrows and collected my tears in Your wineskin. 

  Our tears of repentance is loved by God. In the Gospel of St  Mathew says about Jesus heals the blind men. Jesus heard the cry of of the blind men. They followed Jesus till he reached his home. Matthew 9:27–30 (NJB): As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting(crying loudly), ‘Take pity on us, son of David.’ 28 And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up to him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Lord, we do.’ 29 Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘According to your faith, let it be done to you.’ 30 And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’  Here we could see Jesus understand their grievances and he was ready to cure their blindness. Psalm 42:3–4 (NJB): have no food but tears day and night, as all day long I am taunted, ‘Where is your God?’ 4 This I remember as I pour out my heart, how I used to pass under the roof of the Most High used to go to the house of God, among cries of joy and praise, the sound of the feast. Here we could see how the Psalmist lamented for his unworthiness. He was so much distressed about his companions as they all deserted him. Psalm 56:8 (NJB): You yourself have counted up my sorrows, collect my tears in your wineskin. Lord know very well about our miseries and nothingness. All our actions are recoded in His Book of Life. Nothing is to worry, but we should lament for our sins with deep repentance. 

Daily Prayer

Day 24, Lord, “Seven times a day I praise You for Your upright judgements.”

  Daniel prayed to God three times a day. ‘Three times each day, he went down on his knees, praying and giving praise to God as he had always done.’ Dan. 6:10. But What the Psalmist says? Psalmist prayed seven times a day. ‘Seven time a day I praise you for your upright judgements.’ Ps. 119: 164. Psalmist lamented three times in a day. ‘For my part, I appeal to God and Yahweh saves me; evening, morning, noon, I complain and I groan.’ Ps. 55: 16-17. Our Catholic Church’s official prayers; the Divine Office Prayer also has seven times prayer schedules. When we practice is a discipline in our prayer life, we will grow spiritually one with our Lord. Other wise we cannot gHow Elijah prayed for the rain in Israel. He was very much attached to the love of God. Elijah trust in God and he never despise Him. We all know he was taken to Heaven in body and soul. 1 Kings 18:42–46 (NJB): While Ahab went back to eat and drink, Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel and bowed down to the ground, putting his face between his knees. 43 ‘Now go up’, he told his servant, ‘and look out to sea.’ He went up and looked. ‘There is nothing at all,’ he said. Seven times Elijah told him to go back. 44 The seventh time, the servant said, ‘Now there is a cloud, small as a man’s hand, rising from the sea.’ Elijah said, ‘Go and say to Ahab, “Harness the chariot and go down before the rain stops you.” ’ 45 And with that the sky grew dark with cloud and storm, and rain fell in torrents. Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel. 46 But the hand of Yahweh had come on Elijah and, hitching up his clothes, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. Elijah also prayed seven times, seven has significant meaning or fulfilment of the Word of God. Joshua and Israelites marched seven times around the city walls of Jericho, they raised the war cry on the  seventh day and the walls was collapsed, they entered the city and captured the city. Josh 6: 10-20Joshua 6:14–16 (NJB): ……………They marched once round the city (on the second day) and went back to camp; and so on for six days. 15 On the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched (in the same manner) round the city seven times. (This was the only day when they marched round the city seven times.) 16 At the seventh time, the priests blew their trumpets and Joshua said to the people, ‘Raise the war cry, for Yahweh has given you the city! Joshua 6:20 (NJB): The people raised the war cry, the trumpets sounded. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, they raised a mighty war cry and the wall collapsed then and there. At once the people stormed the city, each man going straight forward; and they captured the city. These are evidence of constant prayer of the faithful servants of God in the Holy Scriptures

Daily Prayer

 

Day 23, The Morning Prayer, God loves a cheerful giver. 

