The gospel of Luke more than any of the gospels, shows Jesus as the example for prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that in His person, we are told how it is to offer filial prayer to the Father (cf. CCC, 2620,2766,2605,2673). The "Disciples' Prayer" is the filial prayer par excellence; it is by this prayer that the Father is addressed as "Abba", Jesus' very intimate way of addressing Him. Read the article here and use the following for your reflection.
1. An exercise in prayer. Pick any one petition in the Lord's prayer as you find it in Luke, and in silence repeat the prayer, timing each repetition with your breathing. Do this for about five to ten minutes (or more if you wish.) Finish this exercise before proceeding to the next two points of reflection.
Which of the petitions in "the Disciples' Prayer" do you find difficult to pray? Explain your answer.
2. Paul tells us that the Spirit poured into our hearts in baptism empower us to call God "Abba." It is the same Spirit that enables us to pray the Lord's prayer. In fact, Paul even tells us that in times when we find it difficult to pray, the Holy Spirit helps us to pray.
the Spirit helps us in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with sighs too deep for words.
And he who searches the hearts of men
knows what is the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God (Rom. 8:26-27)
Do you allow room for the Spirit to do His work in you when you pray?
3. From the passages that we read in Luke 11:5-13, what do you think are the characteristics of the Disciples' Prayer?
