One of our OLMC basketball coaches often tells his players, “You’ve heard the phrase, ‘practice makes perfect,’ but try to make perfect practice.” On one hand this is a sort of standard technique in persuasive speech: the inverted phrase. Yet the expression keeps coming to mind when thinking about this weekend’s readings and the theme of persistence in prayer.
One of the most ubiquitous things about a life of faith is that one prays and yet I find it is one of the hardest things to do even though I work at a Church! I beat myself up about it a lot, but I don’t think I’m alone. Even the apostles often asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1) and throughout the Gospels Jesus shares in detail ways to pray (Matthew 6). Yet, here I am trying to make my perfect practice of prayer. With the help of spiritual direction and mentorship, I’ve found a few things that have helped me.
What helped me is first making time. Like working out or reading a novel, prayer takes time. After our morning meeting in the Academy, most days I get five minutes in the church alone. On weekends I use my office between Masses or when I walk in Votee Park on some afternoons, I’m able to just be present to God. Even on hard days when I can’t seem to focus, I make sure just to sit or stand there — if I can’t speak to God, at least I can stop for Him.
Next, what helps me is talking to God in three fundamental ways using informal speech and formal prayers, thanking Him for people and things in my life, asking Him for stuff, (the easiest type of talking) and, finally, just being present to feel His love. This is the hardest experience to master for sure.
Finally, I try to listen to God. Now, this is tough, because I tend to be wary of people who think they know what God wants, but I think there are ways to find out. I try to really clear my mind or recite formal prayers. If I continually get distracted by thinking of work or my family, I think that is God’s way of telling me what to pray for. Ultimately, prayer in such a chaotic world is hard, and Jesus knows this.
That’s what the first reading is about. Moses praying for his fellow Israelite soldiers so long and so intensely that his brother and others have to physically hold him up. Though brutally outdated, the thought is that success in life stems from giving God the time first. I could never relate to Moses’ fiery prayer, but I can relate to how tough it can be. Thanks, Jesus, for showing us the way. I’ll get back to practice.
I’ll be seeing you,
Elliot