GRADE9- LESSON 1: Human Longing for God
Throughout the history of man’s salvation, God tirelessly calls each person to a mysterious encounter with Him. Prayer unfolds as
reciprocal call between God and human beings. But the most important aspect in our prayers is a relationship with heart; it is to be
transformed into what God wants us to be.
1. Noah. In Genesis, he made an offering to God that is pleasing Him. God blessed the upright and undivided heart of Noah and
came forth the restoration of creation.
2. Jacob. God renews His promise to Jacob, the ancestor of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob wrestles with God (Genesis 32:5-
32). From this account, the spiritual tradition of the Church has retained the symbol of prayer as a battle of faith and as the
triumph of perseverance.
3. Elijah. Elijah is the “father” of the prophets. Elijah’s name, which means “the Lord is my God,” foretells the people’s cry in
response to his prayer on Mount Carmel. St. James refers to Elijah to encourage us to pray. He teaches the widow of
Zarepath to believe the Word of God and confirms her faith by his urgent prayer. God brings the widow’s child back to life.
4. Mary. In Mary, we see the humble prayer of an anawim (the poor of Yahweh) as reflected in the events of her life- at the
annunciation, the Wedding at Cana, at the foot of the Cross, and on Pentecost day. She is the strong model of God’s servant,
obedient, and trusting in the Father who will good for everyone beyond pain and death in this valley of tears.
5. Jesus. Intimate with His Father, Jesus always sought prayer moments- when he taught the Lord’s Prayer to the disciples,
when He was fasting for forty days and nights, when He was suffering at Gethsemane, when He celebrated the Last Supper,
and when He was hanging on the cross. The scripture reveals He always escaped to a silent place to pray to His Father.
Servants of Prayer
1. The Christian Family is where education on and through prayer happens as for the “domestic church”. Also, it is where
children, guided by parents and elders learn the value of prayer and seek to practice it perseveringly.
2. Ordained Ministers lead the people in the practice of prayer. The liturgical celebration performed by ordained ministers has a
special place in the prayer life of the faithful.
3. The Religious, with a life consecrated to God, offer their days in prayer: Religious men and women, like the hermits, monks,
nuns, and the desert fathers, have devoted most of their time in prayer to intercede for God’s children.
4. Catechesis, in which children, young people, and adults are taught to meditate on the Word of God in personal prayer, practice
it in liturgical prayer, and internalize it to bear goof fruits for the Kingdom. It is the avenue where education on and through
prayer and popular piety happens.
5. Prayer groups are like “schools of prayer”: they are signs and the driving force for renewal of prayer in the ecclesial
community. In current times, we are witness to the blossoming of the Catholic charismatic groups- the El Shaddai, the Taize
communities, Apostleship of Prayer, among others.
Characteristics of Prayer
1. Prayer should be for salvation. Eternal life is the motive of all Christian life and worship.
2. Prayer should lead to forgiveness as well as developing a forgiving attitude and disposition. When we pray, we must speak the
truth. Effective prayer is one borne out of a heart that forgives.
3. Prayer should be humble. Have humility in your heart and God will exalt you. Beware of pride. As beggars, we approach the
throne of God for the things we ask for in prayer.
4. Prayer should be attentive. Prayer, as the affectionate reaching of the mind for God, demands attention to God.
5. Prayer should be constant. God’s mercy is overflowing, we only need to persevere in asking for His grace and we shall be
delivered from our misery. God is willing to give His children what they ask, need and want. And we have Jesus, our Brother,
who intercedes for and with us in prayer.
Wrap Up/ Values Integration
In this lesson we learned that Christians are totally dependent on God- the Creator, Provider, and Father. Most often, people
only remember God in times of dire need. God becomes weak when people stoop down in humility to beg for His mercy and love.
We also came to know how Jesus, though he was God, expressed communion with His father through prayer. Jesus prays
before the decisive moments of His mission- before His father during His own Baptism (Matthew 3:13-17) and Transfiguration (Luke
9:28-36), and before His own fulfillment of the Father’s plan of love by His passion (Mark 14: 32-42). He also prays before choosing His
apostles (Luke 6: 12-16). As beloved disciples of Jesus, it is our duty to build a genuine and harmonious relationship with others. We
are meant to bring Christ wherever we go and whoever we come in contact with. However, this can only come into fruition when we
learn to develop a good prayer life since this is where we first discover the secret of true and lasting friendship- that friendship founded
on our personal relationship with God who is the ultimate lover of souls. Therefore, it is a relationship of this type that we must earnestly
seek to propagate within our homes so that peace may abound in our own community.
