Praying with Your Whole Being

January 18

Pray with your whole being even though you think it has no savor for you. For such prayer is very profitable even though you feel nothing, though you see nothing, even though it seems impossible to you. It is in dryness and barrenness, in sickness and feebleness that your prayer is most pleasing to me, even though you think that it has little savor for you.

                                                         Julian of Norwich

                                                            Revelations of Divine Love  Read the rest…

Pray Simply

January 17

Pray simply. Do not expect to find in your heart any remarkable gift of prayer. Consider yourself unworthy of it. Then you will find peace. Use the empty cold dryness of your prayer as food for your humility. Repeat constantly: I am not worthy; Lord, I am not worthy! But say it calmly, without agitation.”

                                                            -St. Macarius of Optina Read the rest…

Putting Yourself in the Presence of God

January 16

“You don’t know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, ‘Lord, I don’t even know how to pray!’ you can be sure you have already begun.”

                                                                        -St. Josemaria Escriva Read the rest…

Raise Your Heart

January 15

“Do not distress yourself about your prayers. It is not always necessary to employ words, even inwardly, it is enough to raise your heart and let it rest on our Lord, to look lovingly up toward this divine Lover of our souls for between lovers the eyes speak more eloquently than the tongue.”

                                                                        -St. Francis De Sales Read the rest…

Constant Communication with God

January 11

We must pray literally without ceasing – without ceasing; in every occurrence and employment of our lives. You know I mean that prayer of the heart which is independent of place or situation, or which is, rather, a habit of lifting up the heart to God, as in a constant communication with Him.”

                                                                        -St. Elizabeth Seton Read the rest…

Trials and Crosses

January 9

“What are our real trials? By what name shall we call them? One cuts herself out a cross of pride; another, one of causeless discontent; another, one of restless impatience or peevish fretfulness. Yet we know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life, that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.

-From a conference by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Read the rest…