Always Pray

“In every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.” From time to time, a deep penetrating image emerges from a depth inside of me that calls out and invites me to be like the Holy Family. To be like them, just like Jesus, Joseph and Mary, a person of faith, a person of honor, a person of prayer. To have the Holy Family’s faith and confidence to trust that I am not alone, that God knows
everything and in his particular love and desire for me, he will provide all for me, everything I need, not only in super abundant overflowing grace but in a manner that will bring the greatest joy to he and to poor me. The honor in not only living out the baptismal promises to love, believe and honor God with all one’s heart, strength, soul and being but to honor God’s promises, commitments, responsibilities, commandments not
simply out of obligation but because of the great love and honor God has for me and all humanity. To pray as Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray. To pray in the way Jesus prayed silently in the manger, on the day he was baptized, every time he went to the temple, to the mountain, to his Sacred Heart, to pray to God our Father. To pray as Jesus taught the disciples to pray. To pray with his spirit of abandonment when he commended his
spirit to the Father. To pray with a spirit of poverty, a spirit of intention and a spirit of interior peace as Jesus did in temptations, in the desert and every person he came to meet. To ponder with a contemplative spirit like Mary.

To pray with interior silence like Joseph. To pray like Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Simeon, Anna and all the
prophets, angels, and saints. To pray knowing someone is listening. To pray like my life depends on it, like lifesaving oxygen that needs to bring God’s breath to my soul, spirit, heart, and lungs. To pray because I need spiritual food for the journey because my spirit and soul are parched without you. To pray because
that is what I need to do to remain and be in communion with you. O Lord, you are my prayer, my song, the lifting up of holy hands, the being lifted up to your presence, the answer we need, and so have longed for. The grace that brings us healing, gratitude and relief. Lord you are the prayer, the answer, all that we need.