Back to Basics

Sometimes it is good for us to remember some of the basics of the Christian life that we easily forget. One of these fundamental basics is a life of prayer. Daily prayer is central to growing in our relationship with God. Saint Catherine of Siena said that "as long as you are pilgrims in this life, you are capable of growth, and he who does not go forward, by that very fact, is turning back." How can we expect to grow in the Lord if we are not spending time alone with Him? We should constantly be striving to unite ouselves with Christ and to familiarize ourselves with the promptings of the Spirit and the Word of God in scripture, so that we "may discern the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." (Rom 12:26) Spending time before the Lord in silence and contemplation with an openness to hear Him speak to us in the stillness is essential to our spiritual growth and development.
It is easy for us to practice some of the more external and visible parts of our faith while neglecting the "hidden" prayer life. Our culture tells us that we must always be doing something and need to stay busy. With this perceived need to be productive and busy, we sometimes feel that to be in prayer and not really be "doing" anything is a waste of time. But is it really a waste of time to be with our Creator, to hear His voice, to be led by His Spirit, and to become more the people that we were created to be? This time helps us throughout the rest of the day, giving us perspective, keeping us grounded and reminding us that we are God´s beloved. How could we not have time for that?
Of course this is nothing new. We´ve all heard it before, but sometimes the craziness of life pulls us away without us even realizing it. As we find ourselves in Advent and prepare to celebrate Christmas, we are asked to make room for the Lord in our hearts. What better time is there for us to take a little break and slow down, reexamine our lives, and recommit ourselves to a life of prayer.