Teresa in her hopelessness said, “What am I to do? I am desperate and can’t find anybody that cares for me.

I went to see my dad for guidance, asking him to take care of me. He wouldn’t be the one who neglects me. So I went to my father’s house and knocked on his door, once and twice, but he didn’t open the door. She sadly left saying, “ My father is not home!”

Frequently we do exactly the same, like what Teresa did. We knock at God’s door with our prayers and before He opens the door for us, we leave and say in our inner depth, “Where is God, we prayed and He didn’t hear our prayers, nor He did respond. Where are His care and concern.”

The Wise Mother, The church as a mother, wishes her sons and daughters to knock the doors continuously till the Father opens the door!

The church gives us the “Agpeya” “The Book of the Hours” and we think that it is too long. Even so! It is the way that makes us knock on the heavenly doors. Through it we enjoy the visit with our Beloved.

It is an enjoyable dialogue with the Heavenly Groom. It is the way to open an admissible and frank talk.

A colleague, a priest, told me this week, that he was invited to give the opening prayer at one of the meetings of the Los Angeles Council. He said, he prayed The Lord’s prayer, followed by Thanksgiving prayer.

Later one of the council members told him, “ For years I didn’t hear the Lord’s prayer. We need someone to remind us with this prayer, that Jesus our God, taught us.”

Thanksgiving prayer and the repentance psalm are the keys to heaven. Nothing can lead us to the entrance of the Divine throne, like thanking God for His giving and deeds, particularly our salvation. With repentance and the spirit of hope, God will return to us the joy of our salvation.

I knock on Your heavenly door You, Who knocks on my heart’s door Behold, I stand at the door and knock. [Revelation 3:20]

But for my simple-mindedness, I relaxed on my lazy bed.

To knock on Your heavenly door.
Your heaven is not that far from me!
It is within me, deeper than my own spirit.
I knock with a genuine love.
I pray with truth and spirit.
I sing with David the spiritual psalms.
I kneel to You with Your saints.
I share the heavenly souls in their prayers.

“How is it then, brethren, whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm.” [I Corinthians 14:26]

Prayer should be our first resort, not our last.