What I have found helpful about prayer

I am often asked, “What do sisters do besides pray?”  However, I am asked even more often, “Will you pray for . . .?”  Of course I will, as prayer is the most important part of my vocation; that is, talking to God.  And since I entered in 1970, I have discovered truisms that have helped me on my spiritual journey.  I hope they will also help you.

First, there is no wrong way for me to pray. Believe it or not, far too many people worry about “doing it right.”

Second, God comes to me in ways I can understand.  I relish watching movies.  Because I do, I listen for God’s voice as the story line of a film unfolds as well as when I am in the chapel.

Because I know God speaks a language I am familiar with, I have found the more I pay attention, the more I discover his presence in daily living—even the difficult parts. Thus, St. Ignatius’ maxim “finding God in all things” has widened my experience of prayer.

Up to this point of my spiritual journey, I have not been bored when I pray. If I should, I know this could be a sign God is inviting me to move to a different type of prayer or a higher level of prayer. It could also be a sign that I need to look at why and how I am praying.

Some five years ago, I finished reading The Cloud of Unknowing for the second time.  I decided to put the author’s type of prayer into practice—what I call my “sitting prayer.”  I sit for 30 minutes every night at 9 o’clock.  The chapel clock chimes the quarter hour and the half hour so I know when my time is finished.  During those five years, I had plenty of practice using my holy word to deal with distractions and in the process I learned to be patient with myself.  

I continue to use a holy word as the author advised whenever distractions hit headlong. Because fidelity to prayer is the bedrock my spiritual journey, I also stay glued to my chair unless I need the bathroom or if the convent should ever be on fire.  My decision to stay put blocked my “two minute” temptation.  Approximately two minutes into my silent sitting, some major distraction involving vacating my chair would show up.  Armed with my holy word, I just continue sitting and the distraction will fall flat.

Praying well starts with beginning well.  I begin my silent sitting with the request: Lord, may I pray well whatever that means.   My understanding of praying well means accepting whatever God decides for me that night—be it a multitude of distractions or the warmth of his love.  God gives grace along with the distractions; perhaps more so than when he allows his presence to be felt.

Along with the request for praying well, I also ask for the grace of protection from the evil One during my prayer time as well as afterwards.  I do this because I have noticed too many times I succumb to harsh judgments of others almost as soon as I leave the chapel. The evil one has a very low tolerance for someone’s commitment to prayer.

Commitment to regular prayer needs a healthy balance and it comes with time for play. I came across a quote I often share with people who want to pray well:  “Show me how you play and I will show you how you pray.”  For me, the best description of contemplative prayer is children at recess.  As a result, I make time to have some fun.

Finally, true prayer leads to service. 

It is my prayer that you also may pray well—whatever that means by whatever means.  I thank you for your commitment to prayer and may God bless you with his presence during your prayer.