“The Love of Prayer”
“Jesus, having loved His own, loved them to the end.” John 13:1
“True prayer is nothing but love.” St. Augustine
“Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.” St. John Vianney
“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” St. Therese of Lisieux
What is prayer for you? Or perhaps better yet, WHO is prayer for you?
Prayer can be many things for us: A cry for help (Psalm 28:1), a plea for mercy (Kyrie eleison), a rote ritual (How easy it is for the Lord’s Prayer to become that), A laundry list with special petitions or people that we work through, or maybe a simple and sweet petition that we remember from childhood; “Now I lay me down to sleep”.
I have gone through many iterations of my understanding of prayer. This includes trying to impress parishioners by writing out flowery prose, making it an integral part of my daily practice, or turning away from it altogether. But in all my years I’ve failed, at least consciously, to recognize the most essential element of prayer: Love.
God is love. God loves us. And therefore God comes to us and communicates to us, whether we’re listening or not, in prayer. Prayer is God’s love language. Prayer is entered into in Love and by love. It is the love of God that John describes above.
This passage begins with the setting of Passover, in which Jesus shows His love to the disciples by washing their feet. This act is one of love. Have you ever thought of acts of service to others as prayers of love? They are! Jesus goes on to teach explicitly about love in chapter 15. And then He summarizes His life of love, which is soon to be poured out on the cross, by praying the Lovely prayer in John 17. It is a prayer made by love, in love and for love! It is this love that unites Him to the Father, and in turn unites us to Christ and to God.
Here’s the thing about love, it is meant to be experienced, in a variety of ways. Love defined, discussed, or dissected somehow loses its power and impact. It doesn’t carry or convey the same message and meaning as love that simply IS, and is experienced. Apply that for a moment to prayer.
We somehow have come to believe that the power of prayer is what we’re saying to God, how we’re saying it, why we’re saying it, or even where we’re saying it. Or maybe, by extension, the way in which we’re doing it—making sure we have folded hands, eyes closed, quietly contemplating in our closet, as Jesus commanded. While none of that is bad or wrong, it misses the main point—Love. Love cannot be contained or controlled.
Prayer is communion with God in love. He who first loved us is continuing the pattern of loving us in prayer. And then, having fallen in love with God, we are reciprocating in a loving embrace. That loving embrace may be figurative or literal. It may be spiritual, emotional, physical or even sensual (read Song of Solomon if you question that last one). Prayer is intimacy with God. Deep intimacy of love. This isn’t my opinion, it’s what the above quotes are saying. Take a moment if you would, to read over those again. Let them, and God’s love, soak into you as you plunge further into prayer. Love is what we’re doing in God, and more importantly what God is doing for and with us in prayer. Even more important, love is what we’re experiencing in prayer, whether we recognize it or not.
By seeing Prayer through the lens of love, it makes us less hesitant or reluctant to enter into it. In fact, it makes us desire Him more.
“All of us must cling to God through prayer. My secret is simple: I pray. Through prayer I become one in love with Christ. I realize that praying to Him is loving Him . . . in the silence of the heart God shall speak.” Mother Teresa