We are quite shrewd when it comes to finding a bargain or to getting the latest hot gadget. It is remarkable that people stood in lines for days to be the first ones to get their hands on the latest iPhone. It shows that ordinary people are capable of patience, perseverance, and sacrifice when the object they are pursuing is all worth it. I remember a couple of years ago when I was in line on my off-day at an Apple Store hoping to get an iPhone. I had scheduled spiritual direction in the afternoon, and I thought that I had plenty time to purchase a phone and head to the spiritual direction. But then two hours later and I was still five people behind in the line to get one. A thought came to my mind, "Should I persevere a little more here at the store and cancel spiritual direction?" An epic battle waged in my mind--'If I wait just 20 minutes longer I can get the new iPhone. I can reschedule spiritual direction. When am I going to come out here again?'--'Wait a minute, I'm putting iPhone over receiving God's direction of my life?' Then I tapped on the person behind me, "You have one better chance of getting your iPhone today," and I left for spiritual direction.
We know that we are capable of sacrifice and perseverance for something that we think will satisfy us. But are the very things that we sacrifice for worth it? A friend of mine who got the 3G version of iPhone was disappointed when he found out that only 6 months later the new 3GS version was announced. Worldly goods, by their nature, are always changing and evolving with our taste. Companies have big marketing departments to come up with compelling ads for us to change to a new model to upgrade so that their revenue stream will keep on flowing. I wondered what happens to all of our older computers, gadgets, and TVs that we discard for new models. I saw a
PBS program recently on internet which showed Ghana as one of the Third World countries where digital trash is dumped.
This week, our staff at the church traveled to St. Martinville for a day of reflection at Our Lady of Sorrows Retreat Center (420 N. Main Street, St. Martinville, Louisiana). Our topic was "Prayer: Pray Lest You be Put to the Test!" Fr. Michael Champagne lead the retreat. He spoke of the reasons we should pray. Prayer takes self-sacrifice, self-denial, and perseverance. But the reward is much greater than what worldly goods--power, money, sexual pleasure, athletics, cars, large homes, and other material possessions--have to offer. Prayer is a necessity. It gives us power. People would ask Mother Teresa, "Mother, you are one of the most powerful women in the world. What's your secret?" She would reply, "I pray." Prayer gives us intimacy with the Father, the source of power.
Prayer is the lifting of our minds and hearts to God. Just as a husband has to see his kids and wife face to face to remain intimate, we have to see the Father through prayer. It has to be scheduled and committed just as we make the commitment to be with family. It is God who gives us the love in our hearts to love Him back. Prayer is also petitioning or asking good things from God. St. Therese of Lisieux said prayer is a surging of the heart, a glance toward heaven. Yet many of us make boomerang prayer--a prayer that does not break the horizon of self, a prayer that is really directed toward self rather than toward God. "God I need this, I need that." It is not what I get out of it. How many children cease visiting their parents who have Alzheimer in nursing homes, because they are non-responsive? How many times do we stop praying because we feel God was not responsive?
Mother Teresa said to her sisters in the convent, "If you don't pray, you cannot stay." Fr. Champagne added, "If you don't pray, you won't stay." He commented how many priests and religious sisters have left their vocation because they did not pray. How many husbands and wives left their marriage because they did not pray? Prayer humbles us, admitting that we are dependent children of the Heavenly Father. When we don't pray, pride and self-love take over. Have you ever encountered persons who are filled with pride and self-love? It is not pleasant to be around them. They need prayer so they can humble themselves, to repent, and to change their hearts. Heavenly Father waits patiently and lovingly for us to turn to Him in prayer.
