Importance of The only answer to the imperative, helpless and loud cry, the sign of life at the birth of an individual that heralds a child into this bottom plane of the cosmos is prayer that goes upwards for creativity. The birth pang that starts with bleeding is remunerated by repenting tears, the only tool for a life of peace that unfolds often to equanimity and taciturnity. While respiration is the breathing of the body, prayer is the breathing of the soul. Supplication to the Lord of all things is the spiritual umbilical cord that bridge with the Spirit of God and the spirit of man. As the unceasing supply of unseen energy for both body and spirit is a breathing inevitability, the cleansing tears that implicitly cleanse our body and spirit are spontaneous and creative. A life without fasting and prayer is like a ship that voyages in the violent mid-ocean without a radar and propeller. Every human being needs a confessor who hears the problems that eat away one’s peace of mind and security. God is our confessor who absolves our sins and debts. He also has authenticated another confessor through the Divine commission of priesthood that nurtures the food of the soul, Jn.20: 22-23, also parenthood that take care of our earthly and religious life. Commissioning of St.Peter for rendering spiritual diagnosis to Cornelius was a part of God’s divine mission.

Role of Family Life:
The family that buds into an institution of an organized communal life is the nucleus of everything which unfolds into a life of fullness and beauty. The prime roles of parents, children and other household members are elucidated in Ephesians 5&6, the epistle that is read in every marriage ceremony. “Honour your father and your mother’, Exo.20: 12, is the 5th Mosaic commandment, not in the order of ‘mother and father’ “that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you” because the father is the procreator, creating as an agent of God and the mother, the begetter, giving birth children for God and man. Despite her role in conception, pre-natal and post-natal care is greater than the procreator; his role is apparently more significant in giving the nutrient, as ‘he is for God and she for God in him’concept.

The family prayer that focus on the praising of the glory of God for His love and benevolent gifts and blessings and thanksgiving by the parents in getting good and healthy children and the opportunity of nursing them and the children in praising the God-given opportunities in life that extol the role of parents in making use of should be the pattern of our prayer. It doesn’t mean to ignore the prayer for the whole humanity and the solutions of its sufferings. Pray for others first, then only the household members that we are bound to plead for the continuation of our mutual love and regard. Family or any other prayer should be a thanksgiving one to God and others, together with entreaty of caring and guiding mankind for better making use of all the given opportunities in a positive direction. A noble and good family life builds our spiritual and earthly life in a splendid way. Simultaneously, we must have the detachment that proclaim that we don’t have any spouse, children or friends because too much of any involvement of the mundane life make detachment from God. In this hybrid culture of sophistications, either man lives for his own family or for himself, neglecting the brotherly duty of sharing his inputs and outputs for the marginalized ones and outcasts. A self-centered man leads a self-conceited life of ephemeral nature.

Importance of Baptism:
Cornelius was clearly a Gentile belonging to the Roman Army, though the Italian band has not been identified. He was a God fearing man. In those days there used to gather a fringe of devout heathen attracted by the monotheism and a high standard of Jewish morality, yet reluctant to take the decisive step of becoming proselytes, for men particularly the necessity for circumcision and the full observance of the Law was the most distasteful. They used to join in for synagogue worship, observed the moral life, and abstained from heathen excesses. We tend to misquote the following verses in isolation and argue that whoever believes in God and do charity work is destined to be in the Kingdom of God. “Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him….”, Acts.10. This verse is applicable in relation to Cornelius who took the sacrament of baptism later, not for anyone who doesn’t accept baptism. People fearing God are only acceptable to Him, but not given any guarantee of salvation. Just called for, but not elected to the celestial world is the truth. For salvation, one has to be a member of the church that cleanses him by the sacrament of baptism, “Can anyone forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ”, Acts.10: 47-48. Righteousness or mere prayer is not enough for salvation; it is to be buttressed by the baptism in the name of Jesus. This truth also is validated by Jesus in His reply to Nicodemus, Jn.3: 5-7, 35.

“Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon Peter…”Acts10: 31-….The angel of the Lord is the one who transmits or conveys our supplications to God, Mat.18: 11; Heb.1: 14. There are different layers of intermediaries to convey our actions and reactions to the Creator who created everything out of nothing. St.peter was sent because Cornelius was genuinely a devout worshipper who did benevolent work in his private and public life; such people get visions of extraordinary perceptions. Therefore, any babbling cannot be considered as a prayer that has reached God and rewarded; it should be done in the right mode that automatically converges to the multi-dimensional planes of our existence. The Prayer that is not authenticated with right actions is not validated. Cornelius’ prayer, together with the charity work was remembered. He didn’t pray for money and power because he was a rich man and enjoyed high position in the military rank. “He was a religious man; he and his whole family worshipped God. He also did much to help the Jewish poor people and was constantly praying to God…The angel answered, God is pleased with your prayers and works of charity, and is ready to answer you…”. God replies only after continuous prayers and supplications, not mostly an instant answer. St.Peter also saw a similar vision in this regard that made him realize that he also needed a u-turn conversion to a positive direction. Here the giver and the recipient are both human beings with their own frailties and merits, yet God overlooks those weaknesses and made the pair as tools for His own Kingdom.

