Archbishop John Myers of Newark at the Prayer Breakfast

Archbishop John Myers of Newark at the Prayer Breakfast
Feast of St. Andrew, the Apostle, Friday, Nov. 30, 2007- Sat. Dec. 1, 2007

The following are excerpts from the Orange County Catholic Prayer Breakfast. It was held Friday, Nov. 30, 2007 at the Anaheim Marriot Hotel (beginning at 6:30 A.M. with The Luminous Mysteries, followed by a Mass and keynote address by the Archbishop)

This is a reflection with you on prayer. We are at a prayer breakfast.
What is prayer? Our inner beings being formed by the gospel and it is God who calls us to Himself. We want to know God. God who calls us to Himself.

Praying to God as he has revealed himself to us, not a figment or our own imagination. Each of us has an idea of God. We reduce God to our own level. And we might not want to face Him. We must let God be God. This begins our personal relationship. The Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Don’t distort our prayer to the Trinity.

The Archbishop makes reference to the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI on prayer.
The example of the rabbi who had someone complains about the Sabbath Services.
Remember we mean what the liturgy says.
St. Benedict, “Our mind must be in accord with our voice.” Our mind must adapt to it.

God has come to our aid. He teaches us to pray as shared with us in Holy Scriptures.
The “Our Father” as shared with us in Holy Scripture. His own prayer with the Father.

There are 7 petitions to be drawn to the mystery. We have the need to develop deeply.
1) Our Father who art in heaven:
We are one with Him and the source of all good. We know the Father through the Son. God has created us with His image. We are made in this very image. The delusion that man can perfect himself. We are thoroughly depended upon God. Say “Our Father” because we are one with Jesus and others.
2) Hallowed be Thy Name:
God revealed to Jesus His love and the revelation of God as the Father.
3) Thy Kingdom come:
Note the primacy and the dominion of God. His will is accepted. Listen and attend to God and have a deeper relationship to help us become the person we are meant to be.
4) Thy will be done on Earth and in Heaven:
God’s will be done. Imbedded in the human heart are the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount.
5) Give us this day our daily bread:
Daily means what is necessary for our existence. The early Fathers believed it to be Eucharistic in nature.
6) Lead us not into temptation: We need trials so that our human nature can be purified.
7) Deliver us from evil:
Redeem us and free us in the midst or our own culture. St. Peter, “Lord saves us.” If God is for us who can be against us.
God is Emanuel. He is with us in a sacred bond that can never be broken. If we look for Him we can find Him even in our daily life. Why do I find it difficult to pray? The desire to pray is in itself a prayer. The Rosary is an effective prayer….
George H. Kubeck, Posted in the early mornings on www.cinopsbegone.blogspot.com