29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C - Why We Pray & “Anima Christi (Soul of Christ)”

In the film Shadowlands, C.S. Lewis reflects on prayer after his wife’s illness improves. A friend says, “God is answering your prayer.” Lewis replies, “That’s not why I pray. I pray because I can’t help myself… because I’m helpless… because the need flows out of me all the time. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.”

That captures something essential about Christian prayer. Prayer isn’t about convincing God to do what we want—it’s about allowing Him to shape us into what He wants us to be. Prayer opens our hearts so His grace can transform us.

In the Book of Exodus, Moses prays on the hill while the Israelites fight below. When his hands are raised, they prevail; when they fall, they falter. His lifted hands remind us that victory belongs to God, and that prayer and action work together. Some serve on the front lines of the Church’s mission, others pray in quiet faith—but both are vital. Without prayer, the Church’s work loses its power and direction.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells of a widow who refuses to stop pleading before an unjust judge. If even a selfish judge can be moved by persistence, how much more will a loving Father respond to His children? Persistent prayer doesn’t wear God down—it strengthens our faith and trust in Him.

But if God already knows what we need, why pray? Because prayer is part of God’s plan. In praying, we exercise our freedom to open ourselves to His will. God never forces His grace on us; He invites us to ask, seek, and receive.

Prayer, then, is not a transaction but a transformation. It nourishes faith, purifies desire, and teaches us fidelity. As Lewis later says, “We pray to know we are not alone.” Prayer reminds us that even in our darkest hours—like Christ on the cross—God is with us.

So we keep praying. Not to change God, but to let Him change us. We pray because we need Him. We pray because in prayer, we are drawn into the heart of Christ—the One who still prays for us and with us. And in that communion, we are changed, renewed, and made whole.

In honor of the Gospel reading this weekend, we’d like to share our musical prayer and latest video, “Anima Christi (Soul of Christ)”, a beautiful song written by Jandi Arboleda and popularized by Bukas Palad.

The Anima Christi or “Soul of Christ” was originally a 14th-century prayer often associated with St. Ignatius of Loyola, who placed it at the beginning of his Spiritual Exercises. Its words express an intimate longing for union with Christ through the Eucharist, invoking his sanctifying soul, saving body, and redeeming blood.

Video can be watched by clicking here or by clicking on the thumbnail below.