October 24, 2006
It is easy to compartmentalize our life. In the realm of the ideal, we all want to have a well-balanced life. I have my physical life: food, exercise and health. I have my social life: relationships and entertainment. I have my intellectual life: reading, news and politics. I have my work: chores, duties and the job. I have my spiritual life: prayer, church and charitable works.
Even if it is on the level of the subconscious, we prioritize all the things in life. None of this means a thing if you do not have a living relationship with God. A living relationship only happens through frequent contact and communication. The first commandment reveals that God must be first in our lives. If we are honest, it is hard to truly put God first.
I would like to make an appeal for the priority of prayer in your life. Many of the saints tell us that prayer is more important that eating and breathing. A daily disciplined prayer life is not optional. To the busybody Martha, Jesus once described the life of prayer as “the one thing necessary” (Luke10:38-42). He was not talking about a one-minute prayer at the beginning and end of the day. Allow me to offer and analogy.
We have a really tall friar from England. When I first met this brother, I was quite surprised. Let me explain. Growing up in Indiana conditioned the way I see things. I presume that every tall young man is good at basketball. In Indiana we play basketball as soon as we learn to walk. This really tall Englishman had never played basketball before becoming a friar in New York. When I first met him, I was shocked that he was so awkward on the basketball court! After much practice and perseverance, he is now good at basketball.
If you did not grow up with a good disciplined prayer life, don’t be surprised that it is hard to develop one as an adult. Yet, we must not let this discourage us from trying. After much practice and perseverance we can attain to this “one thing that is necessary.”
God bless & let us pray for each other,
Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR
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