One of the keys to understanding the law of God, the Bible, prayer, worship, and our lives and relationships is shared by Paul in his letter to the Romans when he says: “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). John echoes this in his first letter: “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 14:16).
God’s laws, spiritual disciplines, and practices are like training wheels to help us navigate our fallen world, to help us navigate our own fallen natures, and how best to interact with the fallen natures of others. Each, when practiced regularly, leads us to the ultimate goal of our lives which is to receive the love of God, so we may better love ourselves, and each other. Our spiritual practices help to open ourselves up to the love God wants so much to share with us.
When we breathe, rest, receive, and abide in God’s love, we are making a conscious choice to do so, and God can then abide with us which is where he wants to be! It is from this deep and intimate communion that our lives are meant to be lived. We come to this place of resting and abiding with God when we follow the counsel from today’s psalm: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
God is ready, able, and willing to not only guide us, but he is already doing so! We choose to harden not our hearts by putting into practice God’s invitations to attend and be more attentive at Mass, pray the Rosary more attentively, receive God’s guidance through these reflections, pray with the Bible, and just as importantly, following God’s lead for you to channel our emotions and resist the temptations that arise. Sharing our frustrations with God is also valid prayer, as long as we continue to also trust him and resist the temptations of the enemy to stop praying and continue to open your heart and mind to God’s direction even when the weight of our challenges and trials get heavy.
As we resist the temptation to harden and instead soften our hearts to God’s guidance, he can then do so much in our lives and we begin to experience his love, his peace, and special graces. In opening our minds and hearts to him, we will then be moved to share his love with others.
One way of doing so is being aware of the needs of those close to us and offering to pray together as Jesus recommended in today’s gospel from Matthew 18:19-20: “Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
This is not a magic incantation, the waving of a magic wand, or a three-point plan of success. Our praying goes back to the beginning of what we are called to do in this life which is to be loved and to love. We are to walk with, support, encourage, and empower one another and we do this best when, through our prayers, we invite God to be the center of our lives. In this way, the often most damaging lie of the enemy is toothless, that we are alone in our struggles.
I unfortunately don’t know or have the answer to the how, the time or the hour that God will answer our prayers. All I know is that what is even more important is that God loves each and every one of us, is taking care of, empowering, loving, and helping us to rise above all the lies. We need to continue be faithful in our practices of prayer, harden not our hearts, trust in Jesus and Mary, in each other, continue to pray for one another, and know that God will bring about a greater good!!!
Photo: Praying the Liturgy of the Hours and receiving the love of Jesus last Wednesday in the Rosary Garden, St. Peter Catholic Church, Jupiter, FL.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 