It's a fact that our prayer fluctuates between intense (when we really need something) to tepid, lukewarm, or rote. When our prayer IS answered, we might resolve to keep praying at that level, or we might slack off again. We need to be reminded by events that lead to regret that we have prayed so little.
St. Marcellin learned the value of prayer as he grew more and more into it over his life. Setbacks, attempts to undermine his establishment of the "Little Brothers of Mary", poverty, ups and downs in recruitment, poor living conditions in some of the residences provided for the brothers where they taught, illness....all of these helped Marcellin move steadily along the path of faith, trust and prayer. For in adversity, we grow, and if we pray in these times, we find new life, and over time, as in the healing of an injury, an irresistible desire to pray pulls us to the point where it becomes a habit which we can't resist. Eventually, our prayer leads to spontaneous praise, a smile is almost always on our face, and love and laughter become the outward signs of our deep relation with God. St. Paul urges us to pray without ceasing with good reason.
Bro., Rene
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