In today's Gospel reading Jesus teaches us how to praise God Our Father in the Holy Spirit. Praise is nearly a forgotten form of prayer, but one that is so important. Throughout scripture God is very insistant about praise. Even in the Lord's Prayer we find praise in the words, "Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, thy kingdom come, Thy Will be done..." Within these words and all other prayers of praise we acknowledge God's greatness, and conversely our lowliness. Praise allows us in our humility to find room for God's love and for His will to be done in and through us. Praise is also a thanksgiving. Shouldn't we be grateful? Our Father sent his Son to die for our sins so that we may be given eternal life. Doesn't that deserve our eternal praise and thanksgiving?
Think about a child. Most young children are filled with such awe and reverence toward those they love and admire. They seek to please them by doing what they know is right. And they are grateful for the love shown to them and the gift they receive. We are called to be childlike, to have complete abandon in Him, so that His love and Kingdom will be present to us and not hidden. Praise can lead us to be worthy to receive and see. May we in our humility lovingly turn toward Our Father in praise and thanksgiving with the heart of a child holding nothing back.
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