genuine

Let us pray for all of those in religious communities.

Mk 8:11-13

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.

The request from the Pharisees was not genuine, and Jesus knew their heart. There are times that the Lord places difficult people in our life. People we find it hard for whom to pray. But those prayers, sometimes through gritted teeth, are still genuine. Jesus knows our heart. It is the effort, the prayer, that is important. We must bring our most difficult challenges before the Lord. Unlike the request of the Pharisees, He will not sigh. He will REJOICE. Each prayer, prayed genuinely, will bear fruit; not only for the one for whom we pray. We too will bear fruit, because each prayer, prayed with a genuine intent, opens us up to receive God's blessing. A prayer, prayed genuinely, is an act of trust, and trust builds relationship.

Today, as we meditate, let us pray for someone challenging in our life. Let us pray, not like the Pharisees, challenging God, but let us pray, like His child, with a genuine desire to unite our prayer with Him.