« Prayer » : this word might evoke in us the memory of disappointed great expectations or feelings of emptiness and boredom, or the nostalgia of some great moments of our childhood, which are now quite far away.

To pray is not easy. How can we pray ?

Père Marie-Eugène en 1966, vendredi saintSince he is familiar with our difficulties, Fr. Marie-Eugène does not give us ready made solutions but he opens up luminous perspectives and encourages us to persevere.

Prayer is an encounter, an affectionate exchange with God. He is there, we are with him, our loves come together. His love is infinite and divine ; our love is often shaky, but it is filial, because prayer is in fact only the respiration of our life as baptized persons.

What child would refuse to relate with his most beloved father ? Since baptism has made of you God’s child, let your filial instinct get into action ! Prayer has no ready made scenario, it does not know any other law than « the free expression of two loves that meet and give themselves to each other. »

Don’t confuse the means with the goal.
Which is the best method ? The one that suits you best. But don’t confuse ends with means. Turn to Jesus, he is the way and the end of the prayer. We are often disconcerted because we don’t feel anything.

Must we then conclude that we are wasting our time ? What about ceasing to consider prayer only from our point of view? Don’t forget that the Lord is there and that his joy is to see you in his presence in order to fulfill you ! We show him concretely that we love him since we remain there for his sake, even if we don’t feel anything. Then faith takes over. Our certainty is based on faith. « Your Father is there in secret. The Father loves you. If anyone thirsts, let him come to me… » Faith lets us persevere in prayer and overcomes discouragement. It enables God’s life to come into us and to transform us, in the mystery of our heart. Between God and the soul, « secret things are always happening ».