A note from Fr. Mark on the first pillar of Lent: Prayer 🙏
My mother taught me “prayer is talking to God.” I’m not sure where she learned this, but it has served me well over many years. It also has led me to think about how I best speak with others (face-to-face, quiet environment, no phones, no distractions) and led me to apply them when I pray.
When conditions are right, I am open to encounter the other, whether that other is God, a dear friend, or anyone else. Of course, sometimes I speak to people on the phone or in noisy environments. It takes a lot more effort to have a quality conversation at those times. The same is true when I pray.
So often, as Lent approaches, I hear people say, “I want to pray more during Lent.” I have probably said this as well. But is “more” really what is needed or is it something else? Going back to my analogy to a conversation, have I been having high-quality conversations with my friends and colleagues or are they shallow?
Applied to prayer, is my time with God of high quality and deep or is it shallow? Am I rushing? Am I focused? Am I open? Am I listening? If not, why not? Prayer invites us to encounter God. That encounter, when it is rich and deep, prepares me for encountering God in others, encountering God in creation and encountering God in other surprising places. Talk about more!
Blessings,
Fr. Mark Pranaitis
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