Meditation of the day: Lent a time of true prayer

But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Matthew 6: 6 One of the most important parts of true prayer is that it takes place deep within the inner room of your soul. It is there in the inner depths of your being that you will meet God. Saint Teresa of Avila, one of the greatest spiritual writers in the history of our Church, describes the soul as a castle in which God dwells. Meeting him, praying to him and communicating with him requires that we enter the deepest and innermost chamber of this castle of our soul. It is there, in the most intimate abode, that the full glory and beauty of God is discovered. God is not just a God who is "out there", far away in Heaven. He is a God who is closer and more intimate than we could ever imagine. Lent is a time, more than any other period of the year, in which we must strive to make that inner journey in order to discover the presence of the Most Holy Trinity.

What does God want from you this Lent? It's easy to start Lent with more superficial commitments, like giving up a favorite food or doing an extra good deed. Some choose to use Lent as a time to get back into physical shape, and others decide to spend more time on spiritual reading or other sacred exercises. All of this is good and useful. But you can rest assured that our Lord's deepest desire for you this Lent is that you pray. Prayer, of course, is more than just saying prayers. It is not just a matter of saying the rosary, or meditating on Scripture, or saying well-composed prayers. Prayer is ultimately a relationship with God. It is an encounter with the Triune God who dwells within you. True prayer is an act of love between you and your Beloved. It is an exchange of people: your life for God's. Prayer is an act of union and communion by which we become one with God and God becomes one with us. The great mystics have taught us that there are many levels in prayer. We often start with the recitation of prayers, such as the beautiful prayer of the rosary. From there we meditate, meditate and reflect deeply on the mysteries of our Lord and His life. We come to know him more fully and, little by little, we discover that we are no longer just thinking of God, but we are looking at him face to face. As we begin the sacred time of Lent, reflect on your practice of prayer. If the prayer pictures presented here intrigue you, make the effort to find out more. Commit to discovering God in prayer. There is no limit or end to the depth to which God wants to draw you through prayer. True prayer is never boring. When you discover true prayer, you discover the infinite mystery of God. And this discovery is more glorious than anything you can ever imagine in life.

My divine Lord, I give myself to You this Lent. Attract me so that I can get to know you more. Reveal to me your divine presence, which dwells deep within me, calling me to you. May this Lent, dear Lord, be glorious as I strengthen my love and devotion through the discovery of the gift of true prayer. Jesus I believe in you.