Do You Pray Constantly?

[Pax]

Robert Heibel:

Jesus told me that I should pray alone, and with others, He also told me to give Him the first few moments of every situation. St. Paul told us to pray all the time. When I don’t have words to pray I pray in tongues. I believe that a Christian should wake up thinking of Jesus, have Him on their minds all day long, and go to sleep thinking about Jesus.
Bob

Bob,

I agree with everything in your post. Another benefit of praying during every spare moment is to push sin out of our lives.

 

[John-the-Seeker]

Peace Seeker:

Thessalonians 5:17 “pray constantly” keeps coming to mind. I was wondering how
In my quest to become more spiritual and thus closer to Jesus, Paul’s scripture in First those of you who may be more mature in your spirituality manage to do this.
Peace Seeker

Humility helps here. Lower your concentration to your heart where Jesus lives and look for Him to guide you to see the world through His eyes. Read a verse of daily scripture. Take 15 minutes to image it in your mind as depicted in the time it took place. Put yourself in the scene imagined to appreciate the ambience of the scene and then bring the event up to today and see where that scripture applies to your daily activity knowing that Jesus walks with you as He walkeed with the apostles. Listen for His voice.
Peace Seeker:

Madia, Again, I appreciate your reply. I am a devotee of Jesus not Mary. I do believe that all the recognized and unrecognized saints in heaven can be a help to us and Mary is definitely one of them. My life is consecrated to Jesus!!!

Searching the Holy Scriptures, I do not find anything that tells me to go to Jesus through Mary, however, I do find that in (John 14: 6) “Jesus said: I am the way; I am truth and life. No one can come to the Father except through Me!!!

Peace Seeker

Dear Peace Seeker,
in the Ten commandments we are told to honor our Father and our Mother. Jesus gave us His Mother as our Mother through John from the Cross. Through Vassula Ryden, a visionary, He has said,“Just as I have told you that no one can come to the Father except through Me, so now I tell you no one can come to Me except through My Mother.”
Pope John Paul II said there is no better way to get to know a person than talking to his mother and for that reason he encouraged the praying of the Rosary that we might come to know Our Saviour through the eys of the only human who loved Him perfectly, His and Our Mother.
To test the theory of how important a mother is try insulting a friend. A friend will accept just about any insult except when it is against his mother. Would you think Jesus would be dishonoured if we consecrated ourselves to His Mother? After all His Father entrusted His Mother with the task of forming Jesus in His mission to know, love and serve Him, so why would you think that she is not suitable to teach us how to come to know Her Son and through her, learn how to know, love and serve the Father and the Son?
As our Mother says today and at the Wedding Feast of Cana,“Do whatever my Son tells you.”

 

[Peace_Seeker]

John-the-Seeker:

Humility helps here. Lower your concentration to your heart where Jesus lives and look for Him to guide you to see the world through His eyes. Read a verse of daily scripture. Take 15 minutes to image it in your mind as depicted in the time it took place. Put yourself in the scene imagined to appreciate the ambience of the scene and then bring the event up to today and see where that scripture applies to your daily activity knowing that Jesus walks with you as He walkeed with the apostles. Listen for His voice.

Your message is much appreciated. I, also, believe in meditation- perhaps I don’t do it enough but I will try to do more. I know that what you are suggesting is also good emotionally and psychologically as well as spiritually. You said to “Listen for His Voice”. I know how I hear Him. How do you hear Him?
Thanks,
Peace Seeker

Dear Peace Seeker,
in the Ten commandments we are told to honor our Father and our Mother. Jesus gave us His Mother as our Mother through John from the Cross. Through Vassula Ryden, a visionary, He has said,“Just as I have told you that no one can come to the Father except through Me, so now I tell you no one can come to Me except through My Mother.”
Pope John Paul II said there is no better way to get to know a person than talking to his mother and for that reason he encouraged the praying of the Rosary that we might come to know Our Saviour through the eys of the only human who loved Him perfectly, His and Our Mother.
To test the theory of how important a mother is try insulting a friend. A friend will accept just about any insult except when it is against his mother. Would you think Jesus would be dishonoured if we consecrated ourselves to His Mother? After all His Father entrusted His Mother with the task of forming Jesus in His mission to know, love and serve Him, so why would you think that she is not suitable to teach us how to come to know Her Son and through her, learn how to know, love and serve the Father and the Son?
As our Mother says today and at the Wedding Feast of Cana,“Do whatever my Son tells you.”

 

[Peace_Seeker]

(Matthew 12:48-50) “But to the man who told Him this Jesus replied, ‘who is my mother? Who are my brothers? And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘ Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.” In this scripture, Jesus tells us who He considers his mother, brothers, and sisters to be. Certainly, Mary did the will of the Father!!! I don’t hear in scripture that He sets her apart from any other person who does the same. I do not believe that Jesus wants us to consecrate our lives to anyone but God, Himself, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I do not believe that Mary formed Jesus into the man He was since He was God. He needed no forming, mothering, yes because He was also a human but one who would never sin BECAUSE He is GOD!

