Prayer Works.

 

“Repeat after me Gera.”

 

My grandma was fearless but she was afraid that I might stutter if I did not learn to speak my first words properly. So she taught me to speak by repeating “The Lord's Prayer” after her.

 

I have been literally praying all of my life even though I did not understand the mystery of how prayer to an immutable God can be affected by prayer.

 

For me it was easier to believe in God than to understand Prayer.

Now that I am a Senior Citizen I have finally come to understand prayer. However, I cannot communicate my findings to others; so I have become a one string banjo player on Prayer.

 

I would rather talk about prayer with anyone anytime than to talk about any other subject on the face of earth. To me prayer is “It” and everything else is part of “It”.

 

Interestingly enough, Marxism Leninism believes that all that counts in this world is Power and the rest is but an illusion. In fact, their definition of Politics is “The struggle of classes for power.” For them “Power is born in the cannon or the rifle.”

 

Indeed, power is very important and so is authority. They are two sides of the same coin. Jesus alone was full of all power and authority. Jesus also grants to his disciples the power and authority to do kingdom work because the kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power.

 

If you have power but no authority, you run the risk of becoming a tyrant.

If you have authority but no power, you run the risk of making a fool of yourself.

But if you have power and authority, you can enforce the law properly and fairly.

 

Grandma had a great deal of power and authority in our household. She never made lengthy prayers before dinner. However, she never started serving the food or gave us any medicine without first making the sign of the cross over the pot of soup or stew and without gently murmuring a prayer.

 

Whenever misbehavior occurred in front of her, she would always say her classic convicting comment, “Have you forgotten the fear of the Lord?” Are you in need for me to remind you? (Woodshed). 

 

My grandpa on the other hand was a loud and powerful leader of multitudes. Grandma was meek and humble, but there was iron in her words.

 

Sometimes grandpa, during a storm, would pray kiddingly to a female saint saying submissively, “Saint Barbara deliver me from this storm but not from my strong drinks.” Grandma had her comments at the tip of her tongue, “Deaf ears to foolish words.”

 

Somehow Grandma became the real Queen hero of the whole family.

Her name became the name for many little girls throughout the valley in her honor, that includes my daughter Lois Cidolfa and several of my nieces. Ruthie is also a very popular name in our little valley.

 

When Ruthie was diagnosed with cancer, they gave her six months to live.

Thanks to Grandma who helped us to repeat after her in prayer, we came to believe in prayer more than in praying itself.  Thus the Lord granted Ruthie twenty more years of life. I believe in prayer. This is the gospel truth and I am not “stuttering.”

 

Gerry Gutierrez.

 

PS. Please repeat after me, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

If enough of us would agree to pray this, we could be known as the generation in whose time Jesus returned. “Yes Jesus."

 

Pictures: Some of my grandchildren who learned to pray the first thing in their lives by repeating the Lord's Prayer after me.