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2) We pray in the
name of JESUS. What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus?
To talk in the name of Jesus, to work in His name, to love in His
name or relate to others in His name, is to place ourselves as His
ambassadors and representatives. It implies a full understanding
of His Spirit, of His heart and mind. His name is His Spirit. It
is the name He received from the Father, His mission given by the
Father, His way of life. Our prayer is "Christian" when we pray in
Jesus' name, understanding who Christ is, how He lived among us.
Christ is "the son", His aim and sustenance is "to do my Father's
will", "I always do what pleases the Father". The Spirit of Christ
is a Spirit of respect, obedience and loyalty to the Father even
to the point of death.
3) The Spirit
communicates with us through inner movements and insights. To
feel internal light and movement. When Ignatius invites us to ask
for "interior feelings" and "consolations" he means the grace to
have our hearts and minds touched by the Spirit of Christ. For
Ignatius "consolation" is to be attuned with God. This does not
necessarily mean a sensual pleasure, a good feeling. The Lord can
give this, and it is a great grace. But we have to be detached
from these feelings. For Ignatius as for Teresa, it is important
not to be attached to the pleasurable feelings God often gives us
in the intimacy of communication with Him. When we look for these
good feelings in prayer, we are loving ourselves in God rather
than loving God in Himself.
The value and purpose
of prayer is not to "feel good and holy" but to welcome God, to
accept as our own what God wants. "The language of God is the
effect in our hearts" said John of the Cross. We want God to talk
to us, that His Word will appear in our hearts as our own wish and
will. God talks to us by internal movement and light. Knowing
God's will can be accompanied by great spiritual joy and sensible
feelings but these are not the goals we are looking for. To "feel
internally" is to know in our hearts His Divine will, even if
knowing it hurts us at some level of our human being.
4) The Spirit
quietly invites us and doesn't impose himself on us. The light
and movement of the Spirit touches our hearts as a subtle and
quiet invitation. God doesn't impose His will on us as an
overwhelming command or written programme. A "clear" presence of
God would render our inner freedom impossible, just as the
overpowering friendship of a noble king for a humble servant, or
the obsessive love of an admirer would prevent them from answering
back with free friendship and love. God is a humble and patient
friend, waiting for the day when we will discover His love and
freely welcome Him in our hearts.
God showers his gifts
upon us but we have to look at them carefully in order to discover
His signature on the gift. If we only look at the gift and do not
care for the giver we will remain unaware of His love. But if we
look for Him and wish to communicate with Him, we shall make Him
happy because He wants to communicate with us in love. He has
plans for us! If only we would go after Him like the two disciples
by the Jordan river! Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes upon Himself
the sins of the world, walks by like a new option, a new
possibility for our lives. The Father has sent Him as our redeemer
and guide. He walks by in our lives again and again. We might
think that these quiet hints, subtle desires, movements of the
heart are only a figment of our imagination, just a passing good
feeling. But it is Him, walking into our lives. He goes by for no
other reason than to let us know that He cares, that He is there
for us and wishes to walk along with us.
At each stage of ever
growing intimacy and familiarity with God, there is an invitation
we can welcome or ignore. There are moments in our lives when we
are away from God but we receive an invitation. It is just a word,
only a quiet movement, like a new path by the road. We can ignore
it, and it will go away. Nothing will happen, no recriminations.
But we can answer "yes", by giving up an attachment, being silent,
remembering past experiences, reading the Gospel, looking at Him
who is looking at us. If we follow His call we will know what the
Lord has in store for us, the Spirit will draw us closer to Him,
making us reach a new intimacy with God.
Thus we don't find in
God's invisibility and silence an obstacle to our communication
but a touching respect that makes God's love ever more attractive.
We discover in God's love a humble patience and loving respect
towards His creatures. God who lovingly waits and waits, hoping
for us to understand, welcome and love Him back. At the same time
we grasp better God's dignity, because only those who truly long
for Him and reach out with a sincere heart are invited to sit at
His table, share His intimacy and live by His Spirit.
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