THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

 PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'" The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18: 1-8)

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us to pray always without becoming weary.  Perpetual prayer is hard for most of us to comprehend, but Christians are called to this vocation by virtue of our baptismal call to take up our cross and follow Jesus.

We, as Secular Carmelites, have been given a great gift in our call to contemplative prayer. Although we live in the world, our faithfulness to mental prayer each day helps us to pray while we work in the world.

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) teaches us that the Lord will give us this gift of being able to be recollected while we go about our daily activities. She wrote about the union of Martha and Mary-the spiritual union of the active and contemplative life.

Praying always without becoming weary does not mean we must burden ourselves with numerous prayers throughout the day. The lifting of our mind and heart to God is true prayer of the heart and the real definition of prayer. Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection teaches us this method in the Practice of the Presence of God.

Let us pray for each other that the Holy Spirit prompt us to raise our minds and hearts to God and the things of Heaven throughout the day. But let us also remember that if we think of Him it was He who first thought of us!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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