A place of prayer

May 26, 2014 10:07 am

“On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer.” (Acts 16:13)

As we see, “a place of prayer” could be anywhere: “outside the city gate along the river,” at our home, on our streets, offices, parks. Because prayer is part of our life and not tied to specific place in nature or a building. We can pray everywhere. Prayer is more about the relationship than action, more about “to-be” than “to-do.” For “doing something” we need time and place, sometimes even tools. For “being” we do not need anything, because we can always be connected by heart, and prayer is the most natural way to express that.

At the same moment, we need to protect relationships by making some rules, obligations, promises to be kept. A true relationship is based on our free will and reason, not on emotions. This is why we need “a place of prayer,” something which is “outside the city gate,” outside my actvities, free of pressure, things to do, and so on. We need a place in our city (the church), in my home (the cross on the wall, a picture of Our Lady or saints), the Bible with me and even a small “place of prayer” in my bedroom.

“The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit of God dwelling within us, alleluia” (Entrance Antiphon).

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Categorised in: Fr Jarosław Szymczak