![]() Christ could not have meant them as an absolute prohibition, since he himself sometimes prayed aloud to the Father at the raising of Lazarus and on other occasions. Yet these words, as is the case with all the words of Christ, must be read in the full context of the tradition. He tells us instead to go to an inner room, close the door, and pray to our Father in secret. Perhaps this taboo is motivated by Matthew 6:5-6, in which Christ counsels us not to pray in public places in order to be more readily seen by others. There can be a sense that praying in front of others outside of the liturgy is somehow bad, something that is just not done. Apparently, that is okay to do: It is okay for people to see and hear our personal prayer on occasion.Īmong Catholics there can sometimes be a sort of taboo associated with audible or even visible personal prayer. However, the most urgent lesson for us may not be in the content of Christ’s prayer, but in the very act of prayer itself: Christ prayed out loud to his Father in front of other people. Rather, it is metaphysically fitting, a way of “putting first things first.” For human beings sustained in existence by God at every single moment, the first and most important words we can say to God are always “thank you.” Read more: None of us would have dared to pray like this, Francis says God has no vanity, so we should not see this as an attempt to put the Father in a good mood so he will give us what we want. He also begins his prayer in gratitude, another practice we would do well to imitate. The content of Christ’s prayer offers good lessons to us: as usual, Jesus begins by invoking God as “Father,” a privilege he extends to us as well in Our Father. I know that you always hear me but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” It is as that point that Christ summons forth Lazarus from the tomb, having raised him from the dead. Instead they greet him, one after the other, with the same declaration of faith: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” After having wept himself for the death of his friend, Christ commands that the stone covering the tomb be removed, and then he prays aloud: “Father, I thank you for hearing me. The response of both Martha and Mary is emotionally devastating, precisely because they make no accusations against Jesus. ![]() When Christ finally does arrive in Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man has been dead for four days. Or, in other cases, Christ may desire to give us a greater good than the legitimately good thing for which we ask. We may be praying for something that would not actually bring us what is truly good (e.g., my prayers to win the lottery), and so granting the prayer is incompatible with his love. Indeed, we can even say that because he loves us, he sometimes does not answer our prayers. Christ continues to love us even when he does not seem to answer our prayers. John’s account underscores how dramatic and unexpected this inaction is by reminding us that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”Īs always, we should insert ourselves into the story as the receivers of Christ’s actions-or inaction, in this case. ![]() ![]() He instead declares that “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God” and remains where he is for two days. Yet the excellence of the sisters’ petition does not move Christ to act as we would expect. Elizabeth of the Trinity taught me how to pray for others in 7 words The immediate context is much the same as that of the sixth sign: After having made a declaration of his divinity (“the Father and I are one”), Christ is again in danger of being stoned to death, but he and his disciples leave the area, traveling “across the Jordan” to the place “where John first baptized.” However, Christ’s friend Lazarus has grown gravely ill and is in danger of death, and so his sisters Mary and Martha send word to Jesus: “The one you love is ill.” It is a powerful prayer of petition, at once presenting a problem (the illness of Lazarus) as well as a reason for Christ to act (his friendship with Lazarus). The seventh sign is by far the longest of the signs in the Gospel of John, and it is in some sense their pinnacle and summary: Christ, having already shown his mastery over matter, illness, disability, hunger, and nature, will now show his power over death itself. The seventh sign (John 11:1-45): You don’t have to hide your prayer away The Introduction and six previous Signs are linked below. This Aleteia Series is looking at the signs from John’s Gospel as concrete lessons in prayer, taught by the Holy Spirit Himself. The Word of God is one of the normal, ordinary, and effective means by which the Holy Spirit wishes to teach us to pray. Prayer is one more thing that must be “caught,” not merely “taught.”
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