Pray over it and do it anyway!

Luke 6:12-16

At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God. When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon (who was called the Patriot), Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.

Food for thought!

Have you ever heard of the phrase: "Pray over it and do it anyway? Well, it is what happens in today's gospel reading.  Two almost contradictory things happens: Jesus spends a whole night in prayer before God. The following morning he chooses his companions, one of whom was to betray him to death. So, what went wrong for Jesus to pick up his enemy? The gospel says that he "chose the twelve" including Judas Iscariot, "who became the traitor." Despite or we should say, in spite of his night long prayer vigil, Jesus called someone like Judas Iscariot. Jesus prayed and chose Judas anyway!

Does Jesus' experience sound familiar? You pray and pray and pray, make novenas and fasting, and at the end exactly what you feared and what you prayed not to happen happens anyway. Despite his night long prayer with the Father, Jesus still called someone who was to betray him to death. So you ask, why pray if it will happen ANYWAY?

Well, from Jesus' experience we learn that prayer is not meant to flee us from our Judas and our challenges and trials. Prayer is meant to empower us to face our Judas, be them what they are. Like St. Paul taught us, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," (Philippians 4:13); our prayer is meant to empower us to do all things that the Father wills to come our way, good and not so good. 

I am sure that, in his night long prayer, Jesus prayed to the Father what he prayed in Gethsemane: "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (Luke 22:42). I say this, because according to (John 6:64), Jesus knew from the beginning the one who would betray Him. Although Jesus knew Judas before he called him, he called him ANYWAY.

To illustrate the point, look at the the words below that were written on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, India, and are widely attributed to her. They seem to be based on a composition originally by Kent Keith, but much of the second half has been re-written in a more spiritual way.  Both versions are shown below, the first being of Kent Keith and the second of Mother Theresa.

1.   People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

2.   If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3.   If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4.   The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5.   Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6.   The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

7.   People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8.   What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9.   People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

10.                Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway. (© 1968, 2001 Kent M. Keith)

The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

1.   People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway. 

2.   If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway. 

3.   If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway. 

4.   If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway. 

5.   What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway. 

6.   If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway. 

7.   The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway. 

8.   Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway. 

9.   In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.