Silent Prayer

“We do not know how to pray as we ought.” Rom 8:27

Prayer confounds many of us. It is one thing to recite prayers we learned in childhood, make a novena to the Blessed Mother or pray the rosary. It is altogether a different matter to learn how to sit quietly, breathe deeply and ask God to make you prayerfully attentive to the God who is always among us, and the ground of our life. Whenever we are confronted with difficult circumstances, a friend in need or a sick relative, we often find ourselves either trying too hard to say the right thing or not being able to say anything to those awaiting our insight or reflection.

St. Paul is so alert to this difficulty that he reminds us that when we don't know what to say, “the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groaning,” for us. For those who have been shocked by the sudden death of a friend or relative, or hear news of entire villages being swept away in a tsunami, groaning is all we can do, and our groaning is almost always involuntary. Think for a moment when you were with a group of people and someone announced that there had been a tragic accident in the community. Recall the audible gasp that emerged from the group spontaneously. A gasp or groan is the first prayer that we utter in situations like this. There are no words to express our upset and shock. We fall silent, and sometimes cry, groan, even sob. The inarticulate groan is the only prayer we can offer in deep sadness, but it is not the only prayer that is inarticulate.

I remember when I heard about the birth of my first niece Lori. I walked around with a smile on my face for days. My sister and brother in law had had a child and I was an uncle. In those days, the Capuchin friars where much stricter about travel to family celebrations and I was not able to see Lori right away, but within a week my sister had sent along pictures which I eagerly looked over and passed around to the other student friars. The excitement and delight I felt for my sister and brother in law and for my entire family was a prayer. Only later did I put these feelings into words. In the beginning there were no words. Another generation of my family had begun and it was wonderful.

Sometimes we try too hard to pray, to express how we are feeling. Most of the time words are unnecessary. We have only to place ourselves in God's presence, breathe deeply and welcome whatever is happening in our lives. As Meister Eckhart teaches, the language of God is Silence. Whether we are hurt, angry, confused, joyful, happy or peace filled does not matter. Welcoming whatever emerges in us and letting go into the silence is the only prayer necessary.

Today, hand your life over to God in silence and let the handing over itself be your prayer.