   One more important thing we have to do is; always do the penance for our sins, for our own constant conversion. We have to pray for our enemies as they are our benefactors and we should give them unconditional love. Sirach 35:16–18 (NJB): Whoever wholeheartedly serves God will be accepted, his petitions will carry to the clouds.  17 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds: and until it does, he is not to be consoled, 18 nor will he desist until the Most High takes notice of him, acquits the upright and delivers judgement. Do not approach our lord with empty hands. ‘No one will appear before me empty-handed.’ Exod. 34: 20. We should strive for the holy virtues and these are the gifts God is expecting from us and he is not asking money or something materially. Sirach 35:8–10 (NJB): Add a smiling face to all your gifts, and be cheerful as you dedicate your tithes. 9 Give to the Most High as he has given to you, as generously as your means can afford; 10 for the Lord is a good rewarder, he will reward you seven times over. Our love towards Him is to obey His commandments. Lord says:There are many gifts and many wonders God has shared with us. These blessings are innumerable and immeasurable and we cannot put the value for it. God loves the cheerful giver, 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NJB): Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. so we should give abundantly without any measure. We will be rewarded in many ways which we never knew. ‘If you love me you will keep my commandments.’ Jon. 14: 15.

Daily Prayer

Day 22, The Moning Prayer, Lord, help us to stay away from sins.

  One thing is very important in our spiritual life is that to do fasting and prayer, this way we get the repentance and we will lament for our sins. This will help us to stay away from the sins. We may experience the presence of Jesus when we start keeping vigil in our prayers. It will give us the constant intimacy with our Lord and He will give us the concentration in our prayers.  If we starve our body we can control our temptations and our body; the flesh. That’s why Sirach says about the overeating. ‘Sirach 23:6 (NJB): do not let lechery and lust grip me, do not leave me a prey to shameless desire. St. Paul also says not to be the belly worshipers. ‘They are destined to be lost; their god is the stomach; they glory in what they should think shameful, since their minds are set on earthly things. Phi. 3:19. Even Jesus was tempted by Satan to have food, but what Jesus told is to be an eye opening for us: ‘Human beings live not on bread alone.’ Lk. 4: 4. But by Word of God: ‘………to show that not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Detr.8:3(V-DRBO). So let’s pray to our Lord, to strive for fasting and prayer; it is an important factor to grow spiritually.

Daily Prayer

Day 21, The Morning Prayer. Lord, at day break You hear my voice and I fix my eyes on You!

   The Psalmist says in great devotion: ‘To you I pray, Yahweh. At day break you hear my voice; at day break I lay my case before you and fix my eyes on you.’ Ps. 5: 3.This is exactly what we have to do in the morning. We should pray to God before the Sun rises to say thanks to His Holy Name. ‘To give you thanks, we must rise before the sun and meet you at the dawning of the day………’Wis. 16: 28.We submit everything unto Him. Fix the eyes on Him; that means read the Scriptures; this way we can fix our eyes on Him. Read the Bible in humbly and reverently to listen His voice silently. If we lament for or sins, we can concentrate in prayer and will come closer into His heart. Jesus also prayed early in the morning before he does anything for the Kingdom of God.’ When the day light came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place’ Lk. 4:22. St. Paul says about the daily prayer: ‘Pray constantly’1Thes. 5:17. Again he says: ‘Be persevering in your prayers and thankful as stay awake to pray’. We should stay awake to pray. ‘Do not be hesitant in prayer; do not neglect to give alms.’ Sir.7: 10. Never feel lazy for praying. Prayer and almsgiving goes together. Sirach 32:15 (D-R): And at the time of rising be not slack: but be first to run home to thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there take thy pastime When we wake up first thing we have to do is the prayer and remember His Name always. Fear of Lord brings us listen the scolding of Him and never be discouraged or wavering in our faith. Our pleasure will be to obey His statitudes and there the grace comes and abide in us.

