October 23, 2013 – Catechism 2746 – 2758

I just can’t get over the image of prayer as a battle between our human nature and our spiritual one.  We, usually, gain nothing physically from prayer.  We are still, quite.  Our bodies want to be active.  Our minds want what is next.  Our modern world has breed us to want the next thing right now.  Prayer is the complete opposite of that and thus the battle lines are drawn.  Never forget that it is a battle.  Maybe if we see it in that way, we would be more active against it, we would train more to succeed.  I think we see it as another thing on the checklist and don’t take it seriously.  Then, when we try, we are not prepared.  Battle is not for the faint hearted.  Battle is for the courageous.  If you think you can just mosey into a prayer life and it is going to come easy, would you think the same if you were thrown into a battle.  If you want to be good in battle, you need training, practice, your reactions need to become instinct, your weapons need to be an extension of your body, you need to have no fear, and you need to believe in what you are fighting for.  Prayer is no different.  If you don’t see prayer as a battle, you are going to fail much like the soldier that didn’t take basic training serious enough.