From the 2009 CMCS archive ...
* Jesus prayed to His father often. He is God. He asks us to do the
same.
* Prayer is an act of the heart. We can “will” to pray, set aside a time to pray, engage in prayer but the true connection, the true relationship with God happens when our words, thoughts, supplications and petitions come from the depths of our hearts.
* Prayer is always answered. Our problems is that we don’t agree with God’s reply or we’re not listing for the answer.
How is prayer a part of your life?
Do you have a regular time for prayer?
Do you only pray during worship at Mass? Or do you live your life as a prayer, other known as having a prayer life?
With all that is going on in our world and our culture we can easily become too busy or too distracted from taking time to rest, much less pray.
Bishop Fulton Sheen said it this way,
“More things are wrought through PRAYER than this world can ever dream of”.
Over the past few years my prayer lif has changed dramatically. I used to pray usually when I was in need or looking for an answer to something. Now, I have a conversation with God with every breath I take.
It is amazing how because my interior life is a life which seeks God in everything, I more and more see life and others through God’s eyes.
Life is like a garbage can, what you put in it is what comes out of it. If we feed on the culture and the ways of this world, we’ll look at life though our own human understanding. When we however not only love God, but have Christ in our heart, we live in Holiness and are aware of God’s presence in our daily lives. And we make our decisions then based on God’s principles of Truth.
In other words, when you work for a company you know what the boss wants, and what the policy book says, because you’ve spent time with it and your job several hours every week. In our personal lives, God is our boss and the Bible is the rule book.
As men, our personality is that of problem solvers. When our wives, or others, present a problem in their life we tend to want to fix it. Many times we’re not asked to fix it, and our best response then should be to listen, to understand, and to pray.
I believe the circumstances we go through are God’s way of molding us and our lives, bringing us into closer communion with Himself … if we are willing to listen.
Many times when a person shares with me the struggles they are experiencing, I often suggest they close their drapes and let God speak to their heart. Growing up, I often found my Dad up before sunrise sitting with the lights out, praying (the Rosary) and thinking. Listening to God.
“Until you are convinced that PRAYER is the best use of your time. you will not find time for PRAYER”
– Hillary Ottensmeyer, O.S. B.
The best part of prayer is listening. Back when I was in Catholic grade school one of the sisters used to say, “God gave you two ears and one mouth … listen”. Sister said that many of us are too busy telling God what we think He should do, instead of listening to what He asks of us.
Many of you know that I love dogs. We have two rescue dogs that came to us with issues. Now they are ‘dogs’ again. Little did I know back then how God would use these dogs to teach me about myself and my relationship with Him. I’ve learned from The Monks of New Skete that not only do we teach dogs obedience, but they teach us to learn obedience (to God) by how we listen to (behaviors of) our dog.
So in these times of a struggling economy, a hurting war torn world, trying to keep the bills paid, keeping our marriages nurtured, quality time with our kids and their needs, and everything else in between, consider discerning living your life as a prayer.
Open your heart, as I have, and let God speak to you. Life is a work in progress!
Peace and Blessings to you!
Frank Casella
Excerpts provided by Deacon John Rangel
"A saint is a sinner who keeps trying".
-- Saint Josemaria Escriva
