It's sad but true that I hardly ever get the whole gist of a homily because my mind tends to wander every now and then, especially if the priest goes in a few different directions.
And this Sunday was no exception. (For me and for the priest)
But what he was saying was exactly what I needed to hear at that time. I don't know how exactly he came to this point (again, my mind is a wandering thing), but he said that prayer should never be a last resort. In other words, we shouldn't just look to prayer when we need something or because nothing else seems to be working.
And that made me think of the following quote by St. John Vianney:
"Prayer is to the soul what rain is to the soil. Fertilize the soil ever so richly, it will remain barren unless fed by frequent rain."
Yes, my faith foundation is strong. It has been cultivated, nourished, and developed since before I can remember. Schooling, retreats, camps, CSU, teaching, and other influences have all worked together over time to guide and support me on my faith journey. But unless I spend more time in prayer, my relationship with God cannot grow, and I might even be in danger of being a person I don't want to be.
Let's just say I really needed that reminder. With school, it's much easier (at least for me) to get in a habit/routine of praying often and in many forms. Time to start the day - ok, time for prayer. Test coming up? Say a quick prayer to Jesus. End of the day - let's thank God we made it!
But summer has provided me hardly any structure (except for Sunday Masses) to help with my own routine of prayer. And I had forgotten what daily prayer really felt and looked like. Sadly, I had gotten into the habit of merely talking to God when I needed something or to say grace before a meal. (And that wasn't even for every meal!)
So, I tried something this morning when I first woke up (and before I rolled out of bed to go for a quick jog) - I told God thank you. I prayed the Prayer of Jabez (my favorite daily one). And I asked for blessings on my day. Amen!
Yep, it feels good getting back on track with God. (And I haven't even had my morning cup of coffee yet.)
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