Prayer.

You know some definitions that say prayer is a conversation with God, and prayer is lifting your mind to God. Romano Qaurdini says that prayer is a response to God’s holiness. All these definitions touch on prayer in some way, but they’re too brief. Let us listen to what John Chrysostom said about prayer. Prayer is our mediator with God; it gives courage to the heart and calms the soul. But when we speak of prayer, let us not think it is just words. Prayer is a longing for God. It is an inexpressible love that does not come from people but originates in divine grace.

The Apostle says. We do not know what we should pray for, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Prayer is heavenly food that nourishes the soul. Anyone who has tasted it will always long for the Lord. It is as if a fierce fire seizes his heart. Prayer is a gift from God. It is grace. The Holy Spirit comes into the heart of a person who has opened himself to God and gives him a desire for God. He often allows a person to experience God’s closeness, and then comes the joy of God and peace in the heart. This, too, is prayer. And man responds to this in some way. And this is an essential moment in Christian prayer. Prayer as a response. Romano Quardini said that prayer is a response to God’s holiness. God’s holiness is God’s greatness and God’s closeness. God’s love for creation pours out upon the whole world. The response to God’s holiness is a response to God’s love. Therefore, our prayer is a response to everything God constantly does for us, to what He means to us. God penetrates our soul with his word and opens a well of prayer in our heart. And man is flooded with gratitude, or a sense of responsibility, or a sense of sinfulness.

All this is already the beginning of prayer, even before man puts it into words. Prayer is, therefore, a response. It is not empty talk. It is not words repeated over and over again. Prayer is always an expression of a personal relationship. This is what every Christian prayer is about. It is an expression of personal love. God as a person enters our lives, and we respond to him personally. Although prayer is a gift from God, on the one hand, on the other hand, it is a human response and often also the result of effort, because we do not always feel like praying. If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that there are more moments when we do not want to pray than when we do. Prayer is a particular human activity, but above all, it expresses a relationship. Prayer is a specific human act, but above all, it expresses a relationship. We cannot do something without a relationship with someone. It is not, therefore, reading something, doing something, but it is an expression of our love. A person prays with their heart. Every prayer should be their prayer. It doesn’t matter if I pray the psalms, the Our Father, or in my own words; it must always be a personal prayer. Prayer requires a certain constancy, devotion, faithfulness, and humility.

Everything that belongs to a human relationship is connected with this. Human relationships are not built on moods, but on faithfulness. When two people get married, they are not together just because they enjoy each other’s company, but because they have made a decision. If I know that God bends down to me and intervenes in my life, I pray when I feel like it and when I have to pray. Because prayer is not just a matter of experience, but of faithfulness. Through prayer, I get to know what God is like and experience it. If I do not know God as He is, I do not know His true face, which will always mark my prayer. If I think God is distant and strict, I will never find joy in prayer. So knowledge leads me to true prayer. What I experience in prayer leads me to knowledge of God. I experience for myself that God is peace, that God is joy, that God is love, that God is close, and then I discover these truths in Scripture, which support my spiritual life. Prayer is not just a matter of feelings and experiences. Spiritual life is like life in general. From exuberant youth, enthusiasm, and many experiences, God gradually leads a person to a deeper experience, and often God takes away those moments of spiritual joy and happiness in prayer, leaving only dry devotion and faith. The greatness of prayer lies in devotion. It is not important whether we feel bliss when we pray. If God gives this to someone, let them be thankful for it. Great in prayer is the one who does not abandon God even when he does not feel God or especially experience Him. Another element of Christian prayer relates to this: inner truthfulness. As with all of Christianity, purity of intention and action is essential. Nothing is worse than when a person begins to deceive themselves and then begins to deceive others or God. God, who sees into man’s heart, can never be deceived. This is what the prophet Isaiah says. These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. St. Teresa said, “Prayer is not a matter of many words, but of much love.” And we must always admit truthfully how we feel. When we don’t feel like praying, let’s say, “Lord, I don’t feel like praying.” And if I pray anyway, I have done a great thing. If my thoughts are distant during prayer, if I am distracted, thinking only of myself and constantly returning to my worries, I must admit it. I entrust it to God and ask him to accept me as I am, with all my fears, and not to pretend that nothing is happening. Likewise, when I lack love in my heart, I must be able to acknowledge and admit it. There is nothing worse than illusion. That is why it is so vital that every prayer we say is true in our hearts.I don’t mean I don’t praise God when my heart isn’t overflowing. My praise does not depend on feelings and experiences. It is necessary to stand before God as I am. Then God can lead me to transformation. Often, from the point of view of spiritual progress, it is more critical for us to chase away fatigue and fight distraction, like experiencing bliss, because at that moment, a person only receives, but gives nothing. We must begin prayer anew every day. Every relationship requires investment. Prayer is an expression of faith. This does not mean that God always hears us or grants our requests. When Jesus spoke about prayer, he emphasized that we must pray constantly and not lose heart. There is a story about a judge who did not want to help a widow in her legal dispute. However, the widow persistently asked the judge to help her, and she succeeded. And will God not hear the pleas of those who call to him day and night? God hears every prayer, but he does not answer it immediately to allow our devotion to grow. Prayer is closely related to our attitude of faith. A person who prays with love cannot do more. If we find time for prayer, our whole life can be transformed into prayer. All our activities can become worship. A person who does not pray does not live. As long as a person does not pray, he is not a person as God intended him to be, because man was created in the image of God. The form of prayer is not so important; what is essential is that we put our hearts into our prayers. Let prayer transform us into the image of God.