Summary of the catechesis
In this catechesis on discernment we reflect on one of its constitutive elements, which is prayer. Prayer is indispensable for spiritual discernment, because it allows us to enter into intimacy with the Lord, to be his friends, and thus to be able to recognize what pleases him. This intimate or familial relationship with God also helps us to ward off the fears and doubts that can trouble our hearts when we set out to fulfill his will.
We know that discernment is not easy, because we are not machines that receive instructions and carry them out, but people. And in people’s lives there are often so many types of obstacles, especially emotional ones. We see this in the case of the rich young man, who wanted to follow Jesus, but had his heart divided between Him and riches. In the end he opted for riches, even if this left him sad. Therefore, it is necessary to be friends of Jesus, to be open to His grace, so that He may help us to overcome difficulties and to follow Him with joy.
In the life of Mother Candida
How easy it is to find Mother Candida speaking of prayer and how easy, even more so, to find testimonies of her familiarity with the Lord! From those first flowers to Mary in Andoain to what is contained in a simple paragraph of “Where God May Call You”:
Accustomed as I was from Burgos, I spent my nights in prayer, so as not to neglect my duties during the day, and I took advantage of every free moment to go to the Rosarillo in the afternoon, especially on feast days, and continue praying there, asking the Lord for his lights.
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What is your prayer like? What material do you use to pray? How much time do you spend on it every day? There are many ways to pray, are you discovering yours? The one that changes your life, the one that leads you to become more and more like Jesus…