Right Faith and right prayers:
Despite Cornelius did his routine and private prayers constantly and continually, he was not aware about the redemptive work of the Son of Man who sacrificed Himself for us. As he was not a hypocrite, his prayers and almsgiving were accepted by the Lord. Any prayer is not answered; one has to pray with right faith that is complemented with a righteous life. Baal’s prayers by the multitude of followers were not answered, whereas the prayer of Elijah brought fire from Heaven to consume the idolaters and all around the vicinity. Our prayers that are affirmed in the citadel of apostolic faith have the power to move mountains from their positions. The real prayer is the glorification of God in our thought, word and deed. The prayer of the Pharisees and Sadducees, often fermented faith, doesn’t go upward; self-righteousness and morbid, routine babbling prayers can’t shake the strongholds of satanic kingdom. Wrong mode of thanksgiving or requesting for the earthly glamour is not prayer because the materialistic and flamboyant lifestyle has no bounds or limits, making people to grumble and turn away again and again for the higher level of sophisticated banal life.

Thanking God for what He has done for us by sacrificing His own life and for running our daily life in a qualitative manner of helping the poor is the right prayer. Charismatic prayers that crave for the prosperity gospel belong to the underworld monoliths. Our inner man should cleave unto the Creator and breathe life with Him, so also as man is a social animal, his actions and reactions and spiritual vibrations that need to be in collaborations with his brethren, without whom our cyclic salvation is imperfect which rests on conditions should be pure and sincere.

Religious Intermediaries:
St.Peter who hastened to Cornelius’ household was the intermediary between God and the Italian soldier who willingly received baptism later. As I have proved elsewhere that the clerical hierarchies are the middle men who plead and sanctify the receiver for the higher gift of powers, for example, baptism that weld the stepping stones of salvation. The clerics are responsible to administer the sacramental rites, the main of which is the Holy liturgy. They are authorized to receive the key to the Kingdom of God, the authority to forgive the sins of man. The angels and saints also have their own domain of bridling our salvation. This authority that represents the clergy as the agents or ambassadors of God is well established biblically. Laying hand is the anointing process of receiving the Spirit of God upon the devotee that look after the laity in every spiritual arena. Despite st.Paul was elected by God, Anannias was commanded to lay his hand upon him, then he stood later before the apostles for confirmation of his selection.

There have been deacons, priests and bishops from the very beginning of Christian ministry. Although Deacon Phillip baptized some devotees, they joined the church by receiving baptism from the apostles later, Acts, 8.14-40. Those who received John the Baptist’s baptism also were confirmed by laying of hands by apostles afterwards. The apostles delegated this authority to bishops who gave it to the retailers, priests, for the forgiveness of sins. Even if a priest is sinful, his authority for the forgiveness of sins of others has no tarnishing effect. Though we pray to the Father, the answer or rewards are bestowed by the Holy Spirit, Lk.11: 13.

The latest money culture, the resemblance of the medieval sale of indulgence that plays excesses in the religious vistas with money that affords a salvation insurance premium has declined the piety of the lay man and the clergy. The clergy that has become a puppet of the money extravaganza has erased the Christian monastic lifestyle from the face of the world. St.peter’s reply to Simon who tried to bribe him to get the authority of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is apt here. “Your silver perishes with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money…., your heart is not right before God”, Acts.8: 20-21. Half starvation only can circulate spiritual electricity in our daily life.

Family prayers:
Man is the only animal that cooks its food and serves them to others, thus his dependence on others is a social liability. This could be the one of the main reasons for the affordable ability of his communication among the same species and to the other animals too. This ability of speaking to others has a primary role of caring and looking after others. This bond that we call it as love which emanates from our inner being is the fountain of life. Praying for all others and for us should be the breathing of the soul. The family that binds this bond is the miniature world that caters to the taste of all our brethren. “The family that prays together stays together” has proven to be a universal truth. Not the individual prayer alone but the family prayer that nurtures all values for the growing up children and their parents circumvent for our spiritual growth. The main reason for Cornelius’ prayers was enriched on this ground. Cornelius and his household prayed together constantly. The angel of the Lord spoke him at 3 PM in the afternoon proves that the prayers for 7 watch times a day instituted by the church has great significances. St.peter also fell in a trance and saw the vision while he was in his 6th hour prayer, mid-day. This trance proved that he was the apostle not only for the Jews, but also for the gentiles. These instances prove that regular routine prayers at different watch times are indispensable for our spiritual progress. Right faith and right prayers at right times are inevitable food for our daily onward journey, despite general prayers prompted by the Spirit of God at every moment are part and parcel of life.