(John 19:26-27) “Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son’. Then to the disciple he said, ‘ This is your mother’. And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.” Scripturally, Jesus did not say that Mary was the mother of all mankind. If you want to follow the word of a visionary that’s up to you, personally I’d rather follow the word of God as written in the Bible. In searching the scriptures I have not found that Jesus said the only way to Him was through His mother. (If you have please enlighten me.)

I disagree with Pope John Paul II. I think that the best way to get to know a person is to talk to him/her personally and ask the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Holy Spirit knows much more than any mother no matter how well she knows and loves her child.

I do believe in asking all the saints in heaven, Mary included, to pray with me to Jesus.

God Bless,
Peace Seeker

 

[Peace_Seeker]

Pax:

Bob,

I agree with everything in your post. Another benefit of praying during every spare moment is to push sin out of our lives.

Pax, since I’m only a “weekend correspondent”, I haven’t responded to Bob, however, I think that his response is the most spiritual one that I received. I’m glad that someone agreed with him, since most responses seemed to spout out what we were taught in the Catholic Church forty years ago-and it had nothing to do with spirituality. If anything, those teachings pulled me away from the personal relationship with Jesus that you and Bob seem to understand. You have both helped me so much!!!
Thank you,
Peace Seeker

 

[Pug]

since most responses seemed to spout out what we were taught in the Catholic Church forty years ago-and it had nothing to do with spirituality.

Are you saying above that knowing nothing but Christ and him crucified is not a spiritual path or not the right path? I ask because I am one of those other posters that your comments could be addressing. Are you saying that we are natural/fleshy and not spiritual?

12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.
13 And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms.
14 Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it,

 

[Peace_Seeker]

Pug:

Are you saying above that knowing nothing but Christ and him crucified is not a spiritual path or not the right path? I ask because I am one of those other posters that your comments could be addressing. Are you saying that we are natural/fleshy and not spiritual?

I did not say all, I said most, referring to the posts that directed me to say a morning prayer and dedicate my day to Jesus. Not that that is wrong, I just find it rather shallow. I was also referring to those who told me to dedicate my life to Mary. Sorry you were offended.“Knowing nothing but Christ and Him crucified” is indeed spiritual.
Peace Seeker

 

[Robert_Heibel]

Pug:

This phraseology strikes my ear with an odd timbre. I doubt you meant this, but spiritual is not a thing that is a tool. Just follow Jesus, then perhaps God will make you more spiritual, so to speak.

Imitate St. Paul’s selfless attitude of service to his mission to the Gentiles. He himself imitated Christ. If every day you know nothing but Jesus, perhaps even suffering with him in some way, like a personal cross, you are on the right path. Jesus set his face to Jerusalem and walked the path, eventually up the path to Calvary, see? The path will probably not seem very glorious or oh, I don’t know. You may not get to be super holy in man’s eyes, but it is the right path.

If you were Catholic, I would tell you to go to daily mass to be with Jesus, and then go out to love and serve, but your profile seems to say you are not. Perhaps read the first 4 or so chapters of 1corinthians to see where St. Paul talks a little about maturity, then, since you are not Catholic. Truly it is talked about in those chapters.

Pug, you mentioned spirituality not being a tool and Jesus on the cross and your comments brought to mind an incidence that happened to me, which I think, can explain spirituality maybe as a tool and a way to be healed.

While having a conversation, about God, with a married friend of mine who was staying at my house for a few days, the Holy Spirit told me that my friend was sinning, explaining to me that my he was having affairs with men, I told my friend and he told me that good could come out of his sins. I of course told him that could not happen. The Holy Spirit then told me that my friend could be healed if he would visualize the crucified Jesus and then going to the cross wrapping his arms around the cross and letting the blood of Jesus drop on his head.

The next morning my friend while rushing around getting things together so he wouldn’t have to be around me anymore, told me that thinking of letting the blood of Jesus fall on his head made him all squirmy. He left my house without even saying goodbye.
Robert

 

[Peace_Seeker]

Pug:

This phraseology strikes my ear with an odd timbre. I doubt you meant this, but spiritual is not a thing that is a tool. Just follow Jesus, then perhaps God will make you more spiritual, so to speak.

Imitate St. Paul’s selfless attitude of service to his mission to the Gentiles. He himself imitated Christ. If every day you know nothing but Jesus, perhaps even suffering with him in some way, like a personal cross, you are on the right path. Jesus set his face to Jerusalem and walked the path, eventually up the path to Calvary, see? The path will probably not seem very glorious or oh, I don’t know. You may not get to be super holy in man’s eyes, but it is the right path.

