In the First reading From the Book Of
Genesis
Gn. 15:5-12,17-18
A living faith in God is the prerequisite for prayer: Abraham "put his faith in the Lord". A trance fell upon Abraham and in prayer he experienced God who sealed his faith with a covenant. The ancient covenant rite (two people making a covenant) prescribed that the sacrificial animals be divided into two halves and the contracting parties walk in between , stating that they were willing to become like the dismembered animals if they should fail to keep the covenant. In the tradition found in the present reading it is God who seals the covenant by passing between the "pieces" in the form of a "smoking fire pot and a flaming torch" (fire symbolizes God's presence)What is the sacred writer, inspired by God trying to teach us? That we should follow Abraham's example of faith and conversing with God. By doing this you will experience that the Lord is your "light and salvation".
The Responsorial Psalm is that that we put our trust in Jesus because of his love and kindness and that he has done great things for us, so we should be filled with joy and love for him and to be like him
in your self-giving.
In the Second Reading, From the Letter of Saint Paul
to the Philippians
Phil.3:17- 4:1or 3:20 - 4:1
Paul invites the Philippians to follow him as he follows Christ, whom we see in today's Gospel as a man of prayer. At the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer , the priest invites you to lift up your hearts. Paul does the same by inviting those who are :occupied with earthly things." to look up to heaven. Then God will give a new form to "our lowly body" as we see indicated in the Lord Jesus praying on the mountain.
In the Gospel of Luke
Lk 9:28b-36
Luke brings out an important lesson on prayer. Conversing with God in prayer changes us; it widens our vision and with God's grace it often makes us experience the transcendent---in other words, it makes us feel that there must be something more than simply what we can observe with our senses.
Jesus was a man of prayer. Luke compares him with Moses and Elijah who often conversed with God in prayer. He wants his disciples to do likewise. Peter said "Master it is good that we are here." Prayer is something you must learn and by doing it regularly you will find out it has meaning. Only by listening will you hear God's voice in you. "Listen to him."