Daily Prayer

 

Day 20, Lord, purify my heart and body to serve you whole heartedly

   There are so many ways to pray to God. But God looks into our heart, He test us how much love we put in our heart for Him while praying. While praying if we kneel and pray, we will be blessed with humility. “We are brought low in all the earth, this day for our sins” St Boneventure wrote in his Book: Holiness of Life. We should surrender ourselves, bend low, down to earth. The earth is the foot stool of God, and we are not ashamed to bend the knee in front of our Lord. Psalmist says: Psalm 95:6–7 (NJB): Come, let us bow low and do reverence; kneel before Yahweh who made us! 7 For he is our God, and we the people of his sheepfold, the flock of his hand. Daniel also prayed  three times by kneeling towards east(Jerusalem)Daniel 6:11 (NJB): When Daniel heard that the document had been signed, he retired to his house. The windows of his upstairs room faced towards Jerusalem. Three times each day, he went down on his knees, praying and giving praise to God as he had always done. Daniel never afraid of anyone, but he trust in God. He has the faith that, God will always hear his prayer. 

Daily Prayer

 

Day 19, Lord, let us stay awake to pray, let Your spirit guide us

   The night in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus again encountered with his Father. Jesus has to obey his Father’s will and to establish the everlasting covenant by giving his life as a sacrifice. The disciples have heavy eyes while Jesus was praying in the late night; they could not stay awake to pray with him. Jesus was so distressed in the Spirit; he began to feel terror and anguish. Jesus asked the disciples. so you had not the strength to stay awake with me for one hour? Stay awake, and pray not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing enough but the human nature is weak.’ Matt. 26: 41.  While we are praying we become one body and soul with God. It will be an inseparable communion with Father, Son and Spirit. Many saints will accompany us and we can experience this communion of saints and God will reveal them to us. ‘That’s why the one hour prayer in the midnight is very important. He prayed earnestly with full of grievances to submit all the souls to the Father from the beginning to the end because he is Alpha and Omega. ‘In his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.’ Lk. 22: 44. His sweat drops became drops of blood. He accepted all the darkness, which is encountering our mind and body.

Daily Prayer

Day 18, Lord, teach us the secrets of Your Kingdom. 

   When we are in union with Christ, God will open His Divine door of Mysteries in front or us to get the inheritance in His eternity. We will be His children and He will be our Father. According to measure of His grace we will be able to do all the goodness to build up His Kingdom in our midst. Then what we need from this world, nothing! He is having the tremendous wealth in His most rich Kingdom. God will reveal the mysteries of the wealth in His Kingdom and the world of Satan; ‘I shall give you the secret treasures and hidden hoards of wealth, so that will know that I am Yahweh, who call you by your name, the God of Israel’. Is. 45: 3. No body can count or measure His wealth. God gave us His most precious possession that is His only Son Jesus our Lord. That’s why God is asking us to call Him or pray to Him till He answers our petitions. ‘Call to me I will answer you; I will tell you great secrets of which you know nothing.’ Jer. 33: 3. We know nothing about His eternal secrets because we are in flesh and his kingdom is not of this world. This Jesus told Pilate: John 18:36 (NJB): ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. As it is, my kingdom does not belong here.’ 

   ‘Prayer is the desire for God, an indescribable devotion, not given by man but brought about by God’s grace. As St Paul says: For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself intercedes on our behalf in a way that could never be put into words. If God gives to someone the gift of such prayer, it is a gift of imperishable riches, a heavenly food that satisfies the spirit. Whoever tastes that food catches fire and his soul burns for ever with desire for the Lord’. The excerpts from an homily of St John Chrysostum

Daily Prayer

 

Day 17, Lord, wash away my hidden faults, from pride persevere Your servant

  Two things are very important to lead a prayer life that is, zeal and constancy. Always be joyful whatever comes in our life and persevere in hardship. ‘In the service of the Lord, work not half-heartedly but with consciousness and an eager spirit. Be joyful in hope, persevere in hardship; keep praying regularly.’ Rom. 12: 11-12. If we can cry bitterly with tears for our sins through humility and we are blessed by God with that gift of prayer which He will entrust to us as He gave to all His saints. We should pray like this: Lord, ‘Wash away my hidden faults. And from pride persevere your servant, never let it be my master. So shall I be above reproach, free from grave sin. May the words of my mouth always find favour, And the whispering of my heart, In your presence, Yahweh, My rock, my redeemer’ Ps. 19: 12-14. The pride should not be our master when we lead a spiritual life. A clear conscience should be there to understand our weakness and failures. ‘I have conversed this present day with all good conscience before God until this present day.’ Acts. 23:1 This will make us to be humble in front of God and men.  A pure soul never use so many words in front our Lord instead she will cry or lament for her sins.

