The apostles have a good role model in Jesus. As the leader of their group, he does not simply speak to them about the necessity of prayer, its content or method.

The best teaching of Jesus to his apostles about prayer are the moments he spends by himself as he bows and addresses himself to his Father in heaven. He shows his apostles that he is always praying. He is at prayer before he receives baptism at the Jordan River and before he chooses the Twelve to be his apostles.

After healing the people in Capernaum, early the next morning he prays alone in a deserted place. He prays on the mountain where he is transfigured in glory, and in Gethsemane before his passion and death.

In the Gospel, Jesus prays before he asks his apostles who people say he is. Then he asks his own apostles since he wants to know if they have sufficient knowledge of him. He shows himself as a loving Son to his Father in heaven whom he always connects with because he shares the life of his Father.

In the family, the best catechists are one’s parents. If the children see their parents pray together, it will be a lot easier for the children to follow the good example of their parents.

The invitation to prayer is not only for special occasions in our life, but it ought to be a regular practice, like the air we need in order to keep breathing and remain alive.

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”

Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”