Opening Prayer
Lord, I ground my morning petition in the power and privileges of prayer, recognizing it as a mother’s Persistent Plea for the saving of souls. I ask for the confidence to pray without ceasing, believing that You are all goodness and gentleness to those who put their trust in You. Let my intercessions be a shield for those I love, protecting them from the snares of the Devil.
I petition for a confidence in prayer that does not waver even when Your answer is delayed or denied for my own good. Grant me the persistence to continue my requests, knowing that Your grace is capable of overcoming even the most hardened hearts. May my prayers be joined with fasting and almsgiving, making them a powerful force for the salvation of the world.
Amen.
Matthew 23:23-26
23Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint, and anise, and cummin, and have left the weightier things of the law; judgment, and mercy, and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone. 24Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness. 26Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean.
St. Monica
St. Monica teaches about the power and privileges of prayer through 30 years of tears for her son. Monica differentiates worldly anxiety from resignation to God’s will. The Gospel “Clean the inside” was her clinical reality; she prayed for Augustine’s “interior mansion” to be cleaned. Her narrative is that mercy before judgment is won by unfailing promises. We often give up when our prayers aren’t answered. Monica reminds us that “God knows what He’s doing“. The spiritual paper cuts of a rebellious child or a difficult family member are tokens of our desire. We must be a person of prayer even when everything looks dark.
The “power and privileges of prayer” are most evident in the persistent intercession for souls far from God. Through steadfastness and “persistent pleas”, the person of prayer can “vanquish the rest in debate” through the irresistible force of grace. We must never cease our intercessions, for prayer is the “most important business of life” and the means by which souls are saved.
“You called to me and cried aloud, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, and shone, and chased away my blindness… You touched me, and I burned to enjoy your peace.”
— St. Monica
Mary and the Magisterium
Monica’s persistent plea for her son mirrors Mary’s own unfailing trust in God’s promises. Both women teach us that confidence in prayer is the key to seeing God’s hand in our lives.
- Am I "steadfast in prayer", or do I "let my mind wander"?
- Do I trust that "for our own good, God may deny our request" temporarily?
Closing Prayer
Lord, help me to pray with confidence and wait with patience.
Amen.