Daily Prayer

Midnight Prayer

 Day 16, Lord, let me awake in the watch of the night to praise You!

 We should have the zeal to do the prayer in the midnight. Br. Victor gave advice to Bros., to do the holy hour in the midnight. Praying in the midnight is a great virtue, by constant prayer we will be blessed with this grace to pray. But not to be dishearten from this. Jesus understands this and we have to keep our thirst to do such kind of sacrificial prayer. First of all we should try to wake up in the middle of the night between 1 and 2’o clock. Psalmist says about this mystery: ‘My eyes are awake before each watch of the night, to ponder your promise.’ Ps. 119: 148. While getting up praise God with one or two Psalms with a great devotion with love towards our Lord. Continue it for few days, then our Lord will increase our faith and zeal towards Him. According to our Constancy in prayer, God will increase the timing of our prayer by His tremendous grace. This is the best time to meditate the Word of God and ponder into our heart. We have to train ourselves to that kind of heart and will; to serve the Lord with a great zeal. Psalmist again says: Psalm 102:1–2 (NJB): 1” Yahweh, hear my prayer, let my cry for help reach you. 2 Do not turn away your face from me  when I am in trouble; bend down and listen to me, when I call, be quick to answer me!” Our Lord will listen our prayer and He is very quick to answer our prayers

 

Daily Prayer

 

Day 15, Lord, make me humble, let me find favour in Your presence

  So humble ourselves in the presence of our Lord. Br Victor in a talk told that, meditate Sirach. 3: 18 thousand times before you pray or open the Bible to meditate the Word of God. ‘The greater you are, the more humbly you should behave, and then you will find favour with the Lord.’ Sir.3: 18. The humility is the most difficult virtue. The humble will accept all the persecutions gladly without retaliating. The humble never expect any reward after doing good to others. The humble always try to serve others wholeheartedly. The humility always comes from our heart and act by the will of God. The humble will be satisfied in the content with what they have. ‘Religion, of course, does bring large profits, but only to those who are content with what they have. The humble never will be greedy for anything and never proud in their heart.’1Timo. 6:6. Then God will carry our all our burdens, sins and all other ailments in our daily life. Be like a beggar in front of Him. Jesus asks us to learn from him the gentleness and humbleness. ‘Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for hour souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’Mattl.11:28-30. If we trust in Him, he will guide us to get the strength to carry all the worries and tribulations in a smiling way. When we pray to God in strong faith he will provide us whatever we ask.

Daily Prayer

 

Day 14,  Lord, day and night, let me hear Your Holy Word

  Let us be silent in nature while praying and wait for the Lord. He will give the  words through His Spirit to pray because the Spirit is inspiring us and interceding for us in front of God. Romans 8:26–27 (NJB): 26 And as well as this, the Spirit too comes to help us in our weakness, for, when we do not know how to pray properly, then the Spirit personally makes our petitions for us in groans that cannot be put into words; 27 and he who can see into all hearts knows what the Spirit means because the prayers that the Spirit makes for God’s holy people are always in accordance with the mind of God. Then again be silent and meditate the mercies of our Lord towards us sinners. Stop our thoughts and worries of this contemporary world; all this will decay. Our worries and doubts will be hindrance to approach our Lord.

  How our Lord will help us no one knows. He will be there in all our troubles and tribulations Wisdom of Solomon 18:21 (NJB): ’for a blameless man hurried to their defence. Wielding the weapons of his sacred office, prayer and expiating incense, he confronted Retribution and put an end to the plague, thus showing that he was your servant.’ Jesus is coming, the spotless and blameless to redeem us by his sacred office, the prayer and incense. How wonderful it is if our Lord hear our prayers as well as when we hear His voice, His Word. 

