“We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.” 1 John 4:16
If asked what topics are most dear to me, high on my list would be anything to do with matters of the heart and prayer. My husband and I just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary, and I have been pondering these topics. I’ve included a photo of what my family looked like in 1990 and what it looks like today to visually illustrate this heart healing power of prayer in my own life over the past thirty years.
In St. John Cassian’s book, Conferences, this saint introduces his chapter on prayer with the statement that dedication to prayer is God’s way to perfect the human heart. His description of prayer as heart healing is very appealing to me. I’m re-reading this book because our oldest daughter and her husband just gave us the precious gift of a new grandson, who they named Cassian. My son-in-law is from Romania. They were not aware that there is a Saint Cassian from Romania. Such a sweet surprise for all of us. A reminder that life consists of more than meets the eye—the supernatural beyond the natural. So, in honor of my delightful grandson, I’ll share a few more of St. Cassian’s thoughts on prayer.
Cassian (360-435) begins with the obstacles to be overcome before we can pray. We are to “unload all our vices and rid our souls of the rubble.” Thus, simplicity and humility form the sure foundation to prayer. As he described “calumny, empty talk, nattering, low-grade clowning,” I was reminded of today’s social media. These words written so long ago seem to describe some of today’s distractions. He also included “anger, gloominess, drunkenness, intoxication with the world, and earthly worries and concerns” as things that weigh down the soul. Even excessive labor and worldly ambition harm our prayer life. In summary, prayer cannot be achieved by a poorly stirred heart.
His description of obstacles motivates me to examine my own heart as I come to prayer so that I am prepared to pray—”to lift up pure hands, with no anger and no rivalry.” (1 Tm 2:8) Free of sin’s weight, my prayers will rise upward to God. What an attractive image! We are to wake up and breath freely before God.
What do I hold in my heart and mind? Sit with God with this question and let God speak to you. You can seek God just as the person you are right now and let yourself be built into a spiritual house. Be patient with all that is unresolved in your heart. Let God do the heavy lifting and you do the receiving of His grace and goodness. Let your heart be open to holy affection—to a healing and freeing touch from God.
Cassian ends his chapter on prayer with these points: We must be convinced that God is looking at us as we pray, and that God has the power to grant what we ask. “Then you will call out and the Lord will hear you; and He will say ‘Here I am.’” (Is 58:9); and we must persist in our prayers. We must never let up in our zeal. God may wish the delay for our good. God sees clearly what is best for us when we do not. “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is at its best in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:8-9) We are to be ever mindful of his words: “However, not as I wish, but as you wish.” (Mt 26:39) We can ask for the grace to believe that God never allows an evil that He doesn’t bring a greater good out of.
Let’s take a moment to let God bring to mind His healing touch in our lives over the years. “The hand of God in my life” could be the focus of a prayer time. Then to allow God’s grace to have its way with us so that God can live in us more deeply, and we can bring His fragrance of love and generosity into our life circumstances.
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; live on in my love. (John 15:9-17)
What does it mean to live on in God’s love? To be engaged in the great Christian enterprise of acting for others in the place of God. To live life with an eye on those for whom life is a terrible burden. To set out to find the holy in the human. To be an agent of God’s healing love. To provide a little shade for weary souls in a weary world. We can ask God how He would have that look in our life today. We all have gifts to offer each other.
People will never forget how you made them feel.
God can give us open minds and a largeness of heart so that we may see and serve beyond ourselves. I’m always so moved when I think about how Jesus served and saved others not allowing ridicule to shrink his compassion. Praying for the powerful grace to do the same is a worthy prayer effort.
Love is to will the good of the other.
Prayer can also be a time to “chew on the word of God” as the desert fathers recommended. To be cut to the heart by truth is also a part of this healing power of prayer—God’s way of building a throne of wisdom in our hearts. May God make us aware of our power to seed the world with good or ill, by our every thought, word, and deed, and help us to realize that what is done to a brother or sister is also done to me.
Prayer and matters of the heart are endless topics as any weighty matter should be. But I will close for now. I encourage each of us to spend time with God reflecting on His healing touch—where you’ve received it and where you need it? How has God protected, pursued, and corrected you? There is no greater way to cultivate a rich spiritual life than the ongoing practice of gratitude.
Let’s offer our yes to God and be open to whatever surprises might lie ahead for us today—like a grandson named after a saint.
Worker of Wonders
Show forth Your Splendor.
This blog was inspired by Conferences by John Cassian and People’s Companion to the Breviary by the Carmelites of Indianapolis.
1 Comment
Jackie Fox-Tomassi
““However, not as I wish, but as you wish.” (Mt 26:39) We can ask for the grace to believe that God never allows an evil that He doesn’t bring a greater good out of.” This speaks to the heart of a current, recurring struggle. Very timely. Thank you Cherry