coming before Him

I used to think that prayer was like leaving God a voice message over the phone. When I was a kid, there was a time when I struggled to think about how God could listen to each and every prayer being said and answer them accordingly. I could recall how it was in a movie where Jim Carrey's character, assuming God's role for a certain period, strained to organize all prayer requests and even thought of doing it through e-mail!

Now, I am just amazed at the mystery of how God works in our lives. He dwells in us (1 Cor 3:16). He is in the innermost part of our beings and we need only to come before Him as we are. I realized this tonight as I was struggling to center myself in prayer. I remembered how a spiritual director of mine taught me to be real with myself by knowing how and where I was before I came into prayer - how was I feeling emotionally, physically, mentally? This was what I did and I recognized how I was physically exhausted coming from weeks jam-packed with activities during and outside of work. It made me realize a lot of things, one of which was how God sustained me throughout the weeks, and this helped me to get myself into prayer.

Sometimes we focus too much on talking to Him instead of being with Him. God is with us when we talk to Him. He prays with us if we allow Him to. Praying with Him can only happen when we recognize not only His presence but also ours, and  recognizing our presence means being aware of where we are at the moment, how we are feeling and knowing whatever baggage we are carrying.

Prayer is a conversation with God.

Ang buhay natin ay parang bahay na naka-lock - nabubuksan lamang mula sa loob. Si Hesus ay nasa labas, naghihintay. Nasa atin na ang pagbubukas ng pinto upang Siya'y makapasok nang lubusan.

(Life is like a house locked from the inside. Jesus is at the door, just waiting. It is up to us to open the door and welcome Him so that He may go inside.)

- Fr. Allan, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish