The Face of Mercy / Daniel Conway

Keeping the flame of God’s presence alive through prayer

(En Espanol)

In his weekly reflections on prayer, Pope Francis argues that the first duty of Christians is “to keep the flame of God’s presence alive.” This is accomplished, the pope says, through our prayer.

According to the Holy Father, “Our parents, who first taught us to pray, planted within us a seed that matures through our experience of the Christian life.” The prayers offered by children—whether spontaneous or memorized—are especially powerful because they are pure, innocent and from the heart.

“Through the example of other men and women of faith, through our sharing in the life of our parishes and above all through the sacred liturgy,” Pope Francis says, “we not only develop our prayer life as individuals, but gradually come to appreciate the richness of the Church’s patrimony of prayer and spirituality. Particularly at difficult moments in life, we come to realize the importance of prayer in strengthening our faith and hope.”

Pope Francis identifies the Holy Spirit as the great teacher who instructs all of us, the children of God, on the importance of prayer. The pope says:

“The work of the Holy Spirit is to ‘remind us’ of Jesus, to make Him present in the lives of Christians of every time and place. Because of the Spirit, Jesus is not distant, but with us always: He still educates His disciples by transforming their hearts.

“This is the experience of so many who pray, men and women whom the Holy Spirit has formed according to the ‘measure’ of Christ, in mercy, service, prayer. It is the experience not only of monks and hermits, but of ordinary people who have woven a long history of dialogue with God. Seeking God, they safeguard His presence—in the Gospel, in the Eucharist, and in the faces of those in need—like a secret flame.”

In a lovely, paradoxical phrase, the Holy Father tells us that our search for God—as individuals and as a community—actually “safeguards” God’s presence. As long as we genuinely seek God, the Divine Mystery remains vital and accessible to us, “like a secret flame” that produces heat and light in spite of its apparent hiddenness.

“History shows the importance of communities of prayer—monasteries and religious congregations,” the pope says, “for the spiritual renewal of the Church and of society as a whole.” Communities that keep the flame of God’s presence burning brightly because of their fidelity to personal and communal prayer provide a service that is often misunderstood. It is an especially valuable service in troubled times of war, pestilence and economic hardships such as we have experienced recently.

“Prayer remains the wellspring of the Church’s life and the true source of her strength in bearing witness to the risen Lord,” the pope teaches. “For this reason, Jesus insists on the need of his disciples to pray tirelessly and without ceasing.”

For the past 2,000 years, Christians have struggled with the admonition to pray without ceasing found in sacred Scripture: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thes 5:16-18). Pope Francis doesn’t say that in order to pray tirelessly and without ceasing we have to talk constantly. In fact, the best prayer is often silent, an openness of the heart that allows us to listen to God’s voice without distractions. To be in constant, open dialogue with the God who has created, redeemed and sanctified us is the essence of prayer.

“To pray and to teach others to pray,” the Holy Father says, “is essential for the Church’s mission of proclaiming the Gospel, serving Christ in our brothers and sisters, and drawing all people into the unity of his kingdom.”

Keeping the flame of God’s presence alive is “the first task of Christians,” Pope Francis says, “a task symbolized by the lighted lamps that burn night and day before the Eucharist present in the tabernacles of Catholic churches.”

We should all pray for the grace to be open to the guiding influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May this great teacher show us how to pray tirelessly and without ceasing so that we can keep the flame of God’s presence alive—now and always!
 

(Daniel Conway is a member of The Criterion’s editorial committee.) †