We often hear it said that one must acquire the habit of praying throughout the day. However, when one is always very busy and all kinds of obligations occupy every moment of the day, how can that be achieved? I thank you for kindly shedding light on this obscure point which has arisen in the course of my spiritual commitment.
Mariette B.
To have a life of prayer is easier than one ordinarily thinks, for it is not necessary to leave one’s work in order to pray; there is no need to kneel down in order to turn to God. A soul can be in a constant state of prayer, of orison, of contemplation. First of all, there are the times of morning and evening prayer which we are advised to adhere to. Through our morning and evening prayer, we place our soul in an attitude of meditation, even if on the surface we have distractions that disturb or annoy us. Is it really possible to pray without distractions? We are not angels; thus our human condition takes on everything that makes up the warp and woof of our life, bringing back to our mind the problems that worry us, the trials that break us, the joys that encourage us, the projects upon which our hopes are set, etc. God is so good. He understands our condition of human beings who are a prey to the many problems inherent in our lives. The mere intention of wanting to recollect ourselves, the thought we have of loving God, of beseeching Him, pleases Him and He welcomes the upsurge of love that is offered Him, for example, by someone who is laboring to care for sick children.
Now, what counts above all else is the fulfillment of the duties of one’s state. If this responsibility requires many hours of dedicated service every day, well then, the accomplishment of this task is already a prayer of every instant. There you have what concerns the state of prayer.
Let us now consider the aspect of prayer throughout the day, that is to say, that ascent towards God, that soaring of a loving thought of God in contemplation, either as we admire nature: flowers, trees, the ocean, birds and even the rain, etc. Saint Francis of Assisi, for his part, gave thanks to God for all things. The life of mental prayer is an intimate and friendly exchange with God. In a variety of forms, this exchange with God is like nourishment for our life. Mental prayer takes on the changing forms of our dispositions, for this contact with God is established in the depths of our soul, in those areas where God abides and where the supernatural love circulating in us is to be found. To the extent that this love will be powerful and active, the exchange with God will be both frequent and intimate.
How can a soul be bound to God in a constant prayer while attending to its duties and responsibilities? Here we address ourselves to simple souls, those humble souls open to grace, following along the way of the little spiritual childhood which Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus taught us. Is there anything simpler than those arrows of love, “Jesus, I love you”, that are silently shot heavenwards as we work, regardless of the task? These simple words said with fervor are worth more than lengthy petitions marked with self-interest in which our egotistical demands remain bound to this earth because they stem from our own personal will. And then we wonder why our prayers are not answered...!
In order to communicate with God, there is no need of beautiful phrases. We need only talk to Him simply as a child would talk to his mother or father. Speaking of mental prayer, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus wrote: “For me, prayer is an upward leap of the heart, an untroubled glance towards heaven, a cry of gratitude and love that I utter from the depths of sorrow as well as from the heights of joy; finally, it is something grand, something supernatural that swells my heart and soul and unites me to Jesus.”
The best mental prayer and the one that is most pleasing to God is the one that produces the best effects, that is to say, that produces in the soul the desire to work for the glory of God.
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus said to Mother Agnes of Jesus: “I can’t imagine what more I could receive in heaven other than what I now have. I will see God, that is true, but as far as being with Him, I am with Him entirely here on earth.”
When true love dwells in the will, it enlightens the intelligence and takes hold of the soul to unite it to God.
If all souls were to get used to progressing along the way of mental prayer, waves of love would spread over the earth, transforming hearts. These waves would shield us against the feelings of hatred sweeping over the peoples to divide and destroy them. True love unites and ennobles.
Mother Paul-Marie
(Le Royaume, no. 3, July-August 1982)
