It’s Lent and what better time to read something for the soul.
I’m not sure if you’re like me but when I pray, sometimes, er, oftentimes, I unconsciously find myself thinking about several other things, one different thought from another – as in I totally forget that I’m in the middle of praying! It’s so bad that sometimes when I pray the rosary during long drives, by the time I realize that I should be praying, I’ve already traveled so far! Because of all the distractions, instead of finishing a rosary in 15 minutes, it usually takes me an hour! And since I use my fingers against the steering wheel to count, it’s really difficult to trace back where I left off. The same wandering of the mind happens too when I say my bedtime prayers and hear mass…tsk..tsk…
Anyway, after reading Mary Poust’s Essential Guide to Catholic Prayer and the Mass, I felt so normal. Apparently, the wandering of the mind while praying is called the monkey mind by Buddhists because thoughts are like monkeys that go from tree to tree, giving you no peace of mind. And it also comforted me to read these words of wisdom from holy people.
How to pray? This is simple matter. I would say: Pray any way you like so long as you do pray. – Venerable Pope John Paul II
You don’t know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, “Lord, I don’t know how to pray!”, you can be sure you’ve already begun. – St. Josemaria Escriva
Pray inwardly, even if you do not enjoy it. It does good, though you feel nothing; yes, even though you think you are doing nothing. -Julian of Norwich, 14th century mystic
So no matter how imperfect we are or how poor we think we are at praying, the important thing is we pray. And perhaps God doesn't even make a distinction if we're poor, good or excellent at praying...maybe all He cares is that we remember Him. :)
