First of all, I urge that
petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be offered for all men,
especially for kings and those in authority, that we may be able to lead
undisturbed and tranquil lives in perfect piety and dignity. (from the first letter of the apostle Paul
to Timothy)
Offer God a sacrifice of praise and fulfill
your vows to the Most High. If you
praise God you offer your vow and fulfill the promise you have made. So the Samaritan leper healed by the Lord's
word of command, gained greater credit than the other nine; he alone returned
to Christ, praising God and giving thanks.
Jesus said of him: There was no
one to come back and thank God except this foreigner. He tells him: Stand up and go on your way,
for your faith has made you whole.
The Lord Jesus, in
his divine wisdom, taught you about the goodness of the Father, who knows how
to give good things, so that you might ask for the things that are good from
Goodness itself. He urges you to pray
earnestly and frequently, praying often and with perseverance.
He tells you that every
place is a place of prayer though our Savior says: Go into your room. By
"room" you must understand, not a room enclosed by walls that
imprison your body, but the room that is within you, the room where you hide
your thoughts, where you keep your affections.
This room of prayer is always with you, wherever you are, and it is
always a secret room, where only God can see you.
If
each one prays only for himself, he receives less from God's goodness than the
one who prays on behalf of others. But
as it is, because each prays for all, all are in fact praying for each
one. In this way there is a great
recompense; through the prayers of each individual, the intercession of the
whole people is gained for each individual.
There is here no pride, but an increase of humility and a richer harvest
from prayer. (from
a treatise on Cain and Abel by Saint Ambrose, bishop)
Go back to the very
beginning of this article. Are we
praying for our leaders? Are we praying
for those in authority over us? Or, do
we simply rant and rave at the wrong that they do? If each of us prayed for the President, the
Supreme Court, Congress, or the state of Michigan, or the county of Montmorency
what changes could take place! kvs
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