Sep 20th, Friday Motjari Meeting: Fr. Foeckler’s lecture note

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Sep 20th, 2019 Motjari

Father Foeckler’s Lecture

Matthew 26: 41

Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Sep 20th Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim and Paul Chong and companions, Martyrs.

St. Andrew Kim and St. Paul Chong are the roots of current 5M South Korean Catholics. Today is St. Andrew Kim, St. Paul Chong and 103 companion martyrs feast day. They became martyrs because of their love for Jesus Christ. 

Today’s topic is Prayer. 

1st question is, “What is pray?”

• Prayer is talking to God.

: We raise our voices to God. When you sing your prayers, it is like praying twice.

• Prayer is words. 

: You can pray out loud as a vocal prayer. You can pray inner prayer or mentally, when kneeling, or after communion.

• When did Jesus pray? 

• When he was in the Gethsemane Garden in agony
• When he blessed the bread loaves and fish
• When he was on the cross
• When he fasted and prayed in the desert
• At the last supper
• One the mountain, until 4th watch of the night.
• : 1st watch is 10 pm, 2nd watch is 12am, 3rd watch is 2am, 4th watch is 4am. Then the sun rises at 6am. Jesus dismissed crowd at 1st watch, prayed on the mountain until 4th watch (4am), walked on the water to catch the disciples on the boat.
• John 11: 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “ Father, I thank you for hearing me. 42 I know that you alway hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 And when he had said this, he cried out in an loud voice, “ Lazarus, come out!”
• Matthew 6:5-8 When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 7 In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  

But Jesus sometimes prayed out loud to show people how to pray. Jesus prayed a lot, talked to the God all the time, as St. Paul said, pray without ceasing.

2nd question: Whom do we pray to?

We pray to the Father(Lord God), Son (Jesus), Holy Spirit (wisdom, knowledge, tongue of fire, enlightenment), Mary, all the Saints, the angels. 

• Useful tips: You can send your guardian angel for your loved ones to protect them.

3rd question: How do we pray?

There are 4 different ways to pray.

1. Ask: prayer of petition

After the creed, we ask for a lot of things. This type is the most common type of pray.

2. Thanking

This is to guarantee that God will give you more. If you thank God for what God has given you, He will give you more. He will like your prayer because you have used what He gave you well.

3. Asking for forgiveness.

4. Prayer of praise: 

This is the highest form of prayer. At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus praised God and acknowledge God’s grace, before he raise Lazarus from death. God is goodness, all loving, creator of universe, most merciful, most generous. Talking to God, talking about Him, we are not involved. Prayer of praise is about God, no string attached. We should pray of praise more, just because He is good.

4th question: Why do we have to pray?

God’s beginning of redemption, He always worries of us. In Old Testament, when Adam was not be seen, God asked, “Where are you?” Man rebels against God, but He is still looking for you. God is seeking every single one of us. In New Testament, Jesus’s first question was “ What do you seek?” New Testament starts with invitation of God, “Come and See.” He advises us in many different ways.

Any relationship is based on communication, based on talk, based on conversation. If you don’t say hi to your friend who just hop on and standing next to you on the same bus you were riding, your friend will rethink the relationship, might think you are not his/her friend. Same rethinking will happen to us if we don’t pray God and acknowledge Him often. God wants us to pray. God is the model of all fatherhood. He wants us to have the relationship, us to be confident, us to have power. 

Anyone who wants to have relationship with God have to pray, but always remember that He is the one who loved us first, looked for us first. Prayer lets Him to bless us.

Memorare

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

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