The Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian; Passing into Eternal Life of the Servant of God Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, 1944; Passing into Eternal Life (1947) of Blessed Theodore Romzha, Bishop of Mukachevo, and Martyr.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Luke 11:9-13.
Read Luke 11:9-13
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
People often struggle to know how to pray. At its core, prayer is dialogue with God. We can praise Him, give thanks to Him, and petition Him as we spend time with Him. Prayer is dialogue, not a monologue. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray when He set the “Our Father” for them as an example (see Mt. 6:9-13). However, just as much as we may worry about the words we use when we speak to our Heavenly Father, we should also worry about hearing and receiving His words to us.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches His disciples, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Lk. 11:13). God is not malicious, and He desires to send us the Holy Spirit to be our Helper. The Holy Spirit gives us various gifts: “for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each on individually as He wills” (1 Cor. 12:8-11). Having received the Holy Spirit, we may experience His fruits: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). Our Father desires for the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and for us to experience all of these good things!
When we pray, let us take care to listen to God and become aware of His presence. Prayer is not about our own capabilities but rather the grace of God. Let us recall the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Romans: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26). Let us ask God to renew the Gift of the Holy Spirit within us!
Bible References