Being a consecrated Catholic hermit, very much currently incapacitated physically, I considered in what ways I was or was not living out the Scripture mentioned in a recent post. I cited 2 Cor 9: 6-10 and wrote from the consideration of giving, serving, doing for others in an active way.
Today I realized that some of us, particularly consecrated Catholic hermits whose major life "work" is that of prayer for the world, for souls, and praise of God, would live out that Scripture more from perspective of spiritual works of mercy, not corporal, or active.
So let us consider this delightful Scripture and reflect upon if we are living it through our work of prayer and praise.
Brothers and sisters:
Whoever [prays] sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever [prays] bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must [pray] do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful [prayer] giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all [prayers, praying, praising] things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good [prayer, praise] work.
As it is written:
"He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever."
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
~ 2 Cor 9:6-10
I inserted "pray," praying," "praise" to assist in shifting our minds from the active aspects of doing active works of charity and giving, to that of all forms of prayer, or even, a sense of "being" with someone in silence or inactive companionship.
In this exercise, of sorts, in this shift of thought to prayer and praise, I can readily pinpoint times in which I am not a cheerful giver, or in which I pray sparingly given the hours in the day and night. That is, in the times that I avail myself to His Real Presence with the "already determined" conscious decision to pray and praise.
Prayer and praise can be verbal, mental, contemplative/illuminative, and unitive--that form of what some consider the farthest levels or degrees of contemplative prayer in which the body, mind, heart, and soul are enrapt in union with the Trinity, His Real Presence: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
So it is in prayer and praise, that the Lord loves a cheerful pray-er and praiser. Can we note and recall times and situations in which it was more difficult to pray for a stranger than for a friend, or more challenging to pray for an enemy than for a friend, or ones we love? The same question may be asked when it comes to praise. Are we as enthusiastic and even do we think to praise God as readily for a stranger than a friend, or for an enemy as we do for a loved one?
I must admit that when I consider this delightful Scripture and apply it to my life of prayer and praise, I am more readily convicted of times in which I have failed to be a cheerful pray-er and praiser. Plus, I know I pray sparingly, not generously, in various instances and times in my life--even throughout the day and night. I could pray and praise more generously, for sure! And especially this goes for praising God! Communicating with God in intercessions and guidance for self and others, friends and strangers, occurs more readily by far than for me to be in the loving and invaluable practice of praising God in my communicating with Him regarding friends, strangers, loved ones, enemies, and a variety of situations and circumstances.
The woman who brings me Holy Communion each week has shared with me a situation on-going with her parents, lasting over four decades. It is serious and hurtful. She admits she has difficulty praying the prayers we have been praying for her dad, as he is the one rather snared by the devil. Yet she knows she ought pray with more desire or affinity. I have reminded her that the Lord knows and understands this struggle; but now I have this Scripture to reference, as a reminder to me and any other with whom the topic may arise. It is important for us to pray cheerfully for beloved and enemies alike.
And, what is so important to realize with the additional truths of this particular passage, is that if we are having trouble finding the desire to pray and praise generously, willingly, cheerfully--then we may simply ask God to provide us with the grace. He will provide abundantly for every grace we need to pray and praise. The Holy Spirit, in particular, will provide the words whether articulated or silent or of which we are praying unaware. Love will flow into our prayers and praises, for the Lord will supply and multiply the "seed" needed for our praying and praising.
As for myself, it has been a temptation when in pain or weary with pain, or when medication has me drowsy, to distract with some type of background noise or visual. This is understandable, of course, but it is not better and definitely not best. In this sense, I am not availing myself of prayer and praise, unless I somehow do so with intention, and determined in advance, that the interweaving of some topic or image can be prayer and praise as well as to lull me to the other side of on-going post-surgical pain.
Also, however, I'm sure the Lord with His abundant graces can accommodate whatever distractions might be helpful, but I also am sure that I can offer the time He is giving me to rest and to heal and to manage pain, to pray and praise more generously, and with conscious cheerfulness and even spiritual joy!
There is so much to consider and to reflect upon in this particular Scripture passage, now that we see to apply it to our lives not only in our active efforts of serving God and others, but in our spiritual, prayerful, praising efforts for God and others. I'm only at the surface of the prayer and praise aspects, only at the surface of examining some of my past praying and praising--if it was generous or not generous, cheerful or not cheerful. I'm only at the surface of realizing to apply myself more fervently and lovingly, and to make sure to ask for God's graces when I struggle with prayer and praise depending upon if someone close or a stranger, or someone beloved or an enemy.
So much to attend to now! Even tonight if I find some lulling music or lovely, real-life type program to help me doze, I can practice praying and praising "without compulsion" for the real-life situations and swaths of people in the real world who are represented with their problems and concerns depicted in such dramatizations.
Yet I also can turn to His Real Presence in prayer and praise for the grace be given in abundance, to avail myself to the many prayers and praises I can offer. I can practice no matter the level of my own pain, in generosity and cheerfulness to whatever degree the Lord bestows.
God bless His Real Presence in us!
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