Pray Prophetically

Scripture:  And his father Zechari'ah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74 to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.  

76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways. Luke 1:67-76 

Reflection:  There is hardly any difference between a prophecy and prayer; even a prayer is a prophetic word because it is based on God’s word and not any human word. Therefore what Zechariah prophesies is in a way also a prayer of praise which is new and yet not new because it is there before us in the Old Testament.  It is new because it communicates the immediate reality and that which is to take place.

The Church when it uses this prophetic utterance uses it as a prayer of praise, to whom it is due and to remind us of the prophetic revelation of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

This is what Jesus meant when he says that henceforth the true worshippers of the Father shall worship him in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. (cfr. Jn. 4:23)

Let your prayer be spontaneous not based on human wisdom and self deliberations but let it come through the practice of waiting on him in his holy temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.  

Prayer: May I become O Lord your instrument of service by learning to wait on you in your Holy temple.

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