Sure we give stuff up for Lent but for the next couple of weeks I plan to give more of my heart and share the wisdom of the Truth. I will be more loving, caring, and compassionate towards those I meet. My heart and intentions are focused around bringing happiness and joy. So here it goes, I plan to give more of myself and start with prayer.
How to pray? Scripture tells us to go to your room, close the door, turn off the lights, and talk to God. To me, prayer can be sitting in the corner of Starbucks in those cushy sofa chairs while sipping your morning cup-of-joe. Because here’s why, it matters more that you find your own way to pray than follow a formula for how you pray. Finding that silence in the car with the music off at a stoplight or in line at the grocery store waiting for the mom with three kids to get her two shopping carts of groceries through the register. The park, church, or at the gym. Wherever your spot is talk and listen to God as if you were talking with a friend. Go there. Do that.
Why pray? To make sense of things, to live deeply and deliberately, and/or to build up inner strength to prevent the culture from swallowing you up. Religious teaching explains we pray for adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise. In my words, I pray because I’m grateful for the blessings in my life, I pray for peace and healing, I pray for health, and I pray for understanding. Many times I pray just to focus on what is truly important in life.
Examples. Three examples of prayer in my life are through thankfulness, healing, and understanding. First and foremost, people that know me intimately know I pray before every meal. I pray because I’m thankful for the food. Why? Because I know what its like to not have much food. There was a time in my life when a family brought over a thanksgiving turkey and food basket because we were struggling. I pray for every meal because I’m thankful for the food God has blessed me with to eat. Moreover, I pray for healing. I pray for my mom’s health and that she may be blessed with a better quality of life. Actually, I prayed last night on my drive home. I simply asked God, “Why God? Why?” I was praying for understanding and healing in my life. The last example comes from September 18, 2015. My grandma lay in bed and I could see the struggle in her eyes. The fight to survive was there in every breath. I prayed to God all afternoon. I prayed for her. I prayed for understanding. I prayed the rosary. I prayed for her soul. I was scared out of my mind and I think the prayer was helping me stay as calm as possible. Prayer gave me the greatest gift of all time; prayer gave me peace because of what happened next. As I knelt by her bed, I watched her take her final three deep inhale and exhales of breath. As she took her second to last breathe, a “feeling,” a “movement,” and/or the spirit of God was behind me in the room. I looked behind me instantly and looked as if someone was behind me. I felt someone or something behind me. Days, weeks, and months later I came to understand that God was behind me answering my prayers.
{In this moment, I pray for you reading this that you may find prayer in your life}
I invite you to find silence today and take a second to talk to a friend. Find that time and space and embrace the love of God.
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