March Lights - Beginning Interior Prayer

Dear Friends,
 
Because the question of “how to pray” comes up so often in spiritual direction, I want to offer my own explainer on beginning interior prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of three types of prayer: vocal (memorized prayers, typically prayed out loud), meditative (called discursive or mental, as it prioritizes active thinking), and contemplative (a word with many definitions, though generally passive and heart based) (#2699). Notice the progression. This instruction is for beginners or those moving into meditative prayer since  those advanced in prayer need different advice. The word “interior” is preferable to “mental”  because it facilitates the transition from head to heart as St. Theresa of Avila’s indicated with her treatise on prayer, The Interior Castle. Prayer is paying attention to God and intentionally spending time with Him. It is a dialogue, or mutual listening and speaking about what matters most. Try 7Rs to begin interior prayer:​

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1. Recollect. Start prayer with the sign of the cross, several deep breaths to calm the body, and simply acknowledge the presence of the living God. You may want to make an act of faith (belief in God and what He teaches), hope (trust that His grace is sufficient), and love (that you want Him to be first in your life). If you look up a picture of "dressage," you will see that the horse is collected or trained to gather itself under the guidance of the rider for complex moves. Likewise, the spiritual masters advise “recollection,” or gathering your thoughts and entire being under His Lordship. This is not emptying, but rather focusing on God.
2. Read. At this point, slowly, and audibly if possible, read a passage from Scripture (which always holds pride of place for prayer) or another appropriate devotional or spiritual book. Today, instead of reading, you can utilize an audio, picture, or even your daily experience. Particularly with reading or listening, the key is to keep it short! Short means sticking to one phrase, sentence, passage, or paragraph. Depending on the devotional, it may be a page. The great temptation is to read too much because it is easier, but this defeats the purpose because the goal is not to read but to pray (by adding the following).
3. Reflect. Having read the passage, take time to think deeply and carefully consider key points, words, ideas, emotions, memories, questions, images that came to you as you read. Revisit and marinate in those aspects that “jumped off the page” at you. Sit with it. Ask yourself and the Lord questions. What is God showing me? Where is He leading me? How am I loved here? How am I challenged here? Why is this easy / hard for me? Use imagination to deepen the story. Everything and anything can be brought to the Lord. If your task list haunts you, jot those down on the side and gently return to prayer. 
4. Reconcile. The previous steps were ways of listening to what the Lord is saying and coming to your honest response. As in any relationship, there should be some healthy back and forth conversation happening. Typically, there is resistance to being fully honest with God and then learning to patiently recognize His voice. Reconciliation happens as the friendship is restored to harmony. This could be anything from accepting God’s will in life, allowing Him to love you, or setting aside inner lies in favor of truth. Reconciliation aims for unity between you and God, which  often means running into the open arms of the Father in unexpected ways. There is a sense of being in right relationship.
5. Rest. How easy it is to forget that Christ invites you to rest in Him, to lay your burdens at his feet and be strengthened (Mt. 11: 28). By this time, your soul is quieter and more surrendered. Remember not panic in this open space, but to “just be” with the Lord. Bask in His presence and find that still point. Allow yourself to pause and breathe. Go deeper into the reality that He is with you, and you are with Him, whose love is everlasting, whose power is mighty, and whose ways are perfect. A growing ability to rest in Him, without excessive thinking, indicates growth in prayer. Resting takes practice but is met with a filling and satisfaction that comes from God alone. Rest is active receptivity. 
6. Resolve. If, during your time in prayer, you came to a worthy conclusion, resolve to follow it as His voice. Conversation with the Lord should lead to conversion of life, and our conversion of life should lead to evangelization (of family, work, and culture). An example of a resolution might be: remember to trust Him; or, reach out to that struggling friend today. The spiritual masters measure prayer by growth in love. In other words, prayer should change you and be reflected in your lifestyle, choices, and relationships. While listening is crowned by obedience, note that too many resolutions may be counter- productive and not originating in or leading to the Lord.  
7. Review. Prayer may be concluded with a little evaluation. Organically, look over your prayer. Did I recollect myself, read too long, reflect in sincerity, reconcile with God, rest in Him, and resolve to follow through on what you think He said? If you set the goal of 15 minutes in prayer, did you cut your time short? What highs or lows did you experience in prayer? What rules of discernment apply today? Did you rejoice to simply be with the Lord and grow in His perspective? This is a good time to journal, or make a list or draw if journaling is not your thing. Just as everyone prays differently and has a unique language with the Lord, everyone journals differently. Find your groove, but honor the Word spoken over you.

Beginning interior prayer takes great determination and lots of grace. The victory is won each time you simply go again, and again, and again to prayer. You may not feel like you are praying well, but you learn to pray by praying. The 7Rs are not meant to be a rigid method of prayer but flexible helps as you learn to let the Holy Spirit lead you in prayer, each day, and over time. This art of discerning the Spirit takes practice. Though you are called toward contemplative prayer, vocal and meditative prayer are never completely set aside. At the same time, novenas and other vocal prayers, while necessary and timeless, are not the crux of prayer.  God is always inviting you closer, deeper, and further into His Sacred Heart.
 
Wherever you are in your prayer life, may the Lord grant you the desire to pray more and deeply. May you receive the grace to grow in intimacy with Him during these precious moments. May you know that the Lord rejoices to welcome you, however you come to Him. May you come to see prayer as a portal to the great romance referenced in Song of Songs.  May Mary and Joseph accompany you and the Lord bless you!
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