Rote Prayer

Dear Sister, Lately I have been trying to start my spiritual journey with God, but when I pray I often find myself just repeating empty words and I feel disconnected. Or I feel like I'm just going through the motions. Can you tell me how to actually feel God during prayer?

Whose words are they? Are they your empty words or are you saying prayers from the backs of holy cards and novenas, rosaries, litanies?

I don't think we're in any real trouble here if that's the case.

If they are YOUR OWN WORDS, then you really have a problem.

It's easy to disconnect from what become rote prayers. When I'm teaching children to memorize something I tell them to work on it until their mouth knows it, until they can say the words without thinking, and the example I use for that is saying a Hail Mary or the Pledge of Allegiance. Your mouth knows that. You can say it without thinking.

Which is a good thing when you're saying a rosary, because while your mouth says the Hail Mary, your mind is mediating on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary. Some forms of mediation empty the mind. The rosary fills the mind.

So if this is the case with you, stop saying rote prayers for a bit and just talk to God. Start with gratitude. That will make you feel better and much more connected right away for all the gifts you have.Did you ever stop to think that it was very smart of God to make you waterproof? What if, when you got wet, you got all soaked and had to run around or stand dripping so the sun and wind could dry you out again? Be thankful that you're waterproof.

Think outside the box.

It's okay to ask God to find ways to connect with you.  Be sure and wake up that His answers will astound you. You may not recognize them until after the fact. Terrible things can become blessings. Blessings can become wake up calls. Pay attention!

Let us know how you're doing. It's a great week to be thankful. 

After the Fall

Not too long ago we were talking about fallen angels. We have a little clean up work to do on the subject.

But before we launch into that, how is everyone enjoying fall and the start of a new school year and season? I thoroughly enjoy the change of seasons, even though nothing much has changed yet. Apples are arriving at the farmer's market, at least. I am an "apple a day" girl from way back. Years ago, I would have also enjoyed the arrival of Halloween decorations and maybe even scraped up a dollar to spend on some fake cobwebs for the end of next month. I think the Halloween decorations have been at Walgreen's since the Fourth of July. I like my seasons seasonal and I do not approve.

What was I talking about. Oh, yes, the dreary world of the devil. Here we go:

On the topic of fallen angels, I was just wondering if it is true that we have all been assigned a fallen angel, much like we're assigned a guardian angel in that it always stays by your side, but instead of protecting you it is always tempting you?

You have too much time on your hands. Maybe you want to do some volunteer work or add some rosaries to your day.

No. Contrary to popular belief, God is not mean. God wants you to go to Heaven. He wants you to be a better person and to protect your soul. He sent us His Son and and whole Church and a big book to follow along. He set up a whole road map of what to think about each day to bring us closer to Him (which doesn't involve wondering if He's working over time to trip you up). He gave you your own personal angel. Sending each person their own personal temptor is just not in God's repertoire.

Don't confuse what people refer to as 'personal demons' to be quite so literal. Just because it's hard for me to resist a big piece of chocolate cake doesn't mean there is a little red thing with an arrow on his tail standing there with the plate.

Although, I think I like red cake even better than chocolate cake....still, no demon.

Now I want red cake. I'll offer it up.

Hi Sister,I really enjoy your blog. after reading your entry on demons I wanted to ask you a question that has always bothered me: why didn't God destroy the fallen angels like he destroyed the evil in Sodom and Gomorrah? Just wondering if the Church teaches anything about this. Thanks for any help you can give.Your faithful reader

You know, I never thought about this ever in my life. Here is why: God hasn't ever destroyed any of his immortal creations. Has He? I can't recall Him doing that. Maybe my desire for red cake with cream cheese frosting is clouding my memory banks. Once He has created a soul, that soul is eternal.

I suppose He could destroy it. He could have destroyed Adam and Eve and just started all over again, too. Destroying immortal souls doesn't seem to be part of His repetoire either.

To me, if you'll bear with me, the question is how disappointed God must be so much of the time because He doesn't do that and why He didn't just erase the chalkboard and start over in the hope of having what He set out to do, because we are just so very....disappointing so much of the time.

Until we aren't. And then we are so thrillingly merciful and loving against such long odds.

Whenever you feel like the world is a terrible place full of nastiness and temptation and red cake, spend a little time with the saints. You'll feel so much better and have a glimmer of understanding as to why God sticks it out with all of us.