In the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church today is the Monday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time.  The second reading in today’s Office of Readings was taken from St. Augustine’s letter to Proba.  St. Augustine is by far one of the greatest theologians the church has ever produced.  Because of this, his writings rarely resonate with me as I am more one that appreciates the fruitful, enlightening thoughts and ideas of a spiritual writer than I do the heady often philosophical writings of a theologian.

Spirit works in many various and wondrous ways.  I have prayed the Divine Office for over 20 years and I have probably prayed this reading at least 8 or 9 times when it wasn’t overridden to pray the second reading from the readings of the day from the Proper of Saints.  Spririt wonderfully surprised me today with words from St. Augustine that resonated with my experiences of prayer these passed few weeks.

St. Augustine began the letter with these words:

Let us always desire the happy life from the Lord God and always pray for it.  But for this very reason we turn our mind to the task of pray at appointed hours, since that desire grows lukewarm so to speak, from our involvement in other concerns and occupations.  We remind ourselves through the words of prayer to focus our attention on the object of our desire; otherwise, the desire that began to grow lukewarm may grow chill altogether and may be totally extinguished unless it is repeatedly stirred into flame.

These past few weeks I haven’t made as much time for prayer as I desired as there has been just too much to do preparing for winter on the farm when I am not at work.  This weekend I made more time to spend in the chapel and praying and reflecting.  Augustine’s encouraging Proba to spend more time in prayer when time allows struck a chord to exactly where I was at in my journey this weekend — savoring the added time I was able to spend in prayer in the chapel.

The reading continued to really resonate with me as it continued:

To pray for a longer time is not the same as to pray by multiplying words, as some people suppose… For it is even written in reference to the Lord himself that he spent the night in prayer and that he prayed at great length.  Was he not giving us an example by this?

The words that really spoke to me were these:

In time, He prays when it is appropriate; and in eternity, He hears our prayers with the Father.

I found that thought powerful to reflect upon and hope you do to.

Any time we spend in prayer, be it quiet contemplation in private in the presence of God, or be it in communal worship during the Eucharist, is not done for “the magic” of the kingdom of God, but done for helping continue to tell and preserve the story of heaven coming down to earth in Christ Jesus and continuing that presence in how it shapes us and our actions.

Originally published October 20, 2014