A time of danger and temptation has come for the Apostles. More than ever they needed to strengthen themselves by prayer. Therefore, Jesus told them to pray ‘always’.
In all situations of life we need grace to enable us to fight successfully against temptation, or to fulfil our Christian obligations. “Ask and it shall be given you” (Mt 7:7), is the condition imposed by our Lord himself. Hence, the maxim, ‘All by prayer; nothing without prayer’.
How are we to pray always? It can be done in various ways. One is to be familiar with some ejaculatory prayers or aspirations which, by frequent use springs from the heart to the lips without the least effort.
How happy should we be if we were thus united to God by prayer! And what strength it would give us in time of temptation! It is in our power to obtain it; but only by constant and generous effort.
“We need to pray always and not to lose heart.” (Lk 18:1) The same lesson is taught in the parable of the unjust judge. For a long time a poor oppressed widow appealed to him. Finally, the judge is compelled to do her justice, “because she keeps bothering me ...” (Lk 18:5).
Jesus, after having exhorted us to pray always, deemed essential that he should urge us to continue in prayer, and not to get discouraged. Many first prayed with fervor and confidence, finding their petitions unanswered, have lost heart and abandoned prayer! Had the widow of the parable thus acted, she would have obtained nothing.
We are often discouraged by the thought of our unworthiness, faults, and falls. We should console ourselves by realizing that nothing is more pleasing to God than the prayer of a humble and contrite heart.
That the greater our miseries, the more abundant his mercies. That the promise of our Lord, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you’, proves that it is our prayer and not our merits that draws down on us the favor of heaven. And that oftentimes, if we do not receive what we have asked, we obtain other and more precious graces.
Ref: Cf Practical Meditations by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp733-5
From resolution to action
Let us imagine that one has taken once and for all the resolution of giving himself to God, with a love which sets no barriers or limitations, in all actions and every instant of his life. Very soon he will forget his resolve, go back to his old ways, resume those thoughts, words and actions which are far from being inspired by God’s love.
What is the reason for this? Christ has given it to us in a short sentence which sums up the practical psychology of humanity and all that has been described by novels and dramas of history: “The spirit is willing enough, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41)
We are unfaithful to what we have resolved, because we constantly allow ourselves to be drawn and led astray by the weakness of the flesh. But Christ has not shown us our malady without telling us its cure: ‘Watch and pray.’
The only way by which we can achieve our resolution of belonging entirely to God; the whole programme of Christian life -- vigilance and prayer. This vigilance is the conscious and willing attention that we pay our thoughts, words and actions, to direct them towards God and make them answer the demands of God’s love.
From the moment we relax our watchfulness, the subconscious workings of our brain and movements of our sensitive nature carry us far from God. Our attitude can never be the result of these physiological and psychological reflexes, but should be what we will it to be.
All our thoughts, actions and words must come under the conscious control of the intelligence and the will. Only in this way will we be masters of ourselves and of our lives. An instant of carelessness turns us into machines directed by blind and hidden forces.
Ref: Jean Daujat, “The Faith Applied”, 1984, pp43-4
The help of the Communion of Saints
Close to Christ in the Tabernacle, or wherever we may be praying, love makes us persevere always especially when nothing seems to be of any use. It is inspiring to know our union with the ‘Ecclesia orans’, the Church praying in all parts of the world. Our voices rise as one cry every moment to God the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit.
“During our time of mental prayer and also throughout the day, we are never alone, although physically we may find ourselves in isolation. In our life we remain always united to the Saints in heaven (Church Triumphant), the souls undergoing purification in purgatory (Church Suffering) and all our brothers and sisters who are still going on with their struggle on earth (Church Militant).
“Therefore, when you find yourself dry in prayer, go on praying and say: My God, I don’t want my voice to be missing from that great chorus of permanent praise to You which will never come to an end.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Historical Records of the Founder”, 20165, p1411)
In daily prayer arises all spiritual progress and a source of continuing joy provided we are determined in the effort to be “alone with the one we know loves us”. (St Theresa, “Life”, 8, 2) Our interior life grows and advances in proportion as our prayer-life develops, increasingly influencing our actions, work, apostolate and spirit of mortification.
Frequent recourse to the Blessed Virgin and St Joseph
No one has ever known how to address our Saviour the way his Mother did. Together with her, we can always go to Saint Joseph who conversed so often with the child, the boy, the young man Jesus while he was working or at rest, traveling on long journeys or going about his business in the streets of Nazareth.
After Mary, Joseph spent the most time close to the Son of God. He will teach us how to talk to Jesus. If we ask him, Saint Joseph will help us to make firm resolutions on how to improve our work, smooth off the rough edges of our character, make us more ready to serve, and be cheerful throughout all our problems.
‘Saint Joseph, pray for them’ (fixing our attention on specific people we wish to pray for). ‘And pray for me.’
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 3:606-8
• In the year 1535, Our Lady of Montserrat restored the use of speech to a Savoyard who had lost it. — History of Montserrat. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Montserrat, Spain (1535). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com)
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