Prayer
"(Jesus) often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed," Luke 5:16
I am continually amazed at the prayer life of our Lord. If anyone didn't need to pray, you would think it would be Him. But we see Him constantly at prayer. He prays at His baptism, He prays in temptation, He prays all night before choosing the twelve. He looked for opportunities to pray. He was most at home in prayer. And no wonder. God was His Father. He was an alien in this world. Though He was in the image of man, He still longed for the communion of God.
In our baptism we were buried with Him in regard to our old life of sin. We were then raised to a new life in Him. It is His life that is being lived out through us. So why do we struggle so in prayer?
I think that it is primarily an issue that we are still more at home in this world among our fellow men than we are with God. It isn't that we don't love God. It isn't that we aren't devout or serious about Him. It's just our immaturity. We aren't at a place where we feel more at home with God than anything else.
Some will say, "Isn't that a good thing? We don't want to be so heavenly minded that we become no earthly good." I say no, it is not a good thing. Jesus was at home with God. But people were at home with Jesus. The fallacy is to think that if we're too spiritual then we will not be any good for this world. In fact, the opposite is true. The more truly spiritual a person, the more earthy- that is, the more good for this world. They realize they will not be soiled by the things, or the people, of this world. They exert more of an influence on the world than the world does on them. This is what we see in Jesus. Though He was in the form of God... He took on the form of man. He knew how to live in perfect harmony of both.
I propose that prayer was the key to this perfect balance. It will be for us as well. However, I, like many of you, am a mere pilgrim and learner in this path of prayer. I am aching to know more about it. I want more insight. I want to draw nearer to my God. So I am asking for any helps or suggestions from anyone out there. Remember, I am new to the Catholic faith. Many things about prayer are new to me as well. I invite your comments.
In the meantime, pray for me, a sinner!
I am continually amazed at the prayer life of our Lord. If anyone didn't need to pray, you would think it would be Him. But we see Him constantly at prayer. He prays at His baptism, He prays in temptation, He prays all night before choosing the twelve. He looked for opportunities to pray. He was most at home in prayer. And no wonder. God was His Father. He was an alien in this world. Though He was in the image of man, He still longed for the communion of God.
In our baptism we were buried with Him in regard to our old life of sin. We were then raised to a new life in Him. It is His life that is being lived out through us. So why do we struggle so in prayer?
I think that it is primarily an issue that we are still more at home in this world among our fellow men than we are with God. It isn't that we don't love God. It isn't that we aren't devout or serious about Him. It's just our immaturity. We aren't at a place where we feel more at home with God than anything else.
Some will say, "Isn't that a good thing? We don't want to be so heavenly minded that we become no earthly good." I say no, it is not a good thing. Jesus was at home with God. But people were at home with Jesus. The fallacy is to think that if we're too spiritual then we will not be any good for this world. In fact, the opposite is true. The more truly spiritual a person, the more earthy- that is, the more good for this world. They realize they will not be soiled by the things, or the people, of this world. They exert more of an influence on the world than the world does on them. This is what we see in Jesus. Though He was in the form of God... He took on the form of man. He knew how to live in perfect harmony of both.
I propose that prayer was the key to this perfect balance. It will be for us as well. However, I, like many of you, am a mere pilgrim and learner in this path of prayer. I am aching to know more about it. I want more insight. I want to draw nearer to my God. So I am asking for any helps or suggestions from anyone out there. Remember, I am new to the Catholic faith. Many things about prayer are new to me as well. I invite your comments.
In the meantime, pray for me, a sinner!
posted by Patrick at 7:14 AM
1 Comments:
Why is it that the thing that should be easiest to do (simply pray) I find the hardest to do?
The communion and fellowship Jesus shared with His Father is something I truly long for.
I look forward to reading other comments, too.
I am praying for you, Patrick!
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