On Prayer

What do you have for me?

I can recall my childhood excitement when my parents would return from a trip.  My excitement wasn’t usually to see my parents, but rather, I’d wonder if they had anything for me.  When someone close to us travels while we carry on at home, we can wonder what they encounter, what they experience, but also, what they may have for us -- perhaps a souvenir or some candy.

Sometimes, when I come to my parish to pray in front of the tabernacle, I wonder if the Lord looks at me and thinks, “What do you have for me?  You have not been here in a whole week.  What did you bring me?”  Of course, our Lord is not interested in souvenirs or candy.  But He is not wrong to wonder what we have to give Him.

So what should we bring to the Lord in prayer?  Anything and everything!  Of course He knows your thoughts before you think them and your prayers before you pray them, but He longs to be in communion with you.  In the same way that a husband or wife knows that their spouse loves them, just hearing the words “I love you” reinforce a relationship of trust and authenticity.  It should be no surprise that by simply choosing to pray, we are telling the Lord that we love Him.

How do I get started? 

Many have heard the phrase, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  This is especially true of our spiritual journey.  

I don’t feel anything… is it working?

Josemaria Escriva 

Inspiration from the saints…

Saint Monica