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The early Church faced the problem of the unjust distribution of food among her members, as we learn in Acts 6: “The Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.” The Twelve addressed this issue immediately so that it would not distract them from their prayer and proclamation of the word of God. They said to the community:
It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputed men, filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.
By devoting themselves first to prayer and the word of God, they knew exactly the type of men that God wanted for an efficient and just distribution of the goods in the community. They also knew the exact number of men needed as well as their needed qualities. In giving priority to prayer and to ministry of the word, they solved the problem, they grew in their faith, and the Christian Faith continued to spread: “The word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large number of priests were becoming obedient to the faith” (see Acts 6:1-7).
One of the main reasons we do not give priority to prayer in our lives is that we do not see the visible results of our prayers often. We still have lingering personal struggles, health issues, financial problems, difficult relationships, incessant temptations, nagging worries, humiliating addictions, etc.—despite pouring out our hearts to God in prayer. So we slowly begin to abandon our relationship with Him in prayer and give priority to other things. Our prayers become more centered on visible results and less on getting to know and love God more.
We hardly realize that Jesus Himself gives priority to our relationships with Him above all things. In the Last Supper discourse, while expressing His farewell to His disciples before His passion and death, Jesus noticed the fear in the hearts of His disciples. He then assured them that He prioritizes His relationship with them above all things. He said, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be” (Jn. 14:2-3).
How can we fail to give priority to our relationship with God in prayer knowing this? His Son Jesus Christ has suffered and died for us to make us God’s beloved children, He has prepared a heavenly dwelling for us, and He is laboring now and always to bring us to be with Him for all eternity.
Jesus does not always answer our prayers with visible results, but He will never cease laboring to deepen our communion with Him. This is the reason we ought to never give anything priority over our prayer-relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
Three powerful things happen when we prioritize our relationship with God in prayer.
1. We live in true peace of heart
Jesus’ first response to His disciples’ fears was to ask them to cultivate a peaceful heart—“Do not let your hearts be troubled.” They can have a peaceful heart in the midst of trials only because Jesus never stops laboring to bring them to perfect union with Him. He does not take away the things that disturb their peace; He prepares their hearts for fidelity to Him in the midst of the inevitable pains and sufferings to come.
When we also give priority to our relationship with God through our prayer life, we allow God to fortify and strengthen us for the trials to come. Through our fervent prayer life in the midst of trials, we gain access to that peace of Christ that comes from fidelity to God’s will out of love for Him. As Jesus promised, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (Jn. 14:27). The peace of Christ prevails over our fears only when we also give our relationship with God in prayer its due primacy in our lives.
2. We mature in our faith in Jesus
Jesus also asked His disciples to mature in their faith in Him: “You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” He rebuked Philip because, after many years, Philip did not mature in his faith in Him. “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?” It is only through a fervent prayer life, rooted in the word of God that we can grasp the unique presence and action of God in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself attested, “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing His works.”
We too have been with Him for many years. After many sermons, spiritual retreats, receptions of Holy Communion, and forgiveness of our sins, we still do not know Him as we should because we do not give priority to our relationship with Him in prayer. We are focused more on getting our problems solved than on getting to know Him as our only “way, the truth, and the life.”
3. We attain spiritual maturity
Our encounters with Jesus in prayer also allow Him to transform us completely. In the words of St. Peter, “Come to Him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourself be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:4-5). We become spiritual powerhouses when we enter into communion with Jesus in prayer, allow Him to mold us into His image, and share in His life of loving obedience and sacrifice.
It is not enough to come to Jesus in prayer. We must also allow Him to transform us completely and use us as channels of His grace and love in our world. How can Jesus transform us in our prayer when we come to Him only to have Him do something for us or to get something from Him? How can we share in His holiness when we prioritize other things over our relationship with God in prayer because we do not see visible and tangible results?
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we face many challenges, individually and communally, in the Church and in the world. The Spirit is given to us that we may pray like Jesus who “offered up prayers and lamentations, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because for His godly fear” (Heb. 5:7). Jesus never gave up on His prayer because He prioritized His relationship with the Father above all things. By the power of His Spirit, we are to pray like Him so that we can also live like Him and give priority to God and His holy will in our lives.
As we encounter the risen Christ in each Eucharist, let us give priority to our relationship with Him above all things, just as He prioritized His relationship with His Father. We are in union with Him even now, no matter what we are experiencing, and He is always laboring for our perfect union with Him in heaven for all eternity. If we give priority to God and His words in our prayer, we will experience many beautiful gifts, especially His inner peace, strong faith, and spiritual maturity.
Glory to Jesus!!! Honor to Mary!!!
