Letters to Heaven during Lent: Embarking on A Life of Prayer

"Because most of God’s important work happens unnoticed, we should be careful to water that seed of faith even when we don’t see impressive results right away. We can trust that God will bring the growth in his time and in his fashion." The Word Among Us January 27, 2017

Holy Thursday: April 13, 2006

Dear Jesus:

I have been reading a book titled "The Cloister Walk" by Kathleen Norris. My sister in Christ, Mercy, gave me the book during the last Emmaus, and it has been a wonderful book to read during Lent. "A life of prayer must work the earth of the heart." As I reflect on this sentence, I can't help but think of my prayer life. As I look back upon my life, all 43 years of it, I can't remember a time when I did not pray. As far back as I can recall, I was always praying, or at least, I thought I was praying because I knew how to pray to the guardian angel, and I knew the basic prayers like the "Our Father" and the "Hail Mary."

But as I meditate on this sentence, I realize that I have never worked on the earth of my heart. I have always attempted to plant prayer in my heart without fertilizing the earth first. No wonder my prayer life has never been too deep. If I'm to lead a successful life of prayer, I must start by preparing the earth of my heart. I must clean out the weeds inside the earth, remove the rocks, and remove anything else in there that will suffocate the prayer. I must fertilize the earth by nourishing it with daily bible readings, meditations, learning about You, about your Mom, and about the saints. And I must water it daily by participating in the Sacraments, praying the rosary, and spending time with You in the Blessed Sacrament. Only then will my heart be ready to embark on a life of prayer.

I love You, Jesus!!!

Holy Thursday: April 13, 2017

Dear Jesus:

My life of prayer has come a long way in the past eleven years. I was walking baby steps back then. Now, I'm finally learning to walk a little faster. Maybe in another eleven years, I'll be able to run.

The turning point for me was when I signed up for that first Bible class back in 2009. The scriptures have taken my prayer life into a whole new dimension. I feel as if I was blind and now, I can see. Maybe I still need glasses, but I'm finally starting to distinguish things that were once hidden from me.

Today, as I celebrate your Last Supper, I want to offer You my heart. Please continue to fertilize the earth of my heart by nourishing it with your Word and your Love. And if I ever deny You, like Peter did, or betray You, like Judas did, please have mercy on me.

I love You, Jesus!!!