JAMES 5:13-20

Beloved: Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing a song of praise. Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. Elijah was a man like us; yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land. Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

MARK 10:13-16

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

If we are looking for a good role model for the best way to pray, then perhaps we have never watched a child pray. For most little children, prayer is a conversation with God, much like that of a chat between parent and child. Children look up to their parents and elders but, because of their innocence, they are sincere and always fully of expression.

This is perhaps what Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel and also what James is telling us in the first reading. Let us adopt a child-like innocence in our prayers, be sincere and fully expressive of what is in our hearts. Let us not be ashamed to say sorry when we’ve done something wrong and learn to become confident that God will forgive us our faults.

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Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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