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One of the cosmic questions that haunts the human race is, “why are some of the simplest things also the hardest to do?” The difficulty comes not so much from the task but the motivation needed to complete them. Things like putting your shoes away and not in front of the door, untying the knot on the plastic bag when you order takeout or peeling that thin paper off a blister pack of medicine!
But maybe the grandaddy of them all is the roll of toilet paper in your bathroom. How hard is it to change when it's empty? It takes, what, five seconds? And yet how many times have we walked into that sacred space only to see a new roll perched precariously on top of the old one…like some sort of outhouse Jenga? Surely it took more effort to get the balance right than just changing the roll!
Apparently, this is a universal struggle and not just something I survived growing up. I read an article that there’s an escalating battle in the TP industry: double, triple, jumbo, and mega rolls are no longer enough. Charmin floated the Forever XL Roll, complete with its own stand. It’s more than 13 inches in diameter and equivalent to 36 rolls of standard toilet paper. Of course, that still doesn’t solve the real problem: who changes the roll, it just delays it.
Changing a roll of toilet paper isn’t the only simple thing we humans have a hard time doing. Prayer is another. What is prayer? In its most basic form, it’s simply talking to God. We can speak with the Lord anytime, anywhere, about anything. He is always listening and present, whether we’re in church, in the car, at work, or on a walk. And yet, even though it’s so simple, we struggle mightily to pray and even more so to keep praying consistently. How often we put it off, stacking many other tasks and distractions on top of something so essential.
Or we start out strong, when prayer feels good and easy, but give up when it becomes dry or demanding. We might even wonder, “If God knows everything and can do anything, why does He need my little words?”
Here’s the truth: God doesn’t need anything from us. He is complete. But He knows we need prayer. Prayer doesn’t change God; it changes us. Articulating what we need, asking favors, expressing sorrow, gratitude, and praise; these things regenerate our spirits, increase our faith, and give us strength, healing, and holiness. God could do everything for us, but like a good parent, He knows we need to be part of the process. Prayer is our participation in the journey of becoming saints and returning home to heaven.
Prayer isn’t hard to do but it’s something we have to do. God can’t do it for us. He’s done the heavy lifting of salvation, sending His Son to conquer sin and death. Our part is to stay close to Him and support one another.
And that brings us to another truth about prayer: we don’t just pray for ourselves or by ourselves. One of the great lies of modern times is this idea of “rugged individualism”, that we’re strong when we don’t need anyone. But God loves us as unique persons and saves us as a community. We’re not spiritual islands making our lonely way to heaven. We go together as members of one Body.
In the marvelous first reading, we see this clearly. Moses is praying for the Israelites as they battle the Amalekites. God gives them victory but He asks Moses to lift his hands in prayer and intercession. When his arms are raised, the Israelites win. But as the day wears on, Moses grows tired, and when his arms drop, they begin to lose. So Aaron and Hur step in. They hold up Moses’ arms so he can keep praying. Together, with God, they help Israel win the battle. It’s a beautiful image of prayer in community.
Jesus is the new Moses, stretching out His arms on the cross until the victory over sin and death is won. Every time we see His extended arms on the crucifix, we’re reminded that He still intercedes for us. But we’re not just spectators! We’re called to be like Aaron and Hur, supporting others in prayer, holding up the arms of those who are weary or discouraged.
I can tell you, as a priest, there have been many times I’ve felt worn out or wondered, “Is my ministry making any difference at all?” And then someone will say, “I’m praying for you,” or “I appreciate what you’re doing.” You have no idea how many times your kindness and prayers have lifted my arms when I was tired.
That’s one reason I love the “Our Father” at Mass. When I extend my hands in prayer with you and for you, I’m reminded that we’re in this together, helping one another in the spiritual battle that continues after we leave church.
Reflecting on these readings also reminded me how often I skimp on prayer. I do fine with a routine during the week but when my schedule opens up, when it’s my day off or I’m on vacation…how quickly I abandon those moments with God! I suspect we can all relate: knowing we ought to pray, but putting it off until the day or week slips away.
So how about this: the next time you see that empty toilet paper roll or some other simple thing that is hard for you to do, let it remind you to pray. It doesn’t take long, it’s easy to do, and it benefits not just us but others as well. Who knows how our day or someone else’s life might be transformed by our prayer? Who knows who might be relying on us to hold up their arms in prayer today?
We don’t need to be theologians or super Catholics to offer powerful prayers. We just need to remember the three C’s of prayer:
It must be Concrete which means real words, real time, accountable, and not vague intentions.
It must be Consistent: a steady habit, not just a reaction when things go wrong. 10-15 min each day is better than 1hr/wk.
And it must be Communal: we need each other’s prayers, and others need ours.
Lord, give us perseverance in prayer like the persistent widow in the Gospel. And may we, like the psalmist, always say, “Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
