Mountain Prayer
Tuesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Luke 6:12-19 - Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
Jesus has an important decision to make in this Gospel. It is a decision that will change the course of His life and that will affect many others. We all have to make major decisions that will change the course of our lives and that will affect many others, too. Jesus gives us an example of what to do before making these decisions. Jesus goes off alone and prays for plenty of time.
When we have big decisions to make we need to give them sufficient thought and sufficient prayer. It is good to seek the advice of a spiritual director (or at least a holy priest, mentor, or other wise and good Catholic). This will take some sacrifice, perhaps. Jesus sacrifices sleep as He stays up all night in prayer. It will also take some real steadfastness. Prayer isn’t easy. But prayer, time, sacrifice, and steadfastness are necessary if we are to have the peace, the clarity, and the confidence to make the decision we feel is God’s will. And if we put in the effort to discern God’s will before making a decision, it will save us a lot of questioning and re-questioning after it has finally been made.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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