I think it was on Saturday the introductory antiphon says, 'The Disciples were gathered in continual prayer with Mary the Mother of Jesus and the other women'. A few things struck me about this. First of all the mention of 'continual' prayer. This I think is abit like what prayer is like. My sister, Eithne bought a Saint Bernard puppy, at fist it only took up a lttle space but now, more and more it takes up the whole house as it gets bigger. Its like that in prayer, first its a little pond, then a lake then a powerful river and eventually with the grace of God it becomes a great sea. The spiritual masters all teach this, the need for continual prayer. God like the Saint Bernard dog just wants it all!!.. I noticed too the presence of Mary. Mary it seems to me is the great teacher of prayer, less by what she says than by what she is. I think you only have to turn to Mary to feel the heart beat of prayer deepen. I also notice the mention of the other women right alongside Mary. For it seems to me it is the prayer of faithful praying women that make the Church possible, we see the Popes and Cardinals and Bishops and priests, yet, it seems to me it is again the heart beat of praying, faithful hidden women that make the Church alive. I've always had difficulty coming to terms with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is much easier, He is a living breathing person. God the Father...well he's our Father. But these last few weeks I have had a great feeling of His presence. No Holy Spirit...no prayer, its as simple as that. I noticed that the nuns had little flames posted up on the walls of the chapel with the names of the gifts of the Holy Spirit written on them: * Wisdom - The gift of wisdom perfects a person's speculative reason in matters of judgment about the truth, Aquinas writes. * Knowledge - The gift of knowledge perfects a person's practical reason in matters of judgment about the truth, Aquinas writes. * Counsel - Also called "Right Judgment." The gift of counsel perfects a person's practical reason in the apprehension of truth and allows the person to respond prudently, "moved through the research of reason," Aquinas writes. * Fortitude - Also called "Courage." The gift of fortitude allows people the "firmness of mind [that] is required both in doing good and in enduring evil, especially with regard to goods or evils that are difficult," Aquinas writes. * Understanding - Also called "Common Sense." The gift of understanding perfects a person's speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. It is the gift "whereby self-evident principles are known," Aquinas writes[1]. * Piety - Piety is the gift "whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father," Aquinas writes. * Fear of the Lord - Also called "Wonder and Awe in God." This gift is described by Aquinas as a fear of separating oneself from God. He describes the gift as a "filial fear," like a child's fear of offending his father, rather than a "servile fear," that is, a fear of punishment. Suddenly it hit me!! This is exactly what is wrong with the world at the minute, the evidence of these gifts in the world grows less and less as faith decreases; so we have sadness, war, illogic, cowardice, lack of understanding and so on. So what we must hope for is a Second Pentecost and a new awakening!!
