prayer

This simple quotation from the late Mother Teresa was inspired by her practice of mental, or silent, prayer, a discipline most notably observed by Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross in the late 1500s. Scripture describes Hannah praying silently (1 Samuel 1:12-13) and Abraham’s servant, in his search for a wife for Isaac, prayed in his heart (Genesis 24:45). There is abundant biblical evidence for meditation which can be considered a form of prayer.

But in my understanding, “mental” prayer was a more precise practice of quieting your mind and focusing on the Lord and actively listening rather than speaking (much in the way Hannah’s experience would testify). Church fathers as far back as the fifth century practiced and recommended mental, silent prayer. Today it is still practiced more widely in the Orthodox and Catholic traditions, especially among some clergy, with some evidence among Protestants as well, more noticeably in the Quaker community.

I must admit to being a novice in this area of devotion but would certainly support a broad liberty in how any man or woman relates to God with the pursuit of looking to Jesus for guidance and comfort, but there is doubtless no limit to the effort we might take to draw nearer our savior in every aspect of daily life. It would be worthy of further study in the light of what Jesus referred to in his teaching on prayer in the sermon on the mount when he directed us to pray in secret as opposed to making grandiose exhibits of pretentious spirituality in a public setting. Or in Paul’s exhortation to pray in the spirit; and, without ceasing. Our experience of God rests on our calling on him verbally or in our hearts. He hears them both.

Mother Teresa, in her own words:

The fruit of silence is prayer.

The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is service.

The fruit of service is peace.

Our esteemed sister obviously walked it out. We might all take a page from her book.