4. Prayer (a)

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Day 4. Prayer (a)

It is impossible to talk about religious life without talking about prayer. In fact, we can’t really talk about the Christian life at all without including prayer.

Why do we pray? We pray for what we want, certainly. (There's nothing wrong with that, as long as we add, "Your will be done.")

We pray especially so that our own hearts and minds may be one with the heart and mind of Jesus. We pray in order to grow in union with God who is Love.

Below are several quotations about prayer. Check the one that most speaks to you.

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Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.

Romans 8:26

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Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4: 16

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Right relation between conduct and prayer is not that conduct is supremely important and prayer may help it, but that prayer is supremely important and conduct tests it.

William Temple (1881-1944), Christ the Truth (New York: Macmillan, 1924).

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God is always ready, but we are very unready; God is near to us, but we are far from Him; God is within, but we are without; God is at home, but we are strangers.

Meister Eckhart (c.1260-1327)

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Contemplative prayer is the world in which God can do anything. To move into that realm is the greatest adventure. It is to be open to the Infinite and hence to infinite possibilities. ...

The root of prayer is interior silence. We may think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words, but this is only one of its forms.

Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart (Rockport, Massachusetts, 1986)

What appealed to you or drew you about the quotation you chose?

Write the word or words that stood out for you.

Ponder what you have written.

Talk to God, or write a letter to God about what you have written.

You might want to visit the Virtual Chapel, and simply sit in silence for a few minutes.

Or for additional input, watch this brief video called, "The Consolation and Challenge of the Holy Spirit Praying in Us."

Close with the Our Father or the following prayer:

Loving God,
may I take on the mind and heart of Christ,
that I may hear your call for my life
and embrace your world
through my prayer, my work,
and my life with others,
in Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Contact:
In the Diocese of St. Augustine, Sister Maureen: mkelleyop"at"comcast.net
Elsewhere, Sister Janice: sr.janice.m.bemowski"at"usa.net

In each address, replace the "at" by @. We have had to remove the active e-mail links to prevent the onslaught of spam.