The right order in prayer

And a leper came to Jesus, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. (Mark 1: 40-45)

Jesus welcomes prayers of petition. In fact, as in all forms of true prayer, the one who prays acknowledges his own limitations as a creature of God and His merciful Omnipotence. Yet, if we see Jesus only for our material gain, neglecting the spiritual gain which should have much greater importance, then we prevent Jesus from proclaiming His Word of Salvation. Let us learn from the Lord's Prayer so as to put our prayer requests in the right order.