Bringing Our Hearts into Prayer, Part 2

For Part 1, click here

O God, you are my God, it is you I seek! - Psalm 63:2

How do we define prayer? Here are some thoughts …

Prayer is a turning toward God.

Prayer is a deepening relationship with God.

Prayer is a conversation.

Prayer is a gift.

Prayer is grace.

Prayer is not another thing for us to achieve.

Prayer is not another feather for our cap or trophy for our wall.

Prayer is a response to God’s call.

God calls. We respond.

God always initiates. Whenever we get that thought, that idea, that nudge to pray, God is calling.

Feel like going to the chapel to pray before the Blessed Sacrament? God called you.

Feel like picking up the rosary? God called you.

Have a sudden urge to learn a new prayer? God called you.

A prompting of the Spirit catches our attention. I like to call it a nudge. How often do we ignore that nudge?

The good news is – God waits.

God invites us.

God waits for us.

God gives us the gift and we either say yes or we say no.

We either show up. Or we don’t.

And this is where we learn humility. Success at prayer is not due to our own efforts.

It is all about grace. And trust. And surrender.

And faith. We need to have faith that God is aways present. Whenever or however we pray, God is present.

In her book, A Tree Full of Angels, Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB, wrote “Prayer does nothing to make God more present, for God is always present. Prayer is our response to God’s presence in our lives.”

So how do we pray? That is for another post! Or two.

I will end this with one of my favorite definitions of prayer. This is from Sr. Macrina again –

“To pray is to touch God and let God touch us.”

Copyright 2012 Colleen Spiro