prayer in hard times
"The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request." —1 Kings 3:10
Solomon felt inadequate. He said: "I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act" (1 Kgs 3:7). Jesus and His apostles felt overwhelmed. "People were coming and going in great numbers, making it impossible for them to so much as eat" (Mk 6:31). In both of these situations, the response to feeling inadequate and/or overwhelmed was to pray. Solomon prayed for a wise and understanding heart (1 Kgs 3:9). Jesus said to His apostles: "Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little" (Mk 6:31). Presumably, resting included coming to the Lord in prayer (see Mt 11:28-29). Jesus responded similarly at the agony in the garden of Gethsemani. When overwhelmed, he went to an out-of-the-way place and prayed (Mt 26:36).
If we want to be wise as Solomon was, if we want to be like Jesus, Who is our Wisdom (1 Cor 1:30), we must intensify our prayer at our most difficult times. When in agony, we should spend an hour with the Lord (see Mt 26:40). When struggling, we should do what Jesus and St. Paul did: ask others to join us in the struggle by their prayers (Mt 26:37ff; Rm 15:30). If sick, we should ask for the elders of the church to pray over and anoint us with oil in the name of the Lord (Jas 5:14).
Hard times are prayer times. Good times are prayer times. Pray always (Lk 18:1).
Prayer: Father, let my first reaction to problems not be anger, fear, escape, or control, but prayer.
Promise: "He pitied them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them at great length." —Mk 6:34
Praise: As he was crucified, St. Paul Miki said, "After Christ's example, I forgive my persecutors."
Reference: (Increase your prayer time this coming Lent. To help, order our tape Daily Prayers on audio AV 62-3 or video V-62.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 26, 2009
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