Some thoughts on prayer.

Many people eschew prayer because it is a very difficult thing to do. One often has to force oneself to do it. Yes, it is true, that one does desire to do it, but at times, it certainly does feel like a chore before one starts. And then when you start, it seems to drag on forever, especially when one does a Holy Hour or starts reading Matins on days of first class feasts or even one starts the saying a rosary. I would bet that most Catholics, being the lukewarm king, would probably find that praying more than just the three necessary prayers (the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.) would be an agony. I think Dr Peter Kreeft talks about this in one of his talks, though I can't find the one right now, but he concludes that it is necessary for believe that prayer be difficult, otherwise everyone get complacent.

But you know what, I welcome that feeling of prayer lasting forever. I want my conversation with God to last an eternity, I just want to spend all my time with Him. I know that I cannot do that now because I  am so attached to the material things of this world and that my heart is still attached to sin. The pain from this timeless striving for concentrating and continual focus is from these attachments, because one cannot be in the presence of the infinite God with stain of sin. One will burn, and that is why in death, should we be fortunate enough to attain heaven by God's great mercy, we go through purgatory to remove all the sin remaining in souls. I pray that He will cut asunder all those horrid bonds of unnecessary things and that my heart will become completely open to Him. And only then, when He can finally come into my heart, and close the door behind will I be able to experience Him without the chains of temporality. Then, I made silent, and listen completely to His sweet words.


That is what the mystics experienced, they opened their hearts so completely to Our Lord, that He was able to dwell completely in their hearts, and they completely set apart from the world, were in a completely connexion with God. I think about St Dominic Slavio, going into his first ecstasy, not realising the hours that had passed by, until St John Bosco tapped him gently on the shoulder. I remember what one very holy priest said about another mystic, St Bernardino of Siena,


'And we don't know to what extent he saint, because Brother Vincent who travelled with him on the same donkey, died just before him, and he was not allowed to say what he knew, because he was always in intimate union with God and often in ecstasy! That is the correct dynamic! God having access to the heart!'


Until my heart can truly commune with my Lord, I shall at least take some consolation in the short glimpse of eternity with my sweet Lord.