Daily Prayer

Day 13, Lord, take away all my pride in possessions and all other earthly matters go off from my mind and heart. 

  While we are praying we should use less words and speak to our Lord in the language of love and with full heart and conviction. ‘In your prayers do not babble as the gentiles do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this. Our Father who art in Heaven…………’ Matt. 6: 7-9. St There’s of Avila wrote a book ‘The way of Perfection’ about the “Our Father ………”Prayer which Jesus taught the Apostles and disciples. Meditate about the mysteries of God. Meditate the mysteries in the Rosary and pray it from our heart with full of love towards the Mother of Jesus, our Mother. Kneel down in front of His footstool, the earth and bend our head down, lift our heart and mind to our Lord and pray like this: ‘Lord, I am an unworthy in front of you, I am a sinner, have mercy on me Lord!’ Lord! Let my pride in possessions and all other earthly matters go off from my mind and heart.’

  Honour Him always in words and deeds. Do not make empty promises to God. Be faithful to our promises and oaths towards our Lord. " I am bound by the vows I have made, God, I will pay you the debt of thanks, Ps 56:12" Do not forget to do anything which God has asked us to do. Plead to Him for cleanse us from all our sins.

 

Daily Prayer

 

Day 12,  Leave the crowd, go to a lonely and secret place to pray, as Jesus did!

  We should leave the crowd to receive grace of God in its fullness. Jesus never wasted the time even for a minute serving his Father. After finish the preaching; he leaves the crowd and goes to a lonely place for prayer. ‘After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray.’ (Matt. 14: 23) Jesus went alone to pray. We need the personnel prayer for the union with God. In the Morning and Evening; Jesus done the personnel prayer according to the Fathers’ will. ‘In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.’(Mk. 1: 35) Our Lord has given us so many examples of prayer life by his own way of life. He prayed and fasted for forty days in the desert and was tested by Satan. ‘Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days being put to the test by the devil. During the time he ate nothing…………’Satan knew he was hungry and he tempted Jesus and asked him, ‘if you are Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Human beings live not on bread alone.’ Lk. 4: 1-13 He prayed fervently even he was tested by Satan but he didn’t fail in anything. When he has chosen the apostles, he prayed whole night lonely in a mountain. He chose the apostles after long hours of prayer.  ‘Now it happened in those days that he went onto the mountain to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them apostles.’ Lk. 6: 12-13

Daily Prayer

 

Day 11. Prayer is the key to open the house, which our Lord prepared for each one of us. 

  Our Lord is inviting us to find our secret place, the castle which God has given us. Let us pray with a humble and wailing heart. The intensity of tears and in the fullness of love of God is the invitation, to be alone with Him in silence. The tears are the blessing from God those whom love Him and make themselves humble in front of God and men. We should be like beggars in the presence of God like Lazerous sitting in front of the gate of a rich man’s house. This will happen, when we humble ourselves and produce the wholesome virtue of holiness. Then we start producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  “Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self control.” Gal. 5: 22. This is the way prayer goes and prayer is always to be filled with the love of God. 

  Jesus already made the castle or house for each one of us when he resurrected and ascended into heaven. But we have to be qualified for that according to His will. The first thing we have to do is pray, pray and pray!!! Prayer is the key to our castle which God has prepared for us. Prayer is the union with God and the oneness with Him. Pray to our Lord for the holiness with a contrite heart.  “But my eyes always are drawn to the person of humble and contrite heart and those trembles at his Word.” Is. 66:2. There is no other way to approach the divine door of Kingdom. That’s what Jesus says: ‘In my Father’s house there are many places to live in; otherwise I would have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you……….’Jon. 14: 2-3. Each castle will be different according to the measure of our faithfulness.

