Lent Week 1, Tuesday – Is 55:10-11; Matthew 6:7-15

Sometimes, I lift my voice in prayer, but am I truly praying? The words may rise toward heaven, yet my mind drifts – to the demands of the day, the worries of tomorrow, or the memories of yesterday. Yet prayer, in its essence, is meant to be the breath of my faith, the very heartbeat of my soul. What could be more vital than taking a moment to reflect deeply on its true meaning, to rekindle the sacred connection it was always meant to hold?

So, what is prayer? At its heart, prayer is an awareness of the presence of God. It doesn’t hinge on elaborate phrases or perfectly polished sentences. Indeed, it often blooms in the simplest expressions – a fleeting thought raised to Him, a single whispered word of trust, or the quiet stillness of a heart resting in His embrace. Our Lord Jesus never dissuaded us from persevering in prayer or praying often; in fact, He declared them noble and beautiful acts. But He gently warned against filling prayers with empty chatter, the mistaken belief that a torrent of words might somehow command God’s attention. When prayer becomes little more than a mental checklist or a performance, its sacred intimacy is sapped away.

True prayer is not a matter of earning God’s favour – it is not a transaction. Rather, it is the opening of a door, the unlocking of one’s heart to the One who already dwells within. God does not wait for eloquence; He knows our needs long before we frame them with words. What He desires is our willingness to come to Him, to trust Him completely, to lay bare all that we are—our joys, our sorrows, our hopes, our fears. Often, just a single word uttered in sincerity – “Father” – can hold more meaning than a thousand scripted lines. In that one small cry lies an entire universe, a boundless prayer rising from the depths of the heart to the Creator who made it.

Pause for Reflection:

• What draws me closer to – or further away from – the act of prayer?
• What does my daily prayer life look like, and how much space do I allow for God in my schedule?
• Do I approach prayer as an encounter with God, or have I reduced it to a task to complete?

Walking in the Footsteps of Saints

“Live always in joy. That joy springs from the purity of your heart and steadfastness in prayer.” – St. Francis of Assisi.