IN MY OWN WORDS Some thoughts about prayer

A series of short

reflections to be

savoured …

Gerard Mahony CP 07.05.2017

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A FEW WORDS …

Someone once wrote: “What! Another book on prayer!”

I know what they meant but my contribution is mine – and mine alone.

So it is an offering of my thoughts on this important subject. What

could be more important than speaking and listening to God?

I have been meditating for more than eighty years. I hope these

thoughts may help you grow.

Gerard CP

Photo taken at family celebration of my 95th birthday.

22nd April 2017

Gerard Mahony CP

tonymahony22@hotmail.com

mailto:tonymahony22@hotmail.com

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Real prayer happens when we talk with Jesus –

how he survived, how he felt and what he

learned. It is a matter of talking, thinking

and listening.

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In meditation, we must look honestly at ourselves –

who we are.

We are made in the image of God, sharers of the

God-life, fragile, valuable.

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We need to stir up our faith in God’s love for us.

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We need to realize that it is not only we

who are praying but God is praying in us,

anxious that our prayer is fruitful. I

sometimes imagine, as I approach the chapel

door, that it opens and Jesus is there and

welcomes me and takes me to my place of

prayer to pray together with me.

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We should watch the thoughts that precede our

prayer. These can hinder the smooth running of

our thoughts on prayer.

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At Marrickville, when I was a boy, there was an

antependium hanging from the altar; it was put

there at the end of each Mass to cover the altar cloth.

The words on it were “Magister adest et vocat te” –

“The Master is here and is calling for you.”

Perhaps if you listen quietly, you might hear God

calling your name.

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Meditation is a progressive thing. If we are still

praying the way we have always prayed,

we have failed to grow in prayer.

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Don’t think that you can master prayer in a couple

of attempts.

It takes time and effort.

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The more loving we are in prayer, the fewer words

we need to use.

Slow down your thought processes.

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We need to be captivated by God.

That cannot happen quickly.

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We should focus away from ourselves

and centre on God.

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We must embrace our passion, our fear,

our strengths and our weaknesses and

allow them to shape our world.

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We have to be prepared to

change our lives deeply.

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We must be committed to crystal clear

honesty and that can only come about

when we are stripped down

to the naked reality that is us.

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The indwelling and nearness of God

in our lives need to be the focus.

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The in-breaking of God in to our lives

is our greatest treasure.

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God has every right to reclaim what he gives us

and he asks us to give ourselves to him.

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God has left us free, free to forget him,

free to wander away –

and yet God wants us back.

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God made us special. We are individuals

so God does not appreciate sameness.

God wants our uniqueness and our individuality.

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It is up to us to make judicious choices

about prayer in our lives.

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Free for commercial use No attribution required