I was blessed to attend a mini-retreat yesterday offered by a priest who had been my oldest son's novice director in Germany. I raised a question with him, asking if in the busyness of the day I laid aside certain of my prayer commitments, should I try to squeeze them in when time opened up in the evening? Father Burtka gave a yes-no, but very wise answer. I thought I would share it with you. He said the key to the answer was in what way I understood prayer. If one views their prayer in a task-oriented, legalistic fashion, then squeezing prayers in for the sake of completing them bears little fruit. He told me to consider the purpose of prayer more closely. Life in union with Christ, or in other words, a life of charity lived for God's glory, is the essence of our purpose. As food feeds our bodies and provides strength for the day, so prayer is the essential nourishment to live a life of charity and holiness. Therefore to let prayer slip away because of the demands of our day, is to say I will fulfill my duties without the foundation of love. A structure of prayer, a set of prayer commitments for each day, creates space in our heart and routines to acknowledge our desperate, ongoing need for Jesus and the grace of the Holy Spirit. Charity, without prayer, shrivels up and dies. Father Burtka concluded that if prayer is viewed in this way, then time missed with Scripture or in meditation in the morning, should be given priority later on. Christ is our life! I should add that Father Burtka acknowledged that fitting prayer in later on is not always possible, but it should be our goal. In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
Terry, Father Burtka, sounds like a very wise and prayerful man! You seem blessed to have him giving advice. I think also if some one honestly can't fit the time in for prayer but honestly desires too then they would never be the loser by this. Desire will compensate for action. God in his mercy will count the wish for the deed and we will never be the loser therefrom.. Even if we have to rush prayer a little later God will grant the graces that we might have gotten through much longer, paced pryer. Its the same I believe for the Catholic martyrs in prison. Even if they can't get to Mass or formal prayer, God would never let them be the losers. I think the stories of angels carrying the host to His saints are more than just stories. I think too as Father Burtka was implying prayer carves its own natural desires in our hearts, the more we pray the more we wish to pray, like two little magnets our hearts and the heart of God draw each other closer and closer.
Paidraig, I agree desire is so important. A few times, I have asked my guardian angel to finish my nighttime prayers for me because my desire was there, but my body was falling asleep. I also think your many lessons concerning continuous prayer provides a means of keeping our hearts united to God. The hallmark of Father Burtka's sharing was that the fruit of the Holy Spirit was the test of authentic prayer and that authentic prayer demands faithfulness and constancy. In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
