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Prayer and converse with God is a supreme good...
February 19, 2024
Dear Family of Mary!
Today
I want to share with you an excerpt from an astonishingly beautiful
homily by St. John Chrysostom. St. John describes the glory of prayer!!
It continues to take my breath away. Since Our Lady has called us to
prayer, I think this homily will help us respond to her call:
From a homily by John Chrysostom, bishop
(Supp. Hom. 6 De precatione: PG 64, 462-466)
Prayer is the light of the spirit
Prayer
and converse with God is a supreme good: it is a partnership and union
with God. As the eyes of the body are enlightened when they see light,
so our spirit, when it is intent on God, is illumined by his infinite
light. I do not mean the prayer of outward observance but prayer from
the heart, not confined to fixed times or periods, but continuous
throughout the day and night.
Our
spirit should be quick to reach out toward God not only when it is
engaged in meditation; at other times also, when it is carrying out its
duties, caring for the needy, performing works of charity, giving
generously in the service of others, our spirit should long for God, and
call him to mind, so that these works may be seasoned with the salt of
God's love, and so make a palatable offering to the Lord of the
universe. Throughout the whole of our lives we may enjoy the benefit
that comes from prayer if we devote a great deal of time to it.
Prayer
is the light of the spirit, true knowledge of God, mediating between
God and man. The spirit, raised up to heaven by prayer, clings to God
with the utmost tenderness; like a child crying tearfully for its
mother, it craves the milk that God provides. It seeks the satisfaction
of its own desires, and receives gifts outweighing the whole world of
nature.
Prayer
stands before God as an honored ambassador. It gives joy to the spirit,
peace to the heart. I speak of prayer, not words. It is the longing for
God, love too deep for words, a gift not given by man but by God's
grace. The apostle Paul says: "We do not know how we are to pray but the
Spirit himself pleads for us with inexpressible longings."
When
the Lord gives this kind of prayer to someone; he gives him riches that
cannot be taken away, heavenly food that satisfies the spirit. One who
tastes this food is set on fire with an eternal longing for the Lord:
his spirit burns as in a fire of the utmost intensity.
Practice
prayer from the beginning. Paint your house with the colors of modesty
and humility. Make it radiant with the light of justice. Decorate it
with the finest gold leaf of good deeds. Adorn it with the walls and
stones of faith and generosity. Crown it with the pinnacle of prayer. In
this way you will make it a perfect dwelling place for the Lord. You
will be able to receive him as in a splendid palace, and through his
grace you will already possess him, his image enthroned in the temple of
your spirit.
(St. John Chrysostom!)
I have no words! This homily is heavenly, celestial,
full of grace, straight from the Holy Spirit!!!! Read it many times, it
will continue to fill you with awe at the gift of prayer!
Here is a message from Our Lady that echoes St. John's homily:
October 2, 1986
"Dear children!
Today again I am calling you to pray.
You, dear children, are not able to understand
how great the value of prayer is
as long as you yourselves do not say:
'now is the time for prayer,
now nothing else is important to me,
now not one person is important to me but God.'
Dear children,
consecrate yourselves to prayer with a special love
so that God will be able to render graces back to you.
Thank you for having responded to my call."
Our Lady is such a wise mother. She knows exactly
how to help us begin to love prayer just as St. John Chrysostom loved
prayer. This is exactly what we need in these days!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
(c) Mary TV 2024
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