As both husband and wife are in one body, their thoughts also should be in a uniform mould. Both husband and wife are the joint heirs of salvation; so they should have the unity of thought and action. “In the same way you husbands must live with your wives with proper understanding that they are the weaker sex. Treat them with respect, because they also will receive, together with you, God’s gift of life. Do this so that nothing will interfere with your prayers”, 1. Pet.3: 7. The phrase ‘together with you’ connotes and emphasizes that wife’s salvation is a condition that binds with her husband. Just like there are hierarchies in Heaven, there is a sort of intermediaries, for example, priesthood, parenthood, and so on, that link together for our earthly and spiritual salvation. Wife’s salvation that depends on her good relationship with her husband is also repeated and emphasized by St.Paul. “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet woman will be saved through bearing children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty, 1.Tim.2: 8-15. These doctrines are further elaborated in most of his epistles. Wife’s salvation thus is synchronized with her prayerful relationship with her husband.

Sarah adoring her husband Abraham as the Lord may be aligned with this context. Two heads in one household is ludicrous and incompatible. This is the reason for women’s ordination that surfaced only a couple of decades ago have become a forbidden fruit that put the cart in front of the horse. Overturning Nature’s law is suicidal. Because Eve brought sins into the world that deceived Adam, woman is a complementing part to Adam’s mission of worshipping God. Her design and mould is also reveals the truth. Just like man is the only responsible agent in conceiving her, wife’s willful humility and love to him with prayers will beget her salvation. As priesthood is the genesis for spiritual life on earth, her religious devotion that pleases her husband also spins her salvation.

The family prayer that is the precursor of the church worship where men clergy celebrates the Holy liturgy is a model of our social constitution of family life. Man is the head of the household, just as Jesus is the Groom of the Bride.

The protagonist’s, Cornelius, household supplications and almsgivings have knocked at the doors of Heaven for God to send His messenger for future guidance of the man of God. Unless the prayers and charity works in one way or other go together, our life will remain in darkness. The household unity and charity prayers can move mountains from their places. Unity of mind, unity of thought and unity of action are the foundation stones of families and communities. Wherever there is division, the Devil’s encroachment that makes ruptures will embroil in feuding and infighting. Don’t give a chance for the destroyer to come into our households. Once his entry in the family life is cemented, it becomes a Herculean task to evict him from there. Prayer and good relationship is the lingua franca that greases the family to stay together. The head weight that rift the family into different fragments cannot be solved by individual fasting and prayers; it should be a joint exercise. Build the good relationship among the family members is the herald of the fruits that yield to prayers.

Postures during prayers:
The pattern of prayer is given in the Lord’s Prayer. It starts with hallowing God’s name and finishing by our surrender that gives kingship, honor and glory to the Almighty. A king is not greeted in our sitting or lying position. We stand with clasped or folded palms to welcome before we present our supplications. As in Indian culture that gives room for bending down to the feet of the elders, especially mothers, we are asked to prostrate, so as to show our humility in our supplications. Prostration is a good exercise or a yogic therapy that creates and revitalizes our body energy for physical creativity. Clasping or folding our palms circulates the nervous energy for higher vibrations of thought which help us to focus upward and transmit the thought in higher frequencies. Every middle palm is a ganglion, marma sthanam that has mystical potency for higher creative power. Standing with clasping palms shows humbleness that allows the activation of palm ganglia for working in harmony with our thought and concentration.

Kneeling down with closed palms is a higher form of submission that venerates the name of the Creator. Sitting and lying down positions exhibits our disrespect and head weight in front of the Lord of all things. Our sitting style of communal worship also tries to denigrate the name of the Lord by our disrespectful manners. Know that prayer is an affirmation of faith that declare the omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient power of the King of kings. Pleasing someone to get their blessings and rewards are applicable in our prayers, too. Don’t force God to kneel down to the pigmies for hearing our babblings. Right thoughts, right mind and right action that also invite the praying positions that are important for the effectiveness of prayers are integral parts of communicating with the Heavenly powers.

Prayer has no reply unless it is complemented with proper deeds that involve in almsgiving and forgiving others and embracing a life of devout dedication in sharing life with others. “So if you are offering a gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and give your gift”, Mt.23-24. Giving out Zacchaeus’ money alone is not enough; a charity mind that forgives and consoles others is the golden coin which is needed for crossing the river Jordan. “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of God”, Mt.5; 20. Intrigues and underhand methods, the weapons of mass destruction of the unseen life, are the bombardments of our inner adulterated psyche. No prayer from a polluted mind is heard and rewarded.