“It’s unrealistic to think that the future of humanity can be achieved only on the basis of prayer, what we need is to take action.” – Dalai Lama
A brother sent me this tweet yesterday because he knew that I would align with it, and that I did. However, when I read it, I immediately had mixed emotions. Then I thought to myself, “Was I feeling this way because I felt guilty?”
Did I feel guilty because I wasn’t praying enough?
Or
Did I feel guilty because I wasn’t taking enough initiative?
I admit, at that moment, for some reason, I felt a sort of resentment towards the idea of “prayer”. Was prayer hindering me from taking action? Is prayer a form of procrastination? Why do I even pray? Do we truly believe that Mary hears us? Do we truly believe that Jesus hears us? Do we truly believe that God hears us?
Who says prayer isn’t an action?
I’m always so hard on myself when I forget to pray, or when I haven’t done the rosary in a while, or when I missed a novena. When I ruminate on the fact that I haven’t prayed this or that…I feel even more distant and far away from God. But I realized that this is the last thing God wants for us, to feel distant from Him.
So, I asked God today,
“Why is it so hard to pray all the time?”
To that He replied,
” It isn’t, you already do. “
And so I thought to myself what did He mean by this.
Our bodies are a living prayer.
Our thoughts…are prayers.
Whether they are good or not.
If our thoughts are bad…God already knows that our prayer is for them to be good.
If our thoughts are good…God already knows that our prayer is to keep us strong.
When we are focused on school…God knows that we are thankful for education.
When we don’t feel like praying…we are already praying to God to help us pray.
When we breathe…God knows that our body is thankful for the air that we breathe.
We are in action…
Communicating with God.
Prayer.
God calls us to be present.
To be aware that we are in prayer.
He wants us to recognize that we are in constant communication with God.
Those times when we feel like we’re not praying…
those are the times when we forget we are praying.
Those are the times when we forget that we are in the presence of God.
The Dalai Lama is right: “It’s unrealistic to think that the future of humanity can be achieved only on the basis of prayer, what we need is to take action.”
Praying is an action.
If praying to us is opening the door for an older woman, then we’re taking action.
If praying to us is feeding a homeless man, then we’re taking action.
If praying to us is voting, then we’re taking action.
If praying to us is saying ‘I love you’ to God, then we’re taking action.
We must recognize that ‘Prayer’ is active and not passive.
I pray because, I am already in prayer.
I do not feel guilty because I don’t pray enough,
I do not feel guilty because I don’t take enough initiative…
I feel guilty when I do not acknowledge God enough.
Prayer does not hinder or procrastinate my goals…
but it strengthens my relationship with God.
I believe that I am being heard…
Whether it be by Mama Mary, Jesus or Father God…because they are here.
Prayer is here.
Prayer is now.
Prayer is the sole action of my soul.
Amen 🙂