July 10, 2007

Prayer

Prayer is a dialogue, a conversation between God and us. We speak to God and share with Him our feelings, thoughts, uncertainties, our love and our faith. He in turn speaks to us (implying a level of silence and a spirit of listening) and shares with us His thoughts, His feelings and His love. Thus, a life of prayer leads to intimacy with God.

Prayer can never be reduced to purely methods or a mechanical repetition of words. If it does, it ceases to be an intimate exchange between two people in love and is reduced to strictly formal conversation, similar to that of strangers. If prayer becomes for us merely repetition or strictly formal conversation, we will be denying ourselves that intimate and personal contact that God wishes to make with us. Instead of God being someone we can confidently confide in, give ourselves to and trust in, He becomes someone who we keep at a distance and always look at with suspicion.

There are few tragedies in life greater than this.

Br. Jeremiah Myriam Shryock CFR

St. Joseph Friary, New York, NY

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