Answering Debi's Questions About Faith & Prayer
Dear Debi,
Yes, sometimes I do have a clear sense of God's communication to me, although it is not the same as the dialogue between us. It is necessary that I give you something of my history. As a little boy I was often sick. My asthma was quite bad. Allergies and physical exertion brought on attacks. Some were so bad that I literally coughed up blood. This condition is better today, but respiratory problems still plague me. I lost weeks and months of school. Often I would sit, bent over for breath, alone by the window and watch the other children at play outside. Oh how I wanted to join them. I cannot tell you how many tears I cried in secret. It was in the midst of this sense of aloneness that the strong faith given me from my parents came into play. I would talk to God. "Why did you make me this way? Why can't I be like other kids? What possible part in your divine plan could my suffering find meaning?" I would talk to God for hours. He became as real to me as any other member of the family. While my body failed me, my seditary life moved me to study, especially the Scriptures and the catechism. In hindsight, I think those days set the stage for my vocation to the priesthood. Deep in my soul I heard his voice, not in an audible fashion, and yet in a way quite real. This intimacy with God has remained with me to this day. I prize it as a special gift.
Does God sometimes speak to me through the lives of others? Yes, especially in those whom I serve as a minister of the Gospel.
Do I ever feel that I am endlessly repeating some prayers? Yes, but this too can be a joy and a source of security. Like so many, the Rosary is very important to me, as is the Way of the Cross devotion. The great prayer of my life is the renewal of the new covenant, the Mass or the Lord's Supper. There is no other prayer in the life of a Catholic that allows us to so thoroughly offer ourselves with our Lord as an acceptable sacrifice to the Father. It must always be our prayer that just as the gifts of the altar are transformed, so should we be changed ever more and more into the image of God's Son.
As a priest, I also keep the hours of the day holy with the Church's prayer, called the Liturgy of the Hours. It is a selection of readings with the psalms and canticles, said by all religious and priests throughout the world. It is a visible sign of the Church praying unceasingly. There are wonderful words of encouragement here.
As for meditation, this is also a daily habit, although I steer clear of the Oriental models. I will speak more about this when time allows. Now I must run.
PEACE,
Fr. Joe
Dear Debi,
Repetitious prayer is not really such a bad thing. Does the beloved ever tire of hearing the words, "I love you"? And what about breathing, it is a repetitious act too, and yet our lives depend upon it. Similarly, we should always find deeper meaning in our regular prayer, and operation upon which eternal life depends. Faith itself is a kind of prayer-- a dedication of the person to Jesus Christ-- a loving response to his singular sacrifice.
As for Christian meditation, there are many models; however, at the same time we must be cautious, too. The movement of "centering prayer" sometimes became a bit self-possessed or self-orientated. Christian prayer should always open up to the divine. It is not our own spirit that we are trying to contact, or even a created spirit as such, but rather the Holy Spirit. Catholics may recall the blessed dead, however all true prayer finds its orientation and focus in God.
Various forms of Eastern prayer, of which I am largely unfamiliar, are often just techniques to calm the body. Some seem to gravitate toward a lack of awareness or nothingness. Such is not Christian meditation. Christian meditation makes use of the will, the intellect, and the imagination. We might pray over a biblical or doctrinal truth. We might imagine ourselves in a Scriptural scene, particularly where Jesus was teaching or ministering. I spend at least 30 minutes a day at meditation. Some keep spiritual journals to help in their pilgrimage of faith. In addition we would do well to practice reflection. Here the emphasis is not directly God or some aspect of faith; rather, it regards our lives and how we have or have not lived out the Gospel. This form of spiritual operation is often linked to a confessor and/or spiritual director. This is important because it keeps us honest. An unfortunate aspect of fallen humanity is that we can easily deceive ourselves. Spiritual companions can help us stay on the straight path.
What books can help? Well, first and foremost is the Bible. What book could possibly be better than God's inspired Word? It should be a daily staple of your life. What else? C.S. Lewis has some great stuff-- a reminder that Catholics and Protestants alike can be holy and offer genuine prayer. His work, REFLECTION ON THE PSALMS, is quite thought provoking. I would also recommend that you get a good Missal. All the liturgical prayers have Scriptural connections and you can follow the daily bible readings prayed at church. A personal favorite of mine is THE IMITATION OF CHRIST by Thomas a Kempis. Paulist Press has been good enough to publish a whole library of spiritual classics. My choices among these are as follows: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES & SELECTED WORKS by Ignatius of Loyola, SELECTED WRITINGS by John of the Cross, THE INTERIOR CASTLE by Theresa of Avila, SELECTED WORKS by Bernard of Clairvaux, THE COMPLETE WORKS by Francis & Clare, and THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING.
Hope it helps. Sometimes seeing how others pray and discovering their insights is beneficial for us.
