I see Jesus coming out of Peter’s house at Capernaum, making as little noise as possible. He obviously spent the night there to make Peter happy.
It is the dead of night. The sky is a starry canopy. The lake faintly reflects the glitter of the sky and, rather than see it, one guesses the peaceful lake is there sleeping under the stars, because of the gentle lapping of the water on the gravel shore.
Jesus sets the door ajar, looks at the sky, the lake and the road. He is thinking. Then He starts walking, not along the lake, but towards the village. He passes through part of it towards the country. He goes into the country, along a little path that leads to the first undulations of an olive-grove. He enters the green, silent peace and prostrates Himself in prayer.
A fervent prayer! He prays kneeling down, and then, as if He were fortified, He stands straight up, His face raised to Heaven, a face made more spiritual by the rising light of a clear, summer dawn. He prays smiling now, whereas before He was sighing, probably because of some moral grief. His arms are fully outstretched. He seems a living, tall, angelical cross, so gentle is His attitude. He seems to be blessing the whole country, the rising day, the fading stars and the lake, now becoming visible.
62.2
«Master! We have been looking for You all over! We saw the door ajar, when we came back with the fish, and we thought You had gone out. But we could not find You. And at last, a peasant, who was loading his baskets to take them to town, told us. We were calling: “Jesus, Jesus!”, and he said: “Are you looking for the Rabbi Who speaks to the crowds? He went up that path, up towards the mountain. He must be in Micah’s olive-grove, because He often goes there. I have seen Him there before”. He was right. Why did You come out so early, Master? Why did You not rest? Was the bed not comfortable?…»
«No, Peter. The bed was comfortable and the room was lovely. But I often do that. To raise My spirit and be united to the Father. Prayer is a strength for oneself and for others. We achieve everything by praying. If we do not receive a grace, which the Father does not always grant — and we must not think it is due to lack of love, instead we must believe that it is the will of an Order which governs the destiny of every man for a good purpose —, prayer certainly gives us peace and contentment, to enable us to bear so many vexing things, without going off the holy path. It is easy, you know, Peter, to have a clouded mind and an agitated heart because of what is around us! And how can a clouded mind or an agitated heart perceive God?»
«It’s true. But we do not know how to pray! We are not capable of saying the lovely words You say.»
«Say the words you know, as best you can. It is not the words, but the sentiments with which they are uttered that make your prayers pleasant to the Father.»
«We would like to pray as You do.»
«I will teach you also to pray. I will teach you the most holy prayer. But to prevent it from being only a void formula on your lips, I want your hearts to have at least a minimum of holiness, light and wisdom… That is why I instruct you. Later, I will teach you the holy prayer.»