Homily: 17th Sunday: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time YR C
“Why Should We Pray?”
By Fr. William Holtzinger
July 24, 2004

Today we are being shown how to pray by Jesus. So many of us struggle with prayer either because we don’t create the time for it or we don’t like to do it. Some have simply stopped praying completely. Some have said: “What’s the point in praying? My prayers are never answered anymore anyway.” Some have given up even before they started. What are we to do in the light of these kinds of experiences? We must return to Jesus and ask, “Teach us to pray!”

What is prayer? Some might answer, “The Our Father.” or others, “The Rosary.” These are good forms of prayer, but neither have answered the question, what IS prayer? Basically, prayer is talking to God. That’s right. When we pray, we are opening up our lives and hearts to a conversation with our creator. Some conversations might look like a fight while others talk about simple things.... things of the everyday world. Imagine when you have conversations with your spouse or friend. You aren’t always asking your spouse or friend for something, yet we seem to do that with God. God has become our divine supermarket of things wanted. He’s more like Santa Claus than a lover. Yes, God is a lover. Again imagine, when you are with your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend, are you always talking? Or are there times you simply like to be in each other’s company? That’s what God wants. He just wants to be in your company. Don’t think you are boring. Remember God made you, and he doesn’t make junk or boring people. If you are boring, it’s because you have no imagination.

Let God in. Speak to him as you would someone next to you. Next time when you are in the car, be aware that Jesus is with you in the car. He is you know, whether or not you believe it or feel it. Jesus wants to be with you everywhere you go. So let him in. Listen to what he has to say instead of filling up your time with him with your words. You might be surprised what will happen when you let Jesus go with you everywhere you go. With a heart of prayer, he can guide you by the right paths. He can lift you u in your dark times. He can encourage you and challenge you. But most of all, he wants you to know that he loves you more than anyone else in the history of all time. Yes, you! So, pray. Pray today. Pray different than usual. Pray to make it through your day. Pray and let God in. Talk to him and listen back. Tell him about the most smallest and biggest things on your heart. I guarantee that you won’t bore him. You are way more interesting when you pray. How do I know that? Well... pray and you will find out for yourselves.