Distracting thoughts in prayer

[JM3]

There may be souls of spiritual depth who presume in themselves a meager capacity for prayer because they find interior silence unachievable. They desire more than anything a peaceful recollection alone with God and instead experience frequent disturbance of their thoughts in prayer. They are quite mistaken, sometimes, about their lack of deeper prayer. It may even be that God prefers it this way. The manner in which people and events from outside prayer cling to their thoughts is actually matched by an intense undercurrent of desire cleaving to God during times of prayer and extending beyond prayer. This dominant desire for God operates beneath the turbulence of distraction. It is the primary spiritual orientation of the person. Their mental activity may seem caught up in haphazard thoughts, but there is nonetheless a steady flow of desire for God. This provides a deeper layer of loving contact between God and the soul even if the person seems to enjoy no satisfaction. Their union with God in prayer is a concealed one, hidden from their own perception. This quality of hiddenness may be most salutary for the subsequent generosity of such souls. Sometimes these are souls who have been given a poor and obscure role in the divine plan for the salvation of other souls. Their experience in prayer is consistent with the holy poverty of their lives.

Contemplative Provocations by Fr. Donald Haggerty - pages 89-90.

Merry Christmas

 

[Auntie_A]

Oh, thank you so much and a Merry Christmas back to you. What a gift!

 

[fred_conty]

One way to pray well is to practise the presence of God within us. We often refer to the Eucharist as the real presence of Jesus and how wonderful it is to receive him. And that takes faith in his words “I am the real bread that has come down from heaven”.

But there is another presence of Jesus within each of us in our souls. It is the divine guest present thru his life of grace which the Eucharist nourishes. That too is a great mystery which we also need to exorcise thru faith. And this is available to the average catholic with just a brief thought for him.

From time to time in the course of a day to turn inward within ourselves, and recognize his presence with us, and to say nothing but just be with him for a moment, means so much to him. It is like the time when Mary and Martha had Jesus in their home. Mary kept Jesus company and the gospel never says that she said anything. It was that Mary was there with Jesus because she loved him. Just a glance sends a big message to Jesus within us.

Especially during this Christ-Mass season, we should frequently turn inward to him as guest of our soul, and just think of him as Mary did. Words aren’t always necessary, its just the brief thoughtful moment with him.

Merry Christ-Mass everyone