But he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Luke 5:16

Luke 5:12-16

Reflection

A man with leprosy approaches Jesus, telling him if Jesus wishes, he can be made clean. Jesus cleanses the leper and orders the man not to tell anyone, but the miracle becomes known and Jesus withdraws to deserted places to pray.

Jesus is frequently shown to be praying somewhere by himself. He will leave his disciples at times and go off to pray. We might think that Jesus praying is silly, because he is God. But our Lord provides us with a good example to follow.

Amid the busyness of life, we need to take time for ourselves daily and pray. Leaving the chaos behind, we can enter into prayer with our Lord and grow spiritually. Today, we are surrounded by constant information and we get bored easily, so going to a deserted place for us might seem difficult. But this can be achieved by simply putting the phone away for a period of time, sitting by yourself, and speaking to God.

In all things, Jesus is leading us to himself. His example of prayer is one way to do this. Will you follow the Lord’s example today?

---

Saint of the Day

St. Adrian of Canterbury: died ca. AD 710

“We serve God best when we teach with a humble heart, for in sharing what we know, we make room for His grace to grow in every soul.” St. Adrian of Canterbury