PEACE,
Fr. Joe
Yes, sometimes I do have a clear sense of God's communication to me, although it is not the same as the dialogue between us. It is necessary that I give you something of my history. As a little boy I was often sick. My asthma was quite bad. Allergies and physical exertion brought on attacks. Some were so bad that I literally coughed up blood. This condition is better today, but respiratory problems still plague me. I lost weeks and months of school. Often I would sit, bent over for breath, alone by the window and watch the other children at play outside. Oh how I wanted to join them. I cannot tell you how many tears I cried in secret. It was in the midst of this sense of aloneness that the strong faith given me from my parents came into play. I would talk to God. "Why did you make me this way? Why can't I be like other kids? What possible part in your divine plan could my suffering find meaning?" I would talk to God for hours. He became as real to me as any other member of the family. While my body failed me, my seditary life moved me to study, especially the Scriptures and the catechism. In hindsight, I think those days set the stage for my vocation to the priesthood. Deep in my soul I heard his voice, not in an audible fashion, and yet in a way quite real. This intimacy with God has remained with me to this day. I prize it as a special gift.
Does God sometimes speak to me through the lives of others? Yes, especially in those whom I serve as a minister of the Gospel.
Do I ever feel that I am endlessly repeating some prayers? Yes, but this too can be a joy and a source of security. Like so many, the Rosary is very important to me, as is the Way of the Cross devotion. The great prayer of my life is the renewal of the new covenant, the Mass or the Lord's Supper. There is no other prayer in the life of a Catholic that allows us to so thoroughly offer ourselves with our Lord as an acceptable sacrifice to the Father. It must always be our prayer that just as the gifts of the altar are transformed, so should we be changed ever more and more into the image of God's Son.
As a priest, I also keep the hours of the day holy with the Church's prayer, called the Liturgy of the Hours. It is a selection of readings with the psalms and canticles, said by all religious and priests throughout the world. It is a visible sign of the Church praying unceasingly. There are wonderful words of encouragement here.
As for meditation, this is also a daily habit, although I steer clear of the Oriental models. I will speak more about this when time allows. Now I must run.
PEACE,
Fr. Joe
Dear Debi,
Repetitious prayer is not really such a bad thing. Does the beloved ever tire of hearing the words, "I love you"? And what about breathing, it is a repetitious act too, and yet our lives depend upon it. Similarly, we should always find deeper meaning in our regular prayer, and operation upon which eternal life depends. Faith itself is a kind of prayer-- a dedication of the person to Jesus Christ-- a loving response to his singular sacrifice.
As for Christian meditation, there are many models; however, at the same time we must be cautious, too. The movement of "centering prayer" sometimes became a bit self-possessed or self-orientated. Christian prayer should always open up to the divine. It is not our own spirit that we are trying to contact, or even a created spirit as such, but rather the Holy Spirit. Catholics may recall the blessed dead, however all true prayer finds its orientation and focus in God.
Various forms of Eastern prayer, of which I am largely unfamiliar, are often just techniques to calm the body. Some seem to gravitate toward a lack of awareness or nothingness. Such is not Christian meditation. Christian meditation makes use of the will, the intellect, and the imagination. We might pray over a biblical or doctrinal truth. We might imagine ourselves in a Scriptural scene, particularly where Jesus was teaching or ministering. I spend at least 30 minutes a day at meditation. Some keep spiritual journals to help in their pilgrimage of faith. In addition we would do well to practice reflection. Here the emphasis is not directly God or some aspect of faith; rather, it regards our lives and how we have or have not lived out the Gospel. This form of spiritual operation is often linked to a confessor and/or spiritual director. This is important because it keeps us honest. An unfortunate aspect of fallen humanity is that we can easily deceive ourselves. Spiritual companions can help us stay on the straight path.
What books can help? Well, first and foremost is the Bible. What book could possibly be better than God's inspired Word? It should be a daily staple of your life. What else? C.S. Lewis has some great stuff-- a reminder that Catholics and Protestants alike can be holy and offer genuine prayer. His work, REFLECTION ON THE PSALMS, is quite thought provoking. I would also recommend that you get a good Missal. All the liturgical prayers have Scriptural connections and you can follow the daily bible readings prayed at church. A personal favorite of mine is THE IMITATION OF CHRIST by Thomas a Kempis. Paulist Press has been good enough to publish a whole library of spiritual classics. My choices among these are as follows: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES & SELECTED WORKS by Ignatius of Loyola, SELECTED WRITINGS by John of the Cross, THE INTERIOR CASTLE by Theresa of Avila, SELECTED WORKS by Bernard of Clairvaux, THE COMPLETE WORKS by Francis & Clare, and THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING.
Hope it helps. Sometimes seeing how others pray and discovering their insights is beneficial for us.
PEACE,
Fr. Joe
posted by Father Joe Jenkins at 6:04 PM
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