BEING AND BECOMING PRAYERFUL (9)

BEING AND BECOMING PRAYERFUL (9)

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 Prayerfulness as an inner disposition, a disposition of heart and mind that longs for God’s will and surrenders to His will and purpose. Prayerfulness is an impelling desire for God’s ways and an ongoing, daily surrender to His will in all aspects of our life.

To pray is to open ourselves to the Father so that our entire life – from the seeking of daily bread to the transformation of the world – is filled with God’s will and purpose.

We reflected on surrender as an ongoing practice – not a one-time action! Surrender happens through many experiences and creative practices which help us connect with God and receive God’s blessing and grace…they help us care for the small things with love and bring us into the bigger, larger and greater picture.

We reflected and prayed “I find that thy will knows no end in me…When old words die out, new melodies break forth from the heart……….

We reflected and prayed “Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles…..”

We reflected and prayed “Give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love…”

We continue to reflect on prayerfulness as a desire and an act of self-surrender, as an ongoing practice of daily surrender to His will in all aspects of our life.

One day, Jesus was in a Samaritan town. Tired form the journey, he took rest at Jacob’s well. The disciples went to buy provisions. On their return they found Jesus in conversation with a Samaritan women. They said to him, “Rabbi, eat something”. He responded, “I have food of which you do not know”. “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work” (John 4:1, 31-34). My food – what I hunger for, what I desire, what I long for, what would satisfy my deepest hunger is the Father’s will.

Jesus taught his disciples: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (God’s way), they will be satisfied” (Mathew 5:6).

Surrender to the Father’s will is what Jesus deeply desired. He was the only that we know was perfectly obedient to the will of the Father. Jesus did what he liked and loved and he did what the Father willed of him. He was sent by the Father with a mission (with orders) and he remained obedient. He says, “I have come, not to do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38); “I always do what is pleasing to him” (john 8:29). Jesus taught, the only proff of love is obedience (John 14:23).

The dynamic and the moving force, the mainspring and the core of the life of Jesus was one of continuous self-surrender. His life of obedience has taught us:

The only way to peace is to do the will of God. There can be no peace when our will is at variance with the will of God.

The only way to fullness of Joy is to do the will of God. There can be no joy when our will is not aligned with the will of God.

The only way to power is to do the will of God. When we go God’s way, we go with His power. When we go our way, we rely on our power which tends to weaken.

The only way to freedom is to do the will of God. We are free only in God’s wisdom. Our ignorance makes us unfree.

Surrendering to God and obeying His will and purpose for your life brings you into the abundance of his life and love that Jesus came to offer, “I have come so that you may have life to its fullness (John 10:10)” . If you hang on to your desires, plans and rights, you may be happy for awhile, a satisfaction for the moment, a sense of accomplishment for the present, or a temporary relief from stress or longing.

We are often tempted with transitory longings, desires of the moment, cravings for the passing pleasures of life. Surrender these passing, perishable longings to God, ride them out, choose obedience, rise above them, reach beyond them and attend to the deeper longings of your heart, the desire for God and God’s ways.

Surrendering our desires, wants, rights and wills is hard to do. We are all often like children. When we want something, we want something and we really want it! Those of you who have tried to go on a diet, knows well that if you don’t surrender your desires, wants and cravings, you will not have the desired result. The same is true of our spiritual life. If we do not surrender our desires and open ourselves to the will and purpose of God, we will not know the ultimate fulfillment of our life.

The Psalmist says:

Blessed is the man
who makes the Lord his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
burnt offerings and sin offerings, you did not require.

Then I said, “Here I am, I have come,
it is written about me in the scroll.

I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:4, 6,

Surrender to God is a choice we must make with every breath.

Take a few moments….Take a few deep breaths right now!

Breathe in God’s Way and breathe out my way – God’s way in, My way out.

You may not be happy about it right now, but in the bigger picture of life, you’ll be glad you chose to surrender to God.

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