Prayer

- The Key to the Kingdom to Come - 

In our self-sufficient and do-it-yourself modern society, prayer is, unfortunately, not top priority.  Nonetheless, for Catholic and Protestant  alike, prayer is the key of the kingdom to come.  It is like oxygen, food and water, without which we perish. 

Also to pray is the very act of the Christian humility to God the Father; as a child who asks his dad for everything he needs.  For Jesus said:  

“In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.  And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.  

[Matthew 18:3-4] 

[Thus] ... when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.  [Matthew 6:6]

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"I Ask you"
 

Old Testament: 

... the demon will smell it and flee, and there is no danger that he will ever be found near the girl again. Then, before you sleep together, first stand up, both of you, and pray. Ask the Lord of heaven to grant you his grace and protection.  [Tob 6:18] 

One thing I ask of Yahweh, one thing I seek: to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life, to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh, to seek out his temple.  [Psa 27:4] 

My child, have you sinned? Do so no more, and ask forgiveness for your previous faults.  [Si 21:1] 

The prophet Jeremiah replied, `I hear you; I will indeed pray to Yahweh your God as you ask; and whatever answer Yahweh your God gives you, I will tell you, keeping nothing back from you.' [Jer 42:4] 

Ask Yahweh for rain in autumn and at the time of the spring rains. Yahweh is the one to make the storm-clouds. He will give them showers of rain; to each, grass in his field.  [Zec 10:1]  

New Testament 

The Lord's Prayer:

In your prayers do not babble as the gentiles do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard.

 ... Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [Mat 6: 8s.] 

Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.  Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

[Mat 7:7-8] 

In truth I tell you once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I am there among them.’  [Mat 18:19-20] 

And if you have faith, everything you ask for in prayer, you will receive.'  

[Mat 21:22] 

I tell you, therefore, everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours.  And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too.'  [Mark 11:24-26] 

If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'     [Luke 11:13] 

Jesus replied to her: If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you, `Give me something to drink,' you would have been the one to ask, and he would have given you living water. 

[John 4:10] 

Whatever you ask in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.  I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete to be with you for ever. [John 14: 13-14.16] 

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it.  [John 15:7] 

You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name.  [John 15:16] 

When that day comes, you will not ask me any questions. In all truth I tell you, anything you ask from the Father he will grant in my name.

 [John 16:23] 

Until now you have not asked anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete.  [John 16:24] 

...and we are delighted to be weak if only you are strong. What we ask in our prayers is that you should be made perfect.  [2 Cor 13:9] 

That is why, ever since the day he told us, we have never failed to remember you in our prayers and ask that through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding you should reach the fullest knowledge of his will and so be able to lead a life worthy of the Lord, a life acceptable to him in all its aspects, bearing fruit in every kind of good work and growing in knowledge of God, fortified, in accordance with his glorious strength, with all power always to persevere and endure, giving thanks with joy to the Father who has made you able to share the lot of God's holy people and with them to inherit the light.Because that is what he has done. It is he who has rescued us from the ruling force of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him we enjoy our freedom, the forgiveness of sin.  [Col 1: 9-14] 

Any of you who lacks wisdom must ask God, who gives to all generously and without scolding; it will be given. But the prayer must be made with faith, and no trace of doubt, because a person who has doubts is like the waves thrown up in the sea by the buffeting of the wind. That sort of person, in two minds, inconsistent in every activity, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.    [James 1:5-8] 

... and whatever we ask we shall receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is acceptable to him.  [1 John 3:22] 

Our fearlessness towards him consists in this, that if we ask anything in accordance with his will he hears us.     [1 John 5:14] 

And if we know that he listens to whatever we ask him, we know that we already possess whatever we have asked of him.  [1 John 5:15] 

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“I beg you” 

Old Testament

But afterwards David's heart misgave him for having taken a census of the people. David then said to Yahweh, `I have committed a grave sin by doing this. But now, Yahweh, I beg you to forgive your servant for this fault, for I have acted very foolishly.'  [2 Sam 24:10] 

But now, Yahweh our God, save us from his clutches, I beg you, and let all the kingdoms of the world know that you alone are God, Yahweh.'

[2 Ki 19:19] 

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and addressed this prayer to Yahweh, `Ah, Yahweh, remember, I beg you, that I have behaved faithfully and with sincerity of heart in your presence and done what you regard as right.' And Hezekiah shed many tears.

