“Dear children,
Also today I am calling you to prayer, and may
your heart, little children, open towards God as a flower opens towards the
warmth of the sun. I am with you and I intercede for all of you.
Thank you for having responded to my
call.
In these days of the Easter season, the Church listens daily at Holy
Mass to the readings from the Acts of the Apostles. We are told in this book
that our Blessed Lady, present in the midst of the Apostles, was praying
awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4) An atmosphere of deep prayer
accompanied the Church’s first steps.
The Acts of the Apostles tell how after the healing of the paralytic at
the temple gate in Jerusalem (3:1-10) Peter and John were arrested because they
announced Jesus’ resurrection to the whole people. "At this
time," says St.
Luke, "All together lifted
their voice to God." We note a basic attitude here. In the face of
danger and threats the first Christian community do not call for a change of
plan, or try to defend themselves. In the face of trial they pray - they get in
touch with God. "Together they joined in continuous prayer with Mary
the mother of Jesus." (Acts 1:11)
Their unity is strengthened by an indestructible spirit of prayer. This
is why Mary invites the Church today to rediscover the importance of prayer
to help us in every trial. This is why we should never fear, but trust always -
as Jesus did in
And may your heart be
open
And
may your heart be open" says Mary in this month's
message. The human heart is the dwelling-place where I am, where I live.
According to the Bible the heart is the place to which I withdraw.
The heart is the hidden centre which only the spirit of God can fathom and know
fully.
"The heart is the place of decision, deeper than
our psychic drives" says the
catechism. It is the heart that God desires, to fill through the offering of
our prayer. It is in the truth of the heart where we encounter God. St. Therese
of Lisieux said, "Prayer for me is a surge
of the heart, a simple look towards heaven." Mary reminds us
that true prayer comes from the heart. Where we hold nothing back, and
abandon ourselves to the Lord.
"Heart speaks unto heart," was
the theme of the papal visit. Pope Benedict was reminding us with these words
that prayer is the exchange between the human heart and the divine sacred heart
of Jesus.
Open your heart towards
God
as a flower opens towards
the sun.
Open
your heart towards God, as a flower opens towards the sun."
Mary is reminding us that true prayer is like spiritual sunbathing, our prayer
does not change God, but prayer changes us in God's love.
"Lord teach us to
pray" was the request of the Apostles on one occasion
when they saw Jesus praying (Lk 11:1). Let it be
our fervent request too so that our hearts learn to pray in
Faith.
Fr Martin