The spirit of prayer

REFLECTIONS OF A NEW PRIEST: Acknowledging the Lord’s presence daily offers a great gift

Father Tom Fallati

My first priestly celebration of the Presentation of the Lord at the start of this month drew my attention to the importance of prayer amidst the daily life of a priest. 

Entering the temple, Mary and Joseph encounter Simeon, a “righteous and devout” man who “came in the Spirit,” and the widow Anna, who “never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.”  These two figures in the temple are able to see in the baby Jesus the Lord himself because they are so rooted in prayer (Lk. 2:22-38).

These prayerful figures reminded me of the promise that I made at my diaconal ordination “to guard and increase the spirit of prayer” and challenged me to reflect on how I am fulfilling it now in priestly ministry.

Prayer and Ministry

Prayer is, in the words of St. John of Damascus, “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God.” It is a time to be in conversation with God, just as two close friends share intimately between themselves. Prayer brings us closer to the heart of Jesus. 

We are all called to prayer, and especially in priestly ministry we must stay close to the Lord in prayer. That is why even when ordained as deacons we promise to “increase” our spirit of prayer. Our ordination promise encompasses praying the Liturgy of the Hours, which calls us at various points of the day to prayer focused particularly on the Psalms. That we promise “to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours with and for the People of God and indeed for the whole world” reminds us that we raise up our voices in prayer for all people.

Prayer also encompasses time for meditative prayer, time to listen to the Lord. Most typically this means prayerfully reflecting on Scripture or some other spiritual writing. It can also encompass whatever devotions a priest may choose, such as the rosary and Eucharistic Adoration. These can be incorporated into a Holy Hour.

The promise to “guard” our prayer life points to the sometimes subtle ways that our commitment to prayer can be challenged. In my short time as a priest, I see already how the demands of pastoral ministry can impinge on our quiet time. Fatigue and worry can likewise make prayer a challenge, as we struggle to focus our minds amidst distractions. That’s why when as priests we hear from the faithful about difficulties and distractions that they experience in prayer, we understand.

Renewed in Prayer

Perhaps the greatest challenge is the promise to maintain a “spirit of prayer.” More than simply praying at fixed times of the day, we are called to maintain a prayerful attitude throughout the day, as St. Paul exhorts us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Th. 5:17). 

I struggle with this. I often find that whole stretches of the day have passed without my acknowledging the Lord’s presence. Yet this challenge offers a great gift. St. Francis de Sales reminds us, even amidst the busyness of our daily lives, to “retire within the solitude of your own heart” and there enjoy a “face-to-face” encounter with God. When I am able to maintain that “spirit of prayer,” I am able to encounter him in the persons I meet, as I celebrate Mass and even in the beauty of his creation.

As we look forward to Lent, all of us can hear anew the Lord’s call to prayer. Through prayer, we can encounter the Lord’s presence in all the hidden ways that he appears in our lives so that we can exclaim with Simeon, “My eyes have seen your salvation” (Lk. 2:30).

Father Tom Fallati is parochial vicar at St. Kateri Tekakwitha parish in Schenectady.