My reflection today:
“Jesus said, ‘Be on guard against performing religious acts for people to see. Otherwise expect no recompense from your heavenly Father…. Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your father in private.” Matthew 6:1-18
“Jesus, my Lord, it’s easy, on the surface, to understand your words. Prayer is a quiet work; it is how I give God the hospitality of my attention so that I may thank him, listen to his advice, hear the ways he wants to work with me. Prayer is not a ‘show off’ thing – to make me think I am better than others because I pray longer or use more words. That much is easy to understand.
But I need the grace of today’s Gospel to help me with the deeper sense of ‘praying to God in private.’ I need your help to still all my worries and remembered hurts when I try to be quiet. Help me to clear my mind from all the debris of distraction when I do give time this Lent to settle down to prayer.” – Rev. Isaias Powers, C.P.
Lent is a time the church gives us to come closer to God. One way to do that is through prayer.
When you set aside 15 minutes or half hour for prayer, ask Jesus to help you really become still. If distractions come, just remind yourself – gently – this is God’s time… and return to your mood of attentive quietness.
