Homily: Lost in the Noise

We stand at a crossroads, shouting prayers into the wind, wondering why God doesn’t answer. Some say we need to "Make Prayer Great Again." But before we pick up the banner, let’s pause and ask: When did prayer lose its power?

Prayer was never meant to be a campaign slogan. It was never meant to be a tool of power, a performance for the masses, or a symbol of who belongs and who does not. Yet, here we are—lost in the noise of culture wars, shouting “Lord, bless our nation!” while turning our backs on the very people Jesus told us to serve.

This isn’t about tearing down a phrase. It’s about asking, What have we lost?

The Idol of a Political God

We have taken the name of Jesus and stamped it onto our ideologies, our political platforms, our nationalistic dreams. We have traded true worship for empty rituals, exchanged humility for self-righteousness, and turned God into a mascot instead of our Master.

But God is not mocked. Scripture warns us:"They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." — Matthew 15:9

When we turn prayer into a public display but neglect to seek Him in the quiet place, we become no different than the Pharisees who prayed loudly in the streets for show (Matthew 6:5-6). When we pray for our nation’s greatness but ignore the brokenness of the widow, the orphan, the refugee, and the poor, we sound no different than those in Isaiah’s time, of whom God said:

"When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!" — Isaiah 1:15

The Consequence of Losing True Prayer

If prayer has lost its power, it’s not because of laws or leadership. It’s because we have lost our way. We have allowed God to be politicized, stripped of His holiness, and remade in our own image. And now, we suffer—not because God has abandoned us, but because we have abandoned Him.

We pray for revival, but we do not repent.We pray for blessings, but we refuse to be broken.We pray for favor, but we refuse to be faithful.

God does not move at the sound of a slogan. He moves at the cry of a humbled heart:"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." — 2 Chronicles 7:14

Returning to True Prayer

Making prayer great again isn’t about bringing it back into schools or slapping it onto a campaign speech. It’s about bringing it back into our hearts.

We need to return to the kind of prayer that moves mountains—not because it’s loud, but because it’s rooted in humility. The kind of prayer that Jesus taught us, where we surrender our will, our pride, our agendas, and truly seek His Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).

Prayer is not great because it is public. It is great because it is powerful. And it is powerful when it is pure.

So before we lift our voices to shout “Make Prayer Great Again,” let’s humble ourselves and ask:

Are we truly praying for God’s will?Or are we just using His name to justify our own?

The greatness of prayer is not found in its visibility, but in its sincerity. It is time to bow low so that He may lift us up (James 4:10).

Let’s make prayer holy again.