{"id":23452,"date":"2016-03-13T23:50:41","date_gmt":"2016-03-14T05:50:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=23452"},"modified":"2017-04-27T19:39:26","modified_gmt":"2017-04-27T23:39:26","slug":"the-precedence-of-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-precedence-of-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"The Precedence of Prayer","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

LENTEN RETREAT
\n Day 29<\/p>\n

\"balloonready\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

EVERYTHING<\/strong>\u00a0we’ve discussed so far in this Lenten Retreat is equipping you and me to soar toward the heights of sanctity and union with God\u00a0(and remember, with Him,\u00a0all things are possible).\u00a0And yet\u2014and this is of utmost importance\u2014without\u00a0prayer<\/em>, it would be\u00a0like\u00a0someone who has laid out a hot air balloon upon the ground and set up all their equipment. The pilot tries to climb into the gondola, which is the will of God. He is familiar with his flying manuals, which are the Scriptures and the Catechism. His basket is tethered to the balloon by the\u00a0ropes of the Sacraments. And last, he has stretched out his balloon along the ground\u2014that is, he has conceded a certain willingness, abandonment, and desire\u00a0to fly\u00a0toward Heaven…. But so long as the burner of prayer <\/em>remains unlit, the balloon\u2014which is his heart\u2014will never expand, and his spiritual life will remain grounded.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Prayer,\u00a0<\/em>brothers and sisters,\u00a0is what animates and draws everything heavenward; prayer<\/em> is what draws grace to overcome the gravity of my\u00a0weakness and concupiscence; prayer<\/em> is what\u00a0raises me\u00a0to new heights of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding; prayer <\/em>is what\u00a0makes the Sacraments efficacious; prayer <\/em> is what illumines and inscribes upon my\u00a0soul what is written in the Holy Manuals; prayer <\/em>is what fills my\u00a0heart with the heat and fire of God’s love; and it is prayer <\/em>that draws me\u00a0into the atmosphere of God’s presence.<\/p>\n

The Catechism<\/em> teaches that:<\/p>\n

\n

Prayer is the life of the new heart. It ought to animate us at every moment. But we tend to forget him who is our life and our all.<\/span><\/strong> \u2014Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), <\/em>n. 2697<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You see, this is why many people aren’t growing in holiness, are never advancing much in the spiritual life: if prayer is the life<\/em> of the new heart\u2014and someone is not praying\u2014then the new heart given to them in Baptism is dying. <\/em>Because it is prayer that\u00a0draws <\/em>into the heart the flames\u00a0of grace. <\/em><\/p>\n

\n

…the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life… These graces and goods are the object of Christian prayer. Prayer attends to the grace we need for meritorious actions.<\/span><\/strong> \u2014CCC, <\/em>n. 2010<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Going back to the Gospel of St. John where Jesus calls us to “abide” in Him, He says:<\/p>\n

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)<\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer is what draws the sap <\/em>of the Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we can bear “good fruit.” Without prayer, the fruit\u00a0of good works dry up and the leaves of virtue begin to whither.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, what it means to pray and how <\/em>to pray\u00a0are what we will discuss in the\u00a0days ahead. But I don’t want to end today just yet. Because some have the conception that prayer is simply a matter of\u00a0 reading this or that text\u2014like dropping a coin into a vending machine. No!\u00a0Prayer, authentic prayer, is the exchange of hearts: your heart for God’s, God’s heart for yours. <\/em><\/p>\n

Think of a husband and wife who pass each other in the hallway\u00a0each day without exchanging hardly a word or a smile, or perhaps nothing at all. They live in the same home, share the same meals\u00a0and even the same bed… but there is a gulf between them because the “burners” of communication are off. But when the husband and wife speak to one another from the heart<\/em>, serve one another, and consummate their marriage in total self-giving… well,\u00a0there you have a picture of prayer. It is to become a lover<\/em>. God is a lover, who has already given himself totally and completely to you through the Cross. And now He says, “Come to me… Come to me, for you\u00a0are\u00a0My Bride, and we will become one in love.” <\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God’s desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him.<\/em><\/span><\/strong> \u2014CCC, <\/em> 2560<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

SUMMARY\u00a0AND SCRIPTURE<\/p>\n

\n

Prayer is\u00a0an invitation to love and intimacy with God. Therefore, if you desire this, prayer must take precedence in your life.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess 5:16)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"air-balloon2\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>
\n Thanks for your support and prayers
\nfor\u00a0this apostolate.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

To join Mark in this Lenten Retreat,
\n <\/em>click on the banner below to subscribe<\/a>.
\n Your email will not be shared with anyone.<\/p>\n

\"mark-rosary<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Listen to the podcast of today’s reflection:<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/The-Precedence-of-Prayer.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>

Podcast: Play in new window<\/a> | Download<\/a><\/p>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LENTEN RETREAT Day 29 \u00a0 EVERYTHING\u00a0we’ve discussed so far in this Lenten Retreat is equipping you and me to soar toward the heights of sanctity and union with God\u00a0(and remember, with Him,\u00a0all things are possible).\u00a0And yet\u2014and this is of utmost importance\u2014without\u00a0prayer, it would be\u00a0like\u00a0someone who has laid out a hot air balloon upon the ground […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,1280],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-journal","category-lent-retreat"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Precedence of Prayer - 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