What is prayer? Noted Jesuit spiritual writer Walter J. Burghardt, SJ described prayer as a “long, loving look at the real.” I find this to be the best description of what prayer means to me. It’s long because we need to take time to allow ourselves to connect with God, being with God and allowing ourselves to be changed by this experience. It’s loving because that’s the start and end of prayer. We’re called to prayer by God’s love and our prayer animates our ability to love God and others more. It’s a look because we use all our senses to pray – not just our minds but our entire being, pouring ourselves into the experience. And it has to do with the real, the concrete banal reality of our lives. It’s at once elevated and earthy, and involves us looking up at God, looking around at our world, and looking into ourselves. That’s prayer.
Some suggestions on how to go about prayer.
- There are many ways to approach the Scripture passages and points for reflection. Lectio Divina is one recommended approach. Otherwise, one could read the passages from Scripture prayerfully before simply spending some time quietly reflecting upon how the Word moves me. Or if time is short, just reading and sitting with Scripture for a few moments each day can do wonders.
- The method that I’m using for most of the reflections during this retreat is Ignatian contemplation or imaginative prayer. A video example can be found here.
- Try to fix a time and duration for prayer. It does not have to be long (5-10 minutes per day would do for a start) but do try to keep this up during the week. We hear the Lord invite us to “Come away to a quiet place and rest for a while.” (Mark 6:31) How can we do this?
- It’s useful also to fix a time to pray and try to keep to this time. A sense of regularity helps us to keep to our prayer and can give a good focus for the day.
- Take note of feelings during the course of the week. It’s important to note how we feel about God, how we see God and how we feel God is relating with us. If it helps, write these down in a journal.
- Most of all, enjoy the process. These days are the gradual unfolding of the mystery of God’s love for us. Feel this and bask in God’s love, challenging as it can be during this time.
musings of a brush 