 [2 Ki 20:2-3] 

David then said to God, `I have committed a grave sin by doing this. But now I beg you to forgive your servant for this fault, for I have acted very foolishly.' [1 Chr 21:8] 

O Lord, let your ear now be attentive to your servant's prayer and to the prayer of your servants who want to revere your name. I beg you let your servant be successful today and win this man's compassion.' At the time I was cupbearer to the king.  [Neh 1:11] 

I called on the name of Yahweh. Deliver me, Yahweh, I beg you.  [Psa 116:4] 

I beg you, Yahweh! I am your servant, I am your servant and my mother was your servant; you have undone my fetters. [Psa 116:16] 

To his words make no addition, lest he reprove you and account you a liar.  Two things I beg of you, do not grudge me them before I die: keep falsehood and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share of food, for fear that, surrounded by plenty, I should fall away and say, `Yahweh-who is Yahweh?' or else, in destitution, take to stealing and profane the name of my God. [Prov 30:6-9] 

But now, Yahweh our God, save us from his clutches, I beg you, and let all the kingdoms of the world know that you alone are God, Yahweh.' [Isa 37:20]

`Ah, Yahweh, remember, I beg you, that I have behaved faithfully and with sincerity of heart in your presence and done what you regard as right.'  And Hezekiah shed many tears. [Isa 38:3] 

So now I beg you to hear me, my lord king! I beg you to approve my request! Do not have me taken back to the house of the scribe Jonathan, or I shall die there.'        [Jer 37:20] 

When they had eaten all the grass in the land, I said, `Lord Yahweh, forgive, I beg you. How can Jacob survive, being so small?' Then Yahweh relented; `It will not happen,' said Yahweh.  [Amos 7:2-3]

New Testament

But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to prevent those who want to cross from our side to yours or from your side to ours."  `So he said, "Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too."      [Luke 16:26-28] 

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"Help me" 

Old testament

Yes indeed, the Israelites' cry for help has reached me, and I have also seen the cruel way in which the Egyptians are oppressing them. [Exo 3:9] 

Moses appealed to Yahweh for help. `How am I to deal with this people?' he said. `Any moment now they will stone me!' [Exo 17:4] 

...  if you ill-treat them in any way and they make an appeal to me for help, I shall certainly hear their appeal [Exo 22:22] 

On you was I cast from my birth, from the womb I have belonged to you.  Do not hold aloof, for trouble is upon me, and no one to help me!  Many bulls are encircling me, wild bulls of Bashan closing in on me. Lions ravening and roaring open their jaws at me.  [Psa 22:10-13] 

Listen, Yahweh, take pity on me, Yahweh, be my help! You have turned my mourning into dancing, you have stripped off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.  So my heart will sing to you unceasingly, Yahweh, my God, I shall praise you for ever.  [Psa 30:10-12] 

I waited, I waited for Yahweh, then he stooped to me and heard my cry for help.  He pulled me up from the seething chasm, from the mud of the mire.  He set my feet on rock, and made my footsteps firm.  [Psa 40:1-2] 

But now God is coming to my help, the Lord, among those who sustain me.  [Psa 54:4] 

Be pleased, God, to rescue me, Yahweh, come quickly and help me!  [Psa 70:1] 

God, do not stand aloof, my God, come quickly to help me. [Psa 71:12]

... Turn to me and pity me.  Give to your servant your strength, to the child of your servant your saving help, give me a sign of your kindness.  My enemies will see to their shame that you, Yahweh, help and console me.  [Psa 86:16-18] 

My enemies will see to their shame that you, Yahweh, help and console me.  [Psa 86:18] 

Help me, Yahweh my God, save me as your faithful love demands. [Psa 109:26]

I was pushed hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh came to my help.  [Psa 118:13] 

All your commandments show constancy.  Help me when they pursue me dishonestly.  [Psa 119:86] 

May your hand be there to help me, since I have chosen your precepts.  I long for your salvation, Yahweh, your Law is my delight. May I live only to praise you, may your judgments be my help.  I am wandering like a lost sheep, come and look for your servant, for I have not forgotten your commandments.  [Psa 119:173-176] 

I was completely surrounded, there was no one to help me; I looked for someone to help me, there was no one.  [Si 51:7] 

... till daybreak, I cried for help; like a lion, he has crushed all my bones, from dawn to dark, you have been making an end of me. [Isa 38:13] 

Lord Yahweh comes to my help, this is why insult has not touched me, this is why I have set my face like flint and know that I shall not be put to shame.  [Isa 50:7] 

I looked: there was no one to help me; I was appalled but could find no supporter! Then my own arm came to my rescue and my own fury supported me.  [Isa 63:5] 

Israel, you have destroyed yourself though in me lies your help.  [Hosea 13:9] 

New Testament 

Jesus said in reply, `I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.'  But the woman had come up and was bowing low before him. `Lord,' she said, `help me.'  He replied, `It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to little dogs.'  She retorted, `Ah yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table.'  Then Jesus answered her, `Woman, you have great faith. Let your desire be granted.'  And from that moment her daughter was well again. [Mat 15:24-28] 

But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.' `If you can?' retorted Jesus.  `Everything is possible for one who has faith.'  At once the father of the boy cried out, `I have faith.  Help my lack of faith!'

[Mark 9:23-24] 

Now, will not God see justice done to his elect if they keep calling to him day and night even though he still delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of man comes, will he find any faith on earth?' [Luke 18:7-8] 

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Link to: http://www.catholictradition.org/prayer-index.htm