Prayer seems complicated. So many words are associated with it, such as “dryness”, “consolation” “silence” and a host of others. Yet, none of these capture the essence of what is meant by prayer. In a way, there can be no universal definition of prayer. Wait, what? Isn't it simply talking to God? That's what we all heard as children, right? Say your prayers. And although talking to God is definitely an aspect of prayer, prayer is more that just that. So, so, so much more. As the Catechsim says, prayer is that personal and life-giving relationship with God that every individual is called to. (CCC 2558) Let that sink in for a moment. Prayer isn't just part of our relationship with God: it is our relationship with God. No wonder it is so challenging …show more content…
St. Therese said, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart ; it is a simple look turned towards heaven.” Contained within that quote is the foundation from which prayer both flows out of and builds upon: humility. In looking towards heaven, we realize that we are nothing, that we cannot make anything happen in our relationship to God. Prayer is only possible because God first seeks us. Humility, seeing ourselves as God sees us, allows us to turn our gaze towards him, laying down all pride and misconceptions. It is so easy to try and apply what we know of broken human relationships oto our relationship with God: the feeling that we have seek others out in order to be loved, that we have to always appear perfect, that we have to see results in relationships for it to be worth it are just a few. All that is contrary to a proper understanding of prayer: “only when we humble acknowledge that we “do not how to pray as we ought”, are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer , “Man is a beggar before God.” (CCC 2559) From this place of utter littleness, humility, poverty, we can begin to dive into that true relationship. After all, the first thing that must happen in a relationship, is that essential encounter where two people meet and see who the other