Personal prayer life trainers available

July 29, 2007 -- 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Bishop Robert Morneau

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. Who are your mentors? 2. Whom do you coach on life's journey? 3. Who taught you how to pray?

Mentoring and coaching are the "in" thing. And rightly so. Individuals who are in their first year of teaching, or priesthood, or medicine, or marriage, or golf are well advised to seek counsel. A mentor or a coach can make all the difference in the world. A "personal trainer" brings years of knowledge and experience to a particular field.

The disciples of Jesus, fresh from leaving their boats or tax booth or whatever, were in need of guidance. They turned to Jesus, the mentor and master, and asked Him to teach them how to pray. Jesus did not give them a three-hour lecture or hand them an outline with three points on it. No, He gave them the simple but powerful oration called the "Our Father." He went on to urge them to say that prayer with confidence and trust, since His Father was faithful to His promises.

I don't know who Abraham's coach or mentor was, but he learned well. In his dialogue (prayer) with God, old Abraham came out with two guns blazing. In that magnificent art of bargaining, Abraham was able to get God to forego destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah if but ten just people could be found. Here is a bold prayer, one filled with confidence, one that held high expectations. Each of us might turn to Abraham as a personal trainer in our prayer life.

St. Paul, being so faith-filled and knowledgeable, appears to be in no need of a coach or mentor. His conversion experience put him on the road to discipleship and he never turned back. Yet, St. Paul relied upon the faith of the early Christian communities to assist him in his own growth toward holiness. Many individuals, both men and women, helped and guided Paul to a deeper relationship with the Lord.

If you are in need of a "prayer" mentor (besides Jesus Himself and His teaching you the "Our Father"), here are several possible instructors with a lesson or two:

Michael Downey: "But prayer, the silent, loving, attentive heart at rest in God, a whole way of life. Prayer is living from the heart in response to the life which pours itself forth: Love." (cf. Altogether Gift, 119)

Brigid E. Herman: "Prayer in its essence is communion with God. The simplest analogy - that of loving, trustful discourse between friend and friend - is also the most profound." (cf. Creative Prayer, 8)

Aelred Squire: "It [a very simple method of prayer] consists 'in having our Saviour before our eyes, in our heart, and in our hands' (Fr. Olier). Thus we look at Jesus, unite ourselves with Him, and work in Him. It is adoration, communion, and co-operation." (cf. Asking the Fathers)

Thomas Merton: "Prayer then means yearning for the simple presence of God, for a personal understanding of His word, for knowledge of His will and for capacity to hear and obey Him. It is thus something much more than uttering petitions for good things external to our own deepest concerns." (cf. Contemplative Prayer, 67)

(Bp. Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Green Bay Diocese and pastor of Resurrection Parish in Allouez.)