Kia tau te rangimārie ki a koutou
Last week Pope Francis continued his catechesis on prayer which he has been doing for several weeks at his usual Wednesday General Audience. He spoke of contemplative prayer and said: “Everything comes from this: from a heart that feels that it is looked on with love.” He then went on to say that the most intimate prayer does not need many words, and that a gaze from Jesus is enough, a gaze from Jesus is enough to be convinced that our life is surrounded by an immense and faithful love that nothing can ever separate us from.
I found his words to be very powerful, and a few days later as I was preparing a presentation I am to give in a few weeks time, I thought back to the document that Francis wrote just over three years ago called Gaudete et Exsultate “Rejoice and be Glad.” This document is about God’s call to us today to grow in holiness. In one part he writes about five attitudes that we all need in order to grow in holiness, to come closer to God in our ordinary day-to-day lives. This part of the Gaudete et Exsultate is called “In Constant Prayer.”
I share with you some of the word of Pope Francis, words which challenge us and help us day by day to spend time with the Lord and grow in holiness, he writes:
“I do not believe in holiness without prayer, even though the prayer need not be lengthy or involve intense emotions.”
“Some moments alone with God are necessary.”
“Trust-filled prayer is a response of a heart open to encountering God face to face, where all is peaceful and quiet and the voice of the Lord can be heard in the midst of silence,”
“For each disciple, it is essential to spend time with the Master, to listen to his words, and to learn from him always. Unless we listen, all our words will be nothing but useless chatter.”
Every day it is possible for us to hear the words of Jesus “Remain in my love”. When we hear those words, because we are trying to be in constant prayer we will also experience the gaze of Jesus who looks on us with love.
Blessings to all
Nāku noa. Nā
+John