Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Reflecting on Lk. 12: 13-21
All I need to know in life I learned in catechism class in the fifties. Take prayer, for example. I’m positive that the strong building blocks of a prayerful life were placed for us in fifth grade, when Sister Genevieve taught us the four easy-to-remember steps of prayer.
“Just think of what happens at Mass,” she said, writing on the board in that gorgeous nun-cursive that must have been a requirement for admission to the Sisters of Loretto:
Confess Your Failings During the Week (Confiteor)
Glorify God for all the Beauty in the World (Gloria)
Ask God for What you Need (Petitions)
Give Thanks to God in all Things (Eucharist)
That’s it. Every night, look back on the day and do an examination of conscience. It doesn’t take long; the ways we’ve fallen short during the day tend to sit on our hearts until we bring them to light anyway.
Next, give glory to God for all the ways God’s goodness abounds. I usually start with remembering something beautiful in nature. Petition is the easy one, and the one that probably gets done before the first two most days. If you’ve ever landed on your parish prayer list you know the power of petition.
Thanksgiving is easy too, and of course that’s what “Eucharist” means. Always be thankful, and you’ll always be filled.
Which of the four steps comes the most naturally to you?
Kathy McGovern © 2019