What's it take to be a disciple?

Luke continues to describe the important characteristics of a disciple. Today’s passage speaks about the need to pray. Many of the important moments in Luke’s gospel, find Jesus in prayer --- his own baptism, calling of the twelve, sermon on the plain, after feeding the 5000, transfiguration, today’s passage, during his passion. In fact, Luke is sometimes called the Gospel of Prayer. Just what is prayer? Diane Bergant writes, “Probably the simplest definition for prayer is talking with God. Talking with God, not merely talking to God. Saying prayers is a very good start, but it is only part of the exchange. In prayer, God speaks as well.”

Jesus teaches the disciples a short prayer. Notice the use of plural pronouns in the prayer --- Give us, our bread; forgive us, our sins; do not subject us. Prayer for Luke cannot be apart from the life and worship of the community. The prayer is addressed to the Father, not almighty God, or creator. This abba or daddy refers to an intimate relationship that Jesus had with God, and the intimate relationship we have with God.

Having shown us how to pray, Jesus then teaches us to pray with persistence. Be like the person who went to a friend at midnight asking for three loaves of bread. Abraham’s prayer in Genesis is another example of persistence. Like an auctioneer, starting with 50 good people, he seemingly moves God to save Sodom if he finds 10 good people there. Our persistence is not about wearing God down or waking up God. Persistence is having our prayer become like breathing.

Through prayer we come to understand God and God’s ways. Abraham came to see God is a merciful God.

Finally, Luke addresses those who say their prayers go unanswered. Through Jesus’ example of a father not giving a snake when a son asks for a fish, or a scorpion Luke is saying God wants to answer our prayers. God desires to give us what is good. Imagine you’re looking into the distance through a narrow tube, like a paper towel roll. You see an unclaimed $100-dollar bill. You’d like to have it, but somehow you’re stuck where you are. You ask God to free you so you get to the $100. It doesn’t happen. What lies just outside the viewing area at the end of the tube, however, is a Doberman trained to attack anyone who approaches the $100 bill. And because you’re fixated on the $100 you see through the tube, you don’t notice the $1,000 bill lying on the ground next to you. Remember praying is not a monologue but a dialogue. We pray not for God’s sake, but for our own. We pray because voicing our praise, expressing our need and offering our thanks and prayers helps us to know who we are before God and all others.

We pray not to inform God of anything but to sensitize our own hearts and minds and souls to the many overtures of God into our daily lives, be they large or small.