If you were Catholic, I would tell you to go to daily mass to be with Jesus, and then go out to love and serve, but your profile seems to say you are not. Perhaps read the first 4 or so chapters of 1corinthians to see where St. Paul talks a little about maturity, then, since you are not Catholic. Truly it is talked about in those chapters.

Pug,
After reading and responding to your post this morning, I went back wondering why I didn’t respond to you earlier. In rereading the original post, I remembered. I somehow found it sarcastic and belittling since I was no longer an active Catholic.
Peace seeker

 

[Madia]

Through Vassula Ryden…

Weren’t her alledged apparitons disapproved by the Church?
apparitions.org/
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=412883&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2004&Author=&Keyword=Vassula&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=2&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=

As for devotion to Our Lady I recommend reading at least Part I of “True Devotion to Mary”:
ewtn.com/library/Montfort/TRUEDEVO.HTM

While you may not agree with devotion to Our Lady, by reading Part I of the book you should at least aquire a better understanding of the reasons for the devotion. After reading that feel free to post any questions you have about the devotion or you can simply post that while you respect those who have a devotion to Our Lady, you yourself don’t feel that you are called to walk that path to Christ.

 

[Peace_Seeker]

Pug, in your original post, you asked if I thought that being spiritual was a tool. No, I do not think that it is tool for me to use. For me being spiritual is a way of life (John 17:16-19) “They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world, I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth.) (1Corinthians 2:12) “Now, the Spirit we have received is not the spirit of the world but God’s own Spirit, so that we may understand the lavish gifts God has given us.” I do, however, think that God (Jesus) can use our spitituality as a tool to help hurting members of the Body of Christ. I am going to share one of my spiritual experiences with you.

Several years ago, Jesus woke me in the middle of the night and asked me to pray for a woman who was contemplating suicide. He told me that she had begged for someone to pray for her. He asked me to wake up my husband and pray together for this woman. We did as He asked. As we prayed for God to help her, He let me see a young woman sitting on a bed in a hotel. She was wearing a burgundy robe and her hair was short and very curly. She had a bottle of pills in her hand. After we prayed, we both went back to sleep leaving her well being in the hands of God.

A few months later, a friend called and asked me if he could have an acquaintance come over who needed to pray with believers. I had just had my fourth child and was very tired, thinking of going to bed as soon as my husband got home, but as he talked I felt Jesus telling me that my sleep was of no significance compared to the help that this person needed. So of course I said yes.

She came with a friend at about 8:00PM. I recognized her immediately but did not say anything for about an hour. When her friend left the room for a short time I asked her if she had ever been suicidal. She said yes but gave no details. I continued by asking her if she had ever been in a hotel room with a bottle of pills thinking of killing herself. She looked amazed but admitted that she had. She told me that right before she was ready to take the pills she begged God to have someone pray for her. She felt peace immediately and knew she couldn’t leave her children. She knew God had answered her prayer!!!
Still rather skeptical, she asked me what she was wearing. I described the burgundy robe that zipped up the front and her short, curly hair (which by this time had grown out). We praised God together for His Almighty goodness and love. She was then open to prayers for her present situation. What a blessing for both of us!!!

A few months later she wrote us a letter explaining how God introduced Himself to her in a more personal way and how He was helping her to heal from a lifetime of abuse.

Can spirituality be a tool? Yes a tool used by God to help others. That is the reason that I want to be more spiritual!!!
Peace Seeker

 

[Peace_Seeker]

Madia:

Weren’t her alledged apparitons disapproved by the Church?
apparitions.org/
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=412883&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2004&Author=&Keyword=Vassula&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=2&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=

As for devotion to Our Lady I recommend reading at least Part I of “True Devotion to Mary”:
ewtn.com/library/Montfort/TRUEDEVO.HTM

While you may not agree with devotion to Our Lady, by reading Part I of the book you should at least aquire a better understanding of the reasons for the devotion. After reading that feel free to post any questions you have about the devotion or you can simply post that while you respect those who have a devotion to Our Lady, you yourself don’t feel that you are called to walk that path to Christ.

Madia, If Jesus is telling you to devote yourself to Mary instead of to Him, then so be it. I have no right to tell you that you are wrong, if it is Jesus that you are listening to. I know that Jesus is not leading me to that path.
God Bless,
Peace Seeker

 

[Peace_Seeker_1]

Perhaps “constant prayer” could also be silent - in other words, maybe you’re THINKING about it. I don’t really know.

Just popped in to say hi - I see my username is only an underscore different than yours, Peace Seeker! I was reading this forum as a guest, so I guess that’s where my username inspiration came from.

