Prayer Purifies

Like any team on a winning streak, there are times in our spiritual lives, when all is going well, according to us: prayer comes easy, we feel good as we pray and afterwards:  a clear sky, no clouds at all.  Then comes the implosion:  a team seems to fall apart, nothing works, mistake follows mistake.  A brick wall? Prayer too can take such an unexpected nose dive; it becomes flat and doesn't go anywhere, again, according to us.  But according to a long line of spiritual directors, these flat times are the ones that purify us, our motivations, our commitment to prayer and its overflow action of loving service.  We learn patience, perserverence, and humility. We need to accept this lull, this quiet, winter, desert time.  It will bear fruit as the patient mother bird sitting on her nest eventuall feels her young break through their shells. It's about PRESENCE, a familiar Marist theme,  as I observed this morning on our porch:  the daddy bird perched on the railing below the family nest, in quiet waiting, ready to step in to protect, to bring food, if needed, serving no other purpose, it seemed, other than to BE THERE.  Our commitment to prayer will be tested periodically to purifiy us, to draw us back to the simple stance of BEING  THERE.   Very hard, but necessary, for those who are DOERS. For without this deeper connection with God, these DOINGS will dissolve like sugar in hot tea. 
 This is how we live out St. Paul's admonition:  "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  (1Thess 5:16)
Bro. Rene