Praying in the Name of Jesus – Aug 16 – Homily – Fr Matthias

 

Fr Matthias gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Aug 16, 2023, on how picking up pizza can be a delicious analogy for praying in the name of Jesus.

In the Gospel, Jesus assures us that when we pray in His name, our prayers will be answered. To pray in Jesus' name signifies asking the Father for what Jesus desires for us. It's about aligning our will with His.

Consider a simple analogy: A benefactor ordered pizza for our community. I had to retrieve it using the benefactor's name, not knowing the toppings chosen. Similarly, when we pray in Jesus' name, we trust in what He has chosen for us. If we don't pray in His name or ask for something contrary to His will, we miss out on the blessings He has prepared.

Our Lord always exceeds our expectations. For instance, the pizza, given on a Friday, had no meat, respecting our practice of abstaining from meat. This shows the thoughtfulness of the donor, much like how God thinks of our best interests.

Praying in our own name holds no divine promise. But praying in Jesus' name comes with a divine guarantee. Let's embrace this way of prayer and witness its power.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Stephen of Hungary - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=409
Readings: Wednesday 19th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081623.cfm
1st: deu 34:1-12
Resp: psa 66:1-3, 5, 8, 16-17
Gsp: mat 18:15-20

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1136&r=1471

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