• Peace Seeker (the second )

 

[Madia]

If Jesus is telling you to devote yourself to Mary instead of to Him

You might be confusing mariolatry(adoration of Mary) and devotion to Mary. The goal of devotion to Mary is growing closer to Christ. Mary is the guide to Him. Again, even if you disagree with the devotion reading Part I of “True Devotion to Mary” should help you see the basis for this devotion.

This post also might help:
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=388246&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2004&Author=&Keyword=Mariolatry&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=1&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=

 

[Pug]

Peace Seeker:

Pug,
After reading and responding to your post this morning, I went back wondering why I didn’t respond to you earlier. In rereading the original post, I remembered. I somehow found it sarcastic and belittling since I was no longer an active Catholic.
Peace seeker

I’m so sorry! I did not mean to sound sarcastic at all. I see how my last paragraph sounds akward. I was stumbling over several thoughts, not wanting to imply I that I think I am a super spiritual person, nor wanting to give suggestions that couldn’t be useful to you. I couldn’t seem to put down what was in my heart to say.

Your first post really did make me think a lot about 1cor. I have read it many times and thought about “spiritual” and “mature” and “milk” as used in those chapters. That is why I thought I would point them out, because your post brought them to mind. I have found that if something brings a verse to mind, there is probably a reason.

I think my heart has been restless these last few days.

 

[ctybring]

Peace Seeker:

In my quest to become more spiritual and thus closer to Jesus, Paul’s scripture in First Thessalonians 5:17 “pray constantly” keeps coming to mind. I was wondering how those of you who may be more mature in your spirituality manage to do this.

No, but i pray when I have done somthing that i consider a sin, e.g saying the f. word. I also pray every night before I go to sleep

 

[Pug]

Robert Heibel:

He left my house without even saying goodbye.

Robert,

You spoke the truth and lost a friend. I will pray for your friend!

Yes, I think you mean that the Spirit can give us knowledge that can be spoken to a person to help them. I agree! I think we need to cooperate with those small promptings. I didn’t do that today, and left an object in the car that I should have brought with me. You see, I didn’t know I was going to meet a child who could use it, and I told myself I shouldn’t take it with me. But later I knew I should have.

 

[Pug]

Peace Seeker:

Can spirituality be a tool? Yes a tool used by God to help others. That is the reason that I want to be more spiritual!!!

That story shows how God works! So, you are wondering how to be more receptive and constanly open to doing what God would have you do in that moment? That sounds like what you mean. As you can see from my post to Robert above, I am not always listening when prompted by God. I have a friend, though, who is surrounded by grace. People return to God around her. I know that sounds strange, but I see it happen over and over. Just today she had brought two new people with her to church.

I have a certain self-awareness that stands in the way at times. Do you feel you put obstacles in the way of God working through you, or is it something else for you?

 

[MariaG]

Peace Seeker:

Pug,
After reading and responding to your post this morning, I went back wondering why I didn’t respond to you earlier. In rereading the original post, I remembered. I somehow found it sarcastic and belittling since I was no longer an active Catholic.
Peace seeker

Interesting. I did not realize you had once been Catholic. But you are seeking a deeper spiritual life and you are posting here in a Catholic forum.

Maybe the deeper path Christ is asking you to seek is the path back to being an “active” Catholic.

I certainly do not believe in coincidence only “Godincidence”.

Here is a perfect place to possibly explore some of the reasons you left, or became “inactive” as a Catholic Christian.

Maybe you already have, but consider starting a new thread on some of your disagreements about Catholic teachings.

I don’t think God is trying to lead you to a new book or anything, I think He is trying to guide you back to be an “active” Catholic Christian.

God Bless,
Maria

 

[Peace_Seeker]

Interesting. I did not realize you had once been Catholic. But you are seeking a deeper spiritual life and you are posting here in a Catholic forum.

Maybe the deeper path Christ is asking you to seek is the path back to being an “active” Catholic.

I certainly do not believe in coincidence only “Godincidence”.

Here is a perfect place to possibly explore some of the reasons you left, or became “inactive” as a Catholic Christian.

Maybe you already have, but consider starting a new thread on some of your disagreements about Catholic teachings.

I don’t think God is trying to lead you to a new book or anything, I think He is trying to guide you back to be an “active” Catholic Christian.

God Bless,
Maria

Maria, I agree!! God is not trying to lead me to a new book, but rather to the original Book, The Bible. I do not want to follow the watered down scriptures that the Catholic Church teaches but rather the scriptures as they are written. For example, loving my enemy rather than killing him, not having possessions, living a life dead to sin, not calling anyone, other than God, Father, we do not need the consecrated fingers of a priest to have the Eucharist, not charging interest(usuary). Need I say more?? I want to be a dedicated Follower of Jesus, A Christian, not a Catholic. Do I believe that there are dedicated followers of Jesus in the Catholic Church? Yes!! That’s why I joined the forum.
Peace Seeker