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<v SPEAKER_00>I think many Catholics struggle with prayer for the same reason.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We secretly believe that prayer is about convincing God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We bring him our needs, we bring him our problems, our worries.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And sometimes, if we're honest, we spend most of our prayer trying to persuade God to do what we want him to do.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But Jesus says something remarkable in today's gospel.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God already knows.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Before the prayer is spoken, before the tears fall, before the anxiety, before the diagnosis, before the difficult conversation, before the uncertainty about the future, God already knows.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So you may be asking yourself, so then why should I pray?

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<v SPEAKER_00>If God already knows, what's the point?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Well, here's the answer.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because prayer is not primarily about changing God's mind, prayer is about changing our hearts.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Prayer is where God slowly teaches us to see the reality that He sees.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Prayer is where our fears encounter His providence.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Prayer is where our plans encounter His wisdom.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Prayer is where we, our wills, encounter His will.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That is why Jesus gives us the Our Father.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And notice how different it is from the prayers we often pray.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Most of the prayers begin with us, our problems, our needs, our concerns.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But Jesus begins with God, our Father who art in heaven.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Hallowed be thy name.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The first concern is God's glory, thy kingdom come.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The second concern is God's kingdom, thy will be done.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The third concern is God's will.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Only after that do we arrive at our needs.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Give us this day our daily bread.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That order matters.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because Jesus is teaching us something very fundamental.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Prayer is not about getting God to join our agenda.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Prayer is about joining His.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And that's not always easy.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because most of us have experienced moments when God's will seemed confusing.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why did this happen?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why wasn't this prayer answered?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why did this door close?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why am I suffering so much?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Those are not new questions.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The saints all asked them too.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Elijah certainly knew something about that struggle.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Listen to how the first reading describes him.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Fire came down from heaven.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The dead were raised, kings trembled before him.

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<v SPEAKER_00>His words carried extraordinary power.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It is one of the most impressive descriptions of any prophet in Scripture.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But the secret of Elijah's greatness was not his miracles.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The secret was his friendship with God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The miracles were visible, the friendship was hidden, the miracles were public, the prayer was private.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Long before Elijah stood before kings, he stood before God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Long before he confronted the world, he allowed God to shape his own heart.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And that's where spiritual power always begins.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not with activity, not with influence, not with success, but with prayer.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I sometimes think we admire the wrong things in the saints.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We admire their accomplishments.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God admires their surrender.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We admire all the beautiful things they did.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God sees what they became.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And what they became happened because of prayer.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then Jesus ends today's gospel with something that almost feels abrupt.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He moves from the Our Father to forgiveness.

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<v SPEAKER_00>If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Well, because one of the greatest obstacles to prayer is a heart that refuses to forgive.

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<v SPEAKER_00>A resentful heart cannot fully receive mercy.

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<v SPEAKER_00>A bitter heart cannot fully experience freedom.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Many people carry wounds for years.

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<v SPEAKER_00>A harsh word that was said to them, a deep betrayal, a disappointment, an injustice.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And that hurt begins to build and becomes part of their identity.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yet every time we say the Our Father, we say, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

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<v SPEAKER_00>In other words, Lord, treat me the way I treat others.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's a frightening prayer if we really think about it.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And so perhaps today's gospel invites us to examine two things.

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<v SPEAKER_00>First, do I trust God's will?

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<v SPEAKER_00>And second, is there anyone I still need to forgive?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because the saints understood both.

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<v SPEAKER_00>They trusted God even when they did not understand him, and they forgave others because they themselves had been forgiven.

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<v SPEAKER_00>When Jesus teaches us to pray, he teaches us far more than words.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He teaches us how to live, how to trust, how to surrender.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Teaches us to forgive and ultimately to say, with our whole lives, thy will be done.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because for the Christian, there is no more powerful prayer than that.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Amen.