One of Jesus’ followers, who is a father, talks first to his children, then reflects on his own relationship with his father before sharing his reflections on Jesus’ teaching about prayer:

I see you, my boy!  Come here and give your dad a hug! … You too, Hannah. What are you doing hiding away over there?  You don’t need to do that.  I want you to know you can always come to me.  I like having you with me!  … There, That’s better. My two favourite little people!  Now, have you had a good day?  Yes?  So have I – all the better for seeing you two!   You can tell me all about it in a little while. Now, run along and tell your Mum that our guests are not staying for supper.  Tonight, it is family time. Just us four, OK?  Does that sound good?  … Yes? … I think so too. So, hurry!  Go and tell your Mum to get things ready!

(a long sigh!)

Do you know, I don’t think I’d have dared to approach their grandfather like that.  Well, OK, I think I can stretch to calling him my “Father”, if I must.  But he was never “Dad”.   What I remember is that he was always so distanced and formal in our relationship.  Not that you could really call it a ‘relationship’. He never had much time for me.  I used to joke that he had got his heir and his spare and I was just one child too many, but my brothers tell me he was always too busy for them too.  So, I don’t have many happy memories, I’m afraid.  Don’t get me wrong! I respected him.  He sired me and he provided for me … but I don’t think he ever loved me.    For my children it will be different, I am determined.  What ever else I can or cannot do for them, I will be there for them and I will be their dad.  They will grow up knowing that I love them, and they can come to me at any time. OK?  OK!

Now, where were we?  What were we talking about?  Oh yes… praying.  We were talking about praying.

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Are you any good at praying? Or, like me, do you find you need a little help?

Some of us were with John before they followed Jesus, and they said that John taught them how to pray.  So, we asked Jesus if he would do the same.  And he did!

As always with Jesus, the prayer he taught us was short and sweet and very easy to remember.  Some think it is best used as a framework; a list of topics to pray through as we choose.  It certainly seems to be a neat little summary of all his teaching and well worth repeated reflection.  Others take it as a form of words to recite.  I think it’ll work really well that way.  Before you know it, his followers everywhere will be saying it together whenever they meet!

Most of it, I’d say, was quite familiar, reflecting prayers you’ll often hear in the Synagogue.   There’s a bit from the Kaddish prayer about God’s name being honoured,  an oft expressed prayer for forgiveness, and from our heritage in the Exodus, when God gave us Manna in the desert, we have always depended on God to ‘give us our daily bread’.  You’d not be surprised, either, that he wrapped it all up with a prayer for God’s Kingdom to come.  That’s Jesus, all over!

What was surprising, both in his prayer and in his teaching that followed, was the intimacy and lack of hesitation he invites us to have in praying.

He wants (can you believe it?!) us to call God ‘Father’.  Not just in the formal way I had to address my father, but in the intimate way that he relates to God himself.  “He is my Father and Your Father”, Jesus is always telling us. And now he wants us to call him “Dad”.   Hah!  Just like I told you I want Hannah and Jacob to call me!  Jesus wants us to know that same intimacy with God, to be free to come to him without hesitancy, and certainly without fear.  Anytime and anywhere, nothing is too unimportant or too trivial for him.  He loves to have his children near him!

And not just a father, but a friend.  The kind of friend you can knock up in the middle of the night if you need to.   Unlike with some grumpy neighbours we might all know; you don’t need to fear you’re pestering God.  He’ll be more than ready to help.  So “Ask … seek…knock!” says Jesus.  Don’t hesitate. Trust in God’s friendship.  It will not let you down.

And then, back to the father again.  No matter how bad we may be as parents, are any of us going give our children a snake when they ask for fish? Will we feed them scorpions when they ask for their favourite eggs for breakfast?  No way! It’s unthinkable!   OK, so, there may be some who neglect and abuse their children – but that is horrendous!   We believe we are better than that.  Jesus tells us to believe that God is doubly… quadrupley … infinitely better than that!  “How much more” says Jesus, “does the Heavenly Father long to give good things – the Holy Spirit even! –  to those who ask”.

So do not hesitate, says Jesus.  Be open, be honest and be quick to approach our father in prayer.  Trust his goodness and his love.    

If you want to know how to pray, the key lies not in any form or liturgy we can learn, no matter how good and helpful the words may be.  The key is remembering who it is that we are coming to with our prayers. 

I mean, I would have never have dreamt of running up to my father and asking him anything!  But I hope my children will know that they can always approach me.   And how much more so our Heavenly Father, our friend at midnight, who, Jesus tells us, always has an open door and a good and generous heart.  Remember this as you come to the Lord in prayer.   When you pray, start by saying “Dad” and go from there!

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And now, if you will excuse me, my friends, I believe I promised my children some ‘Dad Time’.  I must go.  I do not want to let them down.