St Teresa of Avila maintained that experiences cannot be our motivation in prayer and that they are not essential to the communication between God and the soul. What is necessary, is the recognition that the initiative in prayer is God’s. In prayer, God gives us an instrument of His Passion; the arrow that pierced Christ’s side and opened up the spiritual life of the Church.
“Stabat mater dolorosa – The Sorrowful Mother was standing.” This is the first line of one of the most celebrated Catholic hymns sung by Catholics for over eight centuries when walking from one station of the Cross to the next. The Stabat Mater teaches us that every fallen child of Adam and Eve benefits from uniting sacrificially with Jesus and Mary. Meditate on the first three stanzas in this blog.
Does it ever feel like you're too busy to pray? Perhaps you have a demanding job or you've got studies keeping you busy. Whatever the reason, Fr Ed Broom offers some excellent advice to help you pray during those hectic times where prayer feels impossible.
In the final days of Advent, the Church recites the Great O Antiphons at Vespers each evening. In this blog, learn in detail what the O Antiphons are and find inspiration for incorporating them into your own life.
One of the best remedies to conquer this constant distraction of worrying about anything and everything, but especially about the future and all that it has in store for us, is to draw close to Jesus. We should beg for the grace to sit at his feet like little, trusting children and listen to his comforting words.
For 40 years, Pope Francis has been praying this prayer to St Joseph every day: "It is very beautiful, but more than a prayer it is a challenge, to this friend, to this father, to this our guardian, who is Saint Joseph. It would be wonderful if you could learn this prayer and repeat it."
