Returning to prayer

Peace.  Its one of those things that is so incredibly easy to talk about, but so incredibly hard to come by.  We live in a world where we are constantly criticized by those around us.  A world where we are so busy, that its hard to find time to do normal things like sleep, eat, breathe...and pray.  How is it that when I get busy, the first thing that gets pushed off of "the list" is prayer?  How incredibly messed up with that?  How do I even justify making that choice?  Perhaps it isn't a conscience choice.  Its kind of like exercising.  If you get in a routine and you miss a day, you tend to feel bad about it - because it is part of your daily routine.  Prayer is just like that.

I was just listening to Fr. Larry Richard's homily from Sunday, September 18th 2011.  He challenges us to refocus.   Why are we in to this?  "Do I do what I do because I want to be with the Lord, Jesus Christ?"  Wanting to be with Jesus every day is what it means to be a Christian.  Am I in love with Jesus?  Do I show him that by spending time with him every day?  He goes on further to say that, "if you're in love with Jesus, you want to do what's right.  Not because of the reward or punishment, because you want to please him.  If you're in love with Jesus, you want to be with Him every day and you prove it by your prayer..."

Then the part that really made me think was this..."God is love.  And this God of love reaches out to you and me again and again and again and just says very simply, 'Do you love me?  Do you want to be with me?'"

Simple questions.  Here is what else I learned from Fr. Larry:

God wants us to be with Him.  And if we show Him every day - even if its only 5 minutes - if we show Him every day that we are love Him and we want to be with Him, when we die, we will receive the greatest prize on earth.  Eternal life with God.  But, if we don't show Him that we love Him, we won't share that eternal life with Him because our God is not a cruel God.  If we aren't in love with Him and we don't show him every day that want to be with Him, why would he make us spend eternity with Him?

Do I love Jesus? - absolutely.
Do I want to be with Him every day? - absolutely.
Do I need to work harder to show Him that I love Him and want to be with Him? - absolutely.

I know that if I become more disciplined in my prayer life, I will find peace with myself, my family, my job - my life.  And only through the love of Jesus - through spending time with Him - will any of us ever find peace.

The Lord bless you and keep.  May His love ever always surround you, protect you and guide you in all you do.  My prayer for you.  Amen.