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(c)Mary TV 2012
J.M.J
January 27, 2015
St. Angela Merici
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! Also today I call you: live your vocation in prayer. Now, as never before, Satan wants to suffocate man and his soul by his contagious wind of hatred and unrest. In many hearts there is no joy because there is no God or prayer. Hatred and war are growing from day to day. I am calling you, little children, begin anew, with enthusiasm, the walk of holiness and love; since I have come among you because of this. Together let us be love and forgiveness for all those who know and want to love only with a human love and not with that immeasurable love of God to which God calls you. Little children, may hope in a better tomorrow always be in your heart. Thank you for having responded to my call." (January 25, 2015) "Also today I call you: live your vocation in prayer."
I am intrigued by this call from Our Lady. It says to me to live the life that I have chosen, my state in life, in constant prayer. In other words, my state in life, my chosen road, must be steeped in prayer, saturated by prayer, filled with prayer, constantly directed by prayer. My vocation is first of all, to be a wife and mother. I live to serve my family. So to live my vocation in prayer is to live my life of service and love for my husband and family with my eyes on God, constantly in communion with Him, in prayer.
Of course we know that we cannot pray all the time. But there is a way to be constantly aware of God, aware of His presence, His love and His call. Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, a French Carmelite friar wrote what he called "The Practice of the Presence of God" in which he simply shared how it is possible to pray constantly:
The practice that is holiest, most usual and most necessary in the spiritual life is the practice of the presence of God. That is, to take pleasure in and accustom ourselves to his divine company, speaking humbly and conversing lovingly with him at all times, at every moment, without rule or measure; and especially at times of temptations, sufferings, dryness, and self-disgust, and even infidelities and sins. We should apply ourselves continually to ensure that all our activities whatsoever are a way of holding little conversations with God, not studied words, but just as they come forth from purity and simplicity of heart...
We should, during our work and other actions, even during our reading, even spiritual reading, during our outward devotions and vocal prayers, stop for an instant as often as we can, to adore God in the depths of our hearts, savor him rapidly and as it were by stealth, praise him, ask him for help, offer him our hearts and thank him. What could be more pleasing to God than for us to leave aside created things a thousand times a day, to recollect ourselves and adore him interiorly?
For being with God, it is not necessary to be always at church. We may make an oratory of our heart, wherein to retire from time to time, to converse with him. Everyone is capable of such familiar conversation with God.
I think that Brother Lawrence describes well what it means to live our vocation in prayer. Yes, we need to have set times for prayer as Our Lady has taught us. These times of prayer encourage and strengthen us for constant prayer during our normal duties.
The more we can converse with our Lord, the more strength we will have to be love, forgiveness and hope for this very sad and tired world that lives without God.
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2015
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