Is it Just Idle Chatter?

~~~ Sirach 48: 1-14 ~~~ Psalm 97 ~~~ Matthew 6: 7-15 ~~~

"...You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he who shall have seen you
And who falls asleep in your friendship.
For we live only in our life,
but after death our name will not be such..."

The book of Sirach was used extensively in the early church in presenting moral teaching to both those enquiring and to the faithful followers. 

This book has always been accepted by the Catholic church.

This particular section is hailing the heroes of Israel; honoring them for all that they had accomplished during their life. In this chapter we are hearing about Elijah and Elisha; an historical cliff note hitting the significant events of their lives.

It is good to remember those who have gone before us. With conscious appreciation we increase our own faith and hope.

Chapter 6 from the Gospel of Matthew is mostly focused on the Our Father prayer.

There is not really anything I could share with you about this beautiful prayer that is prayed universally by so many. I would encourage you to really pray the Our Father as opposed to reciting the rote words.

I want to spotlight the words said by Jesus as the preface to his

giving us the words with which to pray.

Jesus said to his disciples: today that would be us...

"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him..."

While I certainly do not consider myself a pagan I do sometimes feel my prayers are nothing but 'babble'. The dictionary defines babble as uttering a meaningless confusion of words or sounds. In other words commonly referred to as 'baby talk' by the parents of infant children. The dictionary further states To talk foolishly or idly; chatter.

Yes, that does explain exactly how I feel sometimes when I am trying to pray.

My prayers often do not make sense, because I do not have the proper 'words' or I do not even know what to pray for.

If my prayers are seemingly just babble; am I still in the infant stage of my prayer life?

Does one ever progress out of the babble stage?

Do we pass in and out of the babble prayer stage?

Is it our own feelings of inadequacy that hinders our prayer?

"...to utter sounds or words imperfectly, indistinctly...", this definition fits as well.

My prayers are certainly imperfect and more often indistinct. It is amazing that God can decipher these attempts at praying at all.

On the other hand I find the sounds of a babbling brook quite soothing

and not confusing at all.

Sometimes I cannot even babble in my prayers

Somtimes the best I can do is raise my hands ans eyes up to heaven and say,

"I give up, God. I do not know what you are trying to teach me here"

Maybe this kind of surrendering prayer is not babbling to God.

Maybe this is exactly where he wants us to be...in the state of release.

If you release all to God then just maybe that is enough of a prayer for the time being.

God knows what I need before I ask; so it is written.

When is he going to let me in on the secret?

I try to pray the best I can knowing that sometimes those prayers are just

Bable...nonsense.

Gog is God and he alone knows my heart.

So I trek on reciting my daily prayers.

PS. Lord, if my words are confusing bable I am open to trying sign language.

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