We’re often caught in a cycle of “urgent demands” in our fast-paced world, expecting instant solutions and immediate results, writes Fr Adi Indra. Yet, as his recent reflection shows, our prayer calls for a different kind of urgency, one rooted not in demands, but in longing for God’s presence.
By Fr Adi Indra
Before entering the seminary, I worked in a corporate office in Western Australia. I often received emails or messages saying, “Call me, it’s urgent.” The problem was that everything seemed urgent, so it became hard to know what truly was.
In 1999, Fatboy Slim released a song titled Right Here, Right Now. Lyrically, not much happens over its six minutes, but its message is clear: no delay, no waiting; everything must happen now (I personally prefer David Benoit’s song with the same title!).
We can bring that same attitude into our prayer. Often, we ask God to act right here and right now – to fix problems, remove difficulties, or grant what we want immediately. We confuse God with vending machines!
The Advent season that we celebrated a few weeks ago speaks of a different urgency. We hear the prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus, and do not delay.” But this is not a demand for God to do what we want. It is a longing for Him to, simply, come and be with us.
So, it is good – indeed, beautiful – to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus” (this was also the motto of Bishop Joe Grech) even adding, “right here and right now.” But this prayer also calls for a response from us.
St Josemaría Escrivá sums up this response in two words: “Nunc coepi!" ( Now I begin!) "This is the cry of a soul in love, which, at every moment, whether it has been faithful or lacking in generosity, renews its desire to serve – to love! – our God with a wholehearted loyalty” (Furrow, 161).
May 2026 be a year of healthy urgency for us, as we more earnestly ask God to be with us and, as we respond to Him, more readily.
