Devotion for today: first, they prayed

We have learned from the early Church that they were prompt, praising, and now…prayerful. This is the feast of the Ascension; however, in many dioceses it will be celebrated on Sunday. Today we will take a look at what happened immediately after the Ascension, as we continue to study the practices of the early Church and how they apply to us.

 Scripture for meditation: Acts 1:12-14

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away; and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Scripture for reflection: Matthew 6:6, 14:23-24

“Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees what no man sees, will repay you.”  When he had sent them away, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray, remaining there alone as evening drew on.

We learn from the commentary given to us in The Navarre Bible Acts of the Apostles: This is the first passage which tells of the spiritual life and devout practices of the disciples. Significantly it places the emphasis on prayer, in keeping with our Lord’s own practice and with his constant recommendation to his followers. “Prayer is the foundation of the spiritual edifice. Prayer is all-powerful: (J. Escriva, The Way, 83). It can truly be said that prayer is the bedrock of the Church, which will be made manifest with the coming of the Holy Spirit. The prayer of the disciples, including the women, in the company of Mary would have been a supplication of entreaty and praise and thanksgiving to God. This union of hearts and feelings produced by prayer is a kind of anticipation of the gifts the Holy Spirit will bring. “We are told this time and again in the passage narrating the lives of the first followers of Christ. ‘All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer’ (Acts 1:14) … Prayer was then, as it is today, the only weapon, the most powerful means, for winning the battles of our interior struggle” (J. Escriva, Friends of God, 242). (The Navarre Bible, Acts of the Apostles, Four Courts Press, 1992)

 

Prayer: The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell, and on the third day he arose from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, from whence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

My thoughts: It is not surprising to learn that the first thing the apostles, disciples, women, Mary and Christ’s brethren did after the Ascension was to go to their upper room and pray. Whenever a big event in the Church was about to occur, it was always preceded by prayer. This is the pattern Jesus gave us. Before beginning his public ministry, he went into the desert and prayed. Before he faced crucifixion and death, he prayed. We see him slip away into a peaceful place on many occasions to pray to his Father. Nothing that Jesus ever did was anything less than an example for us to follow. So it is with prayer. Many people wonder today why their lives are a mess. They claim to have faith, yet when pressed on the matter of personal prayer in their lives, they will admit 1) they don’t make time for it, or 2) they don’t believe in its power. How sad! There is no relationship with God without prayer.  Just as there is no hope for a human relationship which has no communication, so, too, there is no hope for a relationship with God if we never take the time to talk to him. The early apostles and disciples never did anything without prayer. Because of this, the Church flourished amidst trial and persecution and all efforts to shut it down. It will always survive as long as people pray. No weapon of the enemy can withstand the power of prayer. It is the same for our lives as well. If we think we can do this thing called living without God, we will surely be sad and alone. If we follow the example of Peter and the Apostles, filling our lives, our decision-making and our trials with prayer, we will find peace, comfort and answers. To hear the answers, however, we must know God’s voice, and to hear his voice, we must take the time to listen.

Our prayer to God: Why not stop everything today for a few minutes, and just thank God for our lives, for the good and the bad, for the gifts and the trials, for the blessings and the crosses. Then, let us just be quiet. Really quiet and let God say “I love you.” That is all he ever really wants to say.