Aug 1 Sat
Can prayer help me find clear directions in my life?
Those who truly pray know that prayer affects one's entire life; it is not merely an activity, but involves them personally—in their identity and their relationships. This stems from having discovered who God is.
Prayer is the response of one who knows that his life unfolds in God. That recognition is gradual: with the help of grace, it grows… or wanes. What matters is not what to do during moments of prayer or how to address God, but rather knowing God, knowing and believing in His Love, and then recognizing one’s unworthiness, avoiding evil, and abhorring sin.
Prayer is getting to know oneself and others… adoration of God, gratitude.
A person may understand life:
- either as a gift, and thus live with gratitude (this is the beginning of true prayer), or
- as a right, and live in the discontent of constant demands.
Hence, the fundamental disposition of humility. To enter into a life of prayer is to gradually discover one’s own weakness and the wonder of God: two things that are closely linked.
Three general guidelines for prayer:
The first is to learn about God (reading the Gospel, the life of Christ, or other accessible texts…): prayer arises in the presence of God’s reality. Thus, I will stir a longing to know and love Him at the beginning of the journey and always. What matters most is not so much what I do, but where prayer leads me, what I am seeking.
The second is to trust a spiritual director who respects my freedom and will help me recognize my own frailty.
This person will help me to better understand my life: to acknowledge my responsibility for my own gifts, to find opportunities to serve, truly trusting God (which leads me to take risks for Him…), and to accept my own limitations. Thus, I can turn these into opportunities to live out my divine sonship, to delve deeper into God’s mercy, and to ask for the virtue of hope.
A third point is to realize that I am not an isolated verse but part of the story of redemption, which includes a tradition. Thus, the need for direction–a guide–to understand myself and God, who speaks to me and also reveals Himself to a people… My personal story must be understood in the context of what came before, what surrounds me, and what follows. That is why I need to turn to the masters of prayer and learn from those around us: St. Josemaría and his writings, the means of formation…
Ultimately, prayer is a means of making myself aware of my relationship with God. This involves presenting myself before Him just as I am, and recognizing His action just as He has chosen to carry it out. Prayer is living with trust in the recognition of Someone—my Father God—who transcends and surpasses me. Only by praying will I learn to pray.
I received life and live my life; now, with prayer, I must embrace my life and give life.