Daily Prayer

 

Day 10

Lord, let Your love embrace us in our prayers

  God will put so many beautiful things in the castle which St Therese of Avila explained in her Book of Interior Castle. When we pray, be humble in front of our Lord, then we cannot imagine how it will please us with a tremendous joy in our heart. How marvelous the joy and pleasure will be, when it will strengthen us. We will overcome all the temptations, persecutions and all kind of tribulations. Jesus’ love will make us happy in our life; nothing will be more important than the work of His Will. This will be our eternal asset which no one can steal from us. St. Paul says: ‘But what were once my assets I now through Christ Jesus count as losses. Yes I will go further: because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything else as loss.’ Phil. 3: 7-8. When we start to explore the prayer and union with Him, God’s glory will shine in the whole Castle. Our heart  and mind will multiply with tremendous light of all eternal virtues. Then we will experience the beauty of Heaven in holiness by our way of life in Christ.

Daily Prayer

Day 9, Lord, make us humble to reach Your House 

Prayer the Hidden Castle

  Prayer is like a soul searching for her castle as St. Theresa of Avila describe about. God has made for each one of us a castle to stay in union with Him. How can we approach this castle? By humility and holiness we find our room in Heaven. That’s what Jesus says: “In my Fathers’ house there are many places to live in; otherwise I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.”Jon 14:2. Jesus himself says about this castle and the special place which he already prepared in his Spirit. The soul will understand this by the grace of God. Without His grace we cannot do anything. God’s presence will be there to save His children and mould them according to their faithfulness in Him. Our faithfulness should be tested by fire. ‘but each person's handiwork will be shown for what it is. The Day which dawns in fire will make it clear and the fire itself will test the quality of each person's work. 14 The one whose work stands up to it will be given his wages; 15 the one whose work is burnt down will suffer the loss of it, though he himself will be saved; he will be saved as someone might expect to be saved from a fire.’ 1Cor. 3: 13-15. 

Daily Prayer

Day 8, ‘Lord Jesus, Son of God, am a sinner, have mercy on me!’

  Our Lord is inviting each one of us to be with Him and to trust in Him. He will cover us with his warming love. But he is asking one condition that is to make us humble like him. ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are over burdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’ Mat. 11: 28-30. How our worries and troubles will be lighter? When we make ourselves gentle and humble like Jesus is!! ‘Lord Jesus! Son of God, am a sinner have mercy on me.’ Matt. 16: 16, Matt. 20: 31. This is a universal prayer or an anti-phone to recite repeatedly as a prayer. So many saints of past from Eastern countries used this prayer in their daily life. This prayer which made a great impact on them in their spiritual life.  It was made them humble themselves and they experience tremendous repentance.

  “Prayer is a go-between linking us to God. It gives joy to the soul and calms its emotions. I warn you, though: do not imagine that prayer is simply words. Prayer is the desire for God, an indescribable devotion, not given by man but brought about by God’s grace. As St Paul says: For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself intercedes on our behalf in a way that could never be put into words.” From A Homily of St John Chrysostum 

Daily Prayer

 Day 5

Lord, teach us how to pray in secret. 

  Pray in the secret and silence is very important, there we will find God’s peace and His consolation. So the personal prayer and interaction with God is very essential and He will speak to us secretly.  Matthew 6:5–6 (NJB): And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you. 

  Reading and meditating the Word of God is the best way to get the grace of prayer. We may start praying through the Scriptures till we get the Spirit of Prayer. Jesus asks us make the Word of God our home to grow steadily and constantly to reach and understand the truth about God and His mysteries and it will make us free. ‘If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples; you will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free.’ Jon. 8:31-32. We all would come more closer to Jesus, the intimacy with him. So if we have the zeal for the Word of God then we can be the disciples of Jesus.

  St John Chrysotum beautifully says about the prayer: “Prayer is the light of the soul, true knowledge of God, a mediator between God and men. Prayer lifts the soul into the heavens where it hugs God in an indescribable embrace. The soul seeks the milk of God like a baby crying for the breast. It fulfils its own vows and receives in exchange gifts better than anything that can be seen or imagined.”From: Divine Office Prayer Universalis