“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father” (Mt 6:6).
What an intimate space the Lord offers us! No matter how beautiful churches and sacred spaces may be, even when they host dignified liturgies and the communal prayer of the faithful, our Heavenly Father grants us access to Him that remains ever open. The doors of His heart never close, and He is always ready to listen to us. Therefore, we can enter into unceasing dialogue with Him. This prayer in secret is immensely valuable and does not always require outward gestures, but rather a heart open to our Father.
Jesus spoke these words about prayer in a context where acts of piety enjoyed great prestige among the Jews, which sometimes led to a hypocritical attitude—performing them for the sake of being seen by others. Therefore, the Lord’s exhortation also involved seeking the hidden place and entering there into an intimate relationship with God.
The complete verse reads:
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Mt 6:6).
Here the Lord speaks expressly of the value of such prayer in secret. In fact, God takes great pleasure in works of charity and prayer performed in secret, because they are entirely focused on Him, and no other secondary intentions come into play.
Undoubtedly, the inner room also refers to our heart, for it is always with us, and we can enter into it to pray in peace, even in the midst of circumstances that do not seem favorable.
Our Heavenly Father has made it clear to us that He always dwells in a soul that is in a state of grace. Therefore, we can always and everywhere have access to Him, and that will please Him.
Here is the video containing Jesus’ three words on prayer:
