BEING AND BECOMING PRAYERFUL (6)
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
(Psalm 46:10)
Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.
Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………
Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……
Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in such quietness and serenity. Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence and Solitude; to just being here and now without having to accomplish something.
Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with this day….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..
Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well…
Our last meditation was on openness to silence and solitude as essential for nurturing prayerfulness. This meditation is on Prayerfulness as an attitude that enables us to recognize the presence, the movement and the work of God in His creation.
Some consider the world as an enemy, devil-ridden, doomed, dangerous. Many view the world as a terrible place, a playground of the devil. Many are obsessed with apocalyptic visions of the end of the world that they keep looking for signs of the end. Others are so terrified of crime, violence and war that they see the world as a dangerous place to be in. Many have a tendency to escape the present, fleeing into business, distraction, boredom, etc.
Read the News paper. Watch TV. Listen to the politically ambitious – even a few preachers. It isn’t difficult to gather lots of information about starvation, civil strife, violence, war, sin, evil, immorality, etc. It can become very difficult to see God at work in His creation. It can become difficult to experience – even believe – in his presence – even in his existence.
Some of us live Superficially, staying on the surface. Albert Schweitzer says, “Your soul suffers if you live superficially”. Many have the attitude that says religion, spirituality, experience of the divine are all for a special kind of people who have a special calling.
All of the above attitudes block our spiritual awakening. We need to embrace the world believing that it is full of meanings, mystery, wonder and healing power, which we can discover. Albert Einstein was once asked, “what is the most important question you can ask in life?” He replied, “Is the universe friendly or not?” The poet Mary Oliver says, “there is only one question: How to love the world.”
Prayerfulness enables us to see the world as a friend and calls us to relationships that are intimate, caring, loving, mutually respectful and compassionate. Seeing the world as a friend is like seeing the world for the first time. Seeing the world as a living, breathing being encourages us to appreciate the physical beauty of the world around us.
Prayerfulness enables us to recognize the presence, the movement and the work of God in His creation. It helps us to see the world as God’s creation, God’s masterpiece of art and beauty. It calls us to recognize and experience God’s glory here and now….. “The glory of God is man fully alive”. (St. Ireneus)
Pray with me as you begin this meditation….Psalm 66
Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man’s behalf!
Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard;
He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.
Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me………
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me! (Pray the whole Psalm later when you have time)
Look carefully at the world around you. There are many signs of God’s presence, movement and work – His creative activity and His loving concern for all of His creation.
God is at work whenever acts of justice, kindness and love are done by his people.
God is at work whenever acts of charity and mercy are done to those in need.
God is at work whenever prophetic words of truth are spoken to challenge and correct abuse of power and authority.
God is at work whenever someone stands for truth and justice against popular approval.
God is at work whenever a person of power and prestige reaches out to help the less fortunate.
God is at work whenever the less fortunate people of God reach out and help their neighbors.
God is at work whenever people refuse to compromise on values and morals.
God is at work whenever someone stands up for his/her beliefs.
God is at work when children play, adults worship, the old smile, the sick surrender.
God is at work when the sinner says “I have sinned” and the saint says to him: “you are my brother/sisters”.
Add your own…..
“Tell me where God ain’t and I will give you a dollar!” A little boy was going home from Sunday school, hopping along, joyfully, playfully. A man on the road asked him, “where have you been on this Sunday morning and what makes you so happy?”. The boy answered, “been to Sunday School, learned a lot about God and real good stuff too…”. The man responded, “Oh you did! Then tell me where God is and I will give you a dime…..”. The boy replied, “Mister, tell me where God ain’t and I will give you a dollar!”.
In every community, there are men and women who work hard and try hard to be good and to do good. It is through their sincere, quiet, persevering and tireless effort that we experience God’s gift – the gift of His love, His presence, His kingdom. Through their effort, God completes the work He has begun….as the Psalmist says, “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it…” (Ps.138:8). You and I need to let “His Kingdom Come”.
Don’t ask God for what you think is good;
Ask Him for what He thinks is good for you.
The God to whom we pray is a God of love, who is more ready to answer than we are ready to pray. We do not have to force His Gifts and His Grace out of Him. We do not come to a God who has to be coaxed, or pestered, or battered into answering our prayer. We come to the ONE who simply wills to give. We, actually, come into the presence of the ONE who has already GIVEN. We come with desire in our hearts and words on our lips: “Thy will be done.”
GOD IS PERFECT AND PERFECT WISDOM.
WE DO NOT PRAY IN ORDER TO CHANGE HIS WILL,
BUT TO BRING OUR WILLS INTO HARMONY WITH HIS.
(William Temple)
Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs