Some days I look forward to settling
into morning and evening prayers in the choir chapel. On other days prayer just
seem tedious, especially when my stomach is clamoring for breakfast or supper
or my mind has already jumped to what’s ahead in the day or evening to come.
The following observation by
Joan Chittister gave me new perspective on why we pray so often in the
monastery: “When we have prayed prayers long enough, all the words drop away
and we begin to live in the presence of God. Then prayer is finally real.”
When those words drop away, where
do they go? I think they sink into our bones, becoming part of the very
structure of our bodies, because it is through our bodies we are aware of the
presence of God. Just as we consume calcium to physically strengthen our bones,
prayer is a spiritual bone strengthener, allowing us to be more aware of God’s
presence in our day-to-day lives. Therefore, it’s important not to miss our
daily dose of prayer!
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