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Elijah, after fleeing the wrath of Queen Jezebel, climbed the mountain of loneliness, in search of God. He felt God’s presence only after praying, after which, he descended the mountain to become the Old Testament’s greatest prophet. Jesus, went up the mountain, as well, to pray. And it was only after this, that He was able to walk over water. Peter, who saw Jesus walking over water, tried it, but failed, as he had not been to the mountain to pray.
The lesson in these stories is that pray, we must. If want to go through the troubled waters of life peacefully and happily, we must ground our lives in prayer. Our Sunday Eucharist is certainly not enough. The Eucharist is powerful, but an hour a week is not enough if we want to grow in our intimacy with God or in our serenity and peace.
If at the end of the Mass, we do not feel as if anything in our life has changed for the better, or we do not feel any stronger, could it be that we haven’t prayed enough? Could it be that we are merely content with one hour a week with God?
If you want to have the power to walk over water, it is very important to spend and invest time with God. People today have become hyperactive. We are no longer comfortable at rest or in silence. We are uneasy without sounds from the radio or TV.
If I ask you what you do when you are happy, you will likely answer that you pick-up the phone and to call a friend. What about when you have a problem? You likewise pick-up the phone and also call a friend. What do you do when you are tired? You eat outside or go to a movie and relax. What about when you are anxious? You walk around and do nothing. If you ask Elijah and the Lord the same questions, they would answer that they pray.
Sundays should not be our only days of prayer. Every moment of our lives should be moments of prayer. It is only in praying that we can discover the strength given to Elijah. It is only in contemplation, in silent adoration before the Lord. that we can discover the power to walk over water again. Sunday is a non-working day for most of us because the Philippines is a Christian country and each Christian should pray more on Sundays than on other days of the week.
Do you really pray? Are we satisfied with only one hour of Eucharist every Sunday? If this is all you are satisfied with, it is no wonder you have no power to walk over water. It is no wonder you are depressed. It is only people who pray, spend time with God, who discover that power. I want you to discover that power. But first, spend time with God.
THE LORD’S DAY
1 Kings 19:1-8
Jesus In My Heart
