Prayer

This write up will discuss how we should pray as believers. It will look at the historical right praise as mentioned in the book of Genesis and then the book of Leviticus which also outlines the law and the rituals required of believers. This is reiterated in the New Testament by our Lord Jesus Christ and buttressed by the Catholic Church.

In the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4, vs1-7) it is not clearly stated why the sacrifice of Cain was rejected, and the only information we have is that God told him to do the right thing for his sacrifice to be accepted. It is therefore paramount to always do the right thing for our offerings to be accepted. As believers we offer prayers of petition, prayers of praise and prayers of intercession to God.  

The description of Abel's sacrifice gives a hint as to what Cain offered and the speculation is that he did not bring the best. This is because the bible says he brought some of his crop and there is no description as to how the crop looked like. Yet Abel is said to have brought the best of his animals which was the right thing to do. Offering the best of what you have  sacrificing what you love most, and we see this throughout the bible. It is important to note that both Cain and Abel practised their faith. 

In the book of Leviticus community prayer was well organised and believers gathered to worship God and receive instructions. The first instructions of worship starting with Leviticus chapter 1 are acknowledgement of sin and sin offering. This is interesting because it means there was some kind of self examination of conscience before presenting one's self to the Tabernacle. The Israelites would bring the prescribed sin offerings to the priests or Levites for expiation of sins. Therefore one could not engage God or pray unless they had a clean heart and the Levites also would die where they stand if they were to minister in the tabernacle with unclean hearts. 

When the son of man came he answered people's prayers by forgiving their sins first and then heal them. One such instance is in Matthew 9. {9:2} And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.

In Luke {18} Jesus highlights the importance of acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness. Here when the Pharisee prayed he boasted about how he conducts himself and blames the weakness and failure of others. While the publican standing afar acknowledges his sins and asks for forgiveness. Jesus says the publican was saved because he humbled himself and asks for forgiveness of sins. This is a great example of examination of conscience by the publican and when we examine our conscience like this we do not want to sin again and we will be doing the right thing. Jesus went on to say to his disciples: Luke {18:14} "I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other: because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted".  

Interestingly every Sunday Catholic  gathering has a petition and the gathering will start by asking for forgiveness.  This is called a penitential act where the priest invites all the believers and asking them to acknowledge their sins in preparation to celebrate the sacred Mass, the prayer of the Church. The whole gathering will quietly examine their conscience and pray with the priest in the following words; "I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, And, striking together their breast, they go on to say: Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault". 

Therefore we cannot make petitions or praises without a clean conscience. This is the right prays where we acknowledge our sins and failures and like Moses we take off our dirty sandals to step in the presence of God. As believers sometimes we perceive ourselves as prayer warriors yet we pray for others and ourselves with unclean hearts. We even call God to enter our hearts with no intention of acknowledging our errors and washing them off with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet even breaking the bread of life,  the body of Christ requires us to convert our hearts. (Corinthians 11, 17-24) .

This is why the first movement of the prayer of petition is asking forgiveness, like the tax collector in the parable: "God, be merciful to me a sinner!". The Catechism of the Catholic Church refer to this way of praying as the "righteous and pure prayer". Christ Jesus taught us in Matthew 5, 23 If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee; 24 Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift. This how prayer should be conducted and in this way we do the correct thing and the scowl on our face can be replaced with a smile.

Like Bartimeous let us all cry the louder, "Jesus Christ son of David have mercy on us. Jesus Christ son of David have mercy on us. Jesus Christ son of David have mercy on us".