Lord, Teach Us to Pray!

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Jon 4:1-11; Lk 11:1-4

Today’s Gospel highlights the beautiful request of Jesus’ disciples to teach them how to pray.

Their request is truly significant because they do not ask Jesus to grant them power to teach authoritatively, drive out demons, or work miracles. Their very request to Jesus to teach them how to pray shows that they saw a different Jesus. 

The disciples had been journeying with Jesus, witnessing his preaching and healing ministry. But they sensed that behind all his accomplishments that were obvious to their eyes, there was an invisible power at work in him. They did discover that Jesus’ power came from his prayerful communion with his Father. It is for this reason that they ask for the gift of prayer. Without asking for individual gifts, Jesus’ disciples want to learn the very secret that will unlock all the gifts that they would need for their ministry.

On his part, Jesus is truly gracious in that he teaches his disciples to call God ‘Father,’ thus extending the same privilege that he himself enjoys. In teaching them to call God ‘Father,’ Jesus enlightens them with the responsibility of establishing a sibling relationship with all our neighbours, regardless of any differences. 

Integrating all the above insights, we may highlight the following.

1. Prayer is not something that we do, but it forms the very core of who we are. 

2. Prayer is a relationship, not a ritual. In prayer, we enter into a relational communion with God, our loving Father.

3. The relational aspect of prayer changes our idea of God. With the right understanding, prayer does not become a boring task but a labour of love that delights our heart, and we crave more for such communion. 

4. Relating with God means realigning our priorities so that we focus on God’s Kingdom and glory. 

5. Prayer makes a moral claim on us, especially when it calls us to unconditional love and fraternity. 

Let us pray for the grace to live the Lord’s prayer.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar