This week we Lectio the Liturgy with the Prayer Over the Offerings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. This prayer reminds us that praying is sometimes different than having a list of prayers.

O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.

In the Who phrase of this prayer, we hear the phrase gift of true prayer. How would you define true prayer? In the Latin form of the prayer, we find the words sincerae devotionis, which translate to sincere devotion.

On the USCCB website, we learn that prayer is our response to God who is already speaking or, better yet, revealing Himself to us. Therefore, prayer is not merely an exchange of words, but it engages the whole person in a relationship with God the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit.

Some Catholics have a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Many have a devotion to praying the Rosary, however, there is a difference between prayer and true prayer.

If you have ever been praying the Rosary and have felt a move of the Holy Spirit to be silent, or if the Spirit has tried to direct your thoughts to focus more on God, do you A) stop what you are saying in prayer and follow the Spirit’s lead or B) remind yourself that you pray the Rosary every day and you need to finish?

If true prayer is our response to God, which is the correct answer to the aforementioned question? It may feel good to check “prayer” off your to-do list, and spending time in prayer is always a good idea, but the gift of peace will come when we make a sincere, or honest, offering of ourselves in prayer.

In the Do phrase of the prayer we ask that though this offering, which is the bread and wine of the Eucharist, we may do fitting homage to His divine majesty. What makes our homage fitting is when it is done with sincere devotion, or true prayer, but this is the good part: grace. God gives us more than what we can earn or than what we deserve. When our homage is a bit lack-luster, God doesn’t match what we offer, He always gives His all.

We also ask that by partaking of the sacred mystery, or receiving Holy Communion, we may be faithfully united in heart and mind. This is another opportunity given to us to enter into true prayer, or sincere devotion. Our receiving is our response, and if done with true devotion, we are “united in heart and mind,” not just with each other, but with God.

God gives us so many opportunities to be united with Him and sometimes we are unaware at what He is wanting and waiting to give to us. This week, make yourself keenly aware of the gift of true prayer and be assured that His peace will come to you.

Thanks for praying with me,
Julie