Inhale and Exhale
I am going to paraphrase a quote from St. Elizabeth of the Trinity.
As long as my will desires different from the divine will …;
I do not walk in love with giant strides. I am not pure. I am still
seeking myself.
Until I reflected on these thoughts of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
maybe I didn’t completely get it. She spoke of a walk in love with giant strides. St. Paul calls it running the race.
Paul running the race with all that was against him. Paul’s race was
against those who persecuted him and fought against him – the pagans, the false
prophets and teachers. Many times he was alone, no one to stand with him,
support him, or defend him.
Paul, I don’t think, met another person who challenged his faith in
Christ or who could defeat his theology. His only challenge was his own self, realized
in the darkness that tries to take over thoughts and minds.
Paul stood alone. A person alone runs the greatest race; the race
against self, sins, and doubt. Paul was battling what he called a thorn in his
side; yet, Paul kept the faith. The reason “The Lord
stood by me and gave me strength…” Paul’s race was to completely
surrender to the divine will of the Lord.
If our life and faith is a race, then our prayers are our breathing;
with these thoughts I looked to Jesus’ parable on prayer.
If it is a race we are running, our prayers are the breathing The
Pharisee’s prayers were all inhale. Look at me, look at me, and look at me. I
am better than others. I fast twice a week. I pay tithes. He inhaled a boastful
prayer of his own ego, all about him, and pulling everything to himself. It was
about him. It was a prayer full of I, I, and I. He never exhaled. There was no
humility in his prayer.
If it is a race we are running, our prayers are the breathing. The tax collector’s
prayer was a a full breath needed to sustain a life. It was a prayer that both
exhaled and inhaled. He exhaled his sins, “God have
mercy on me a sinner,” and he inhaled God’s mercy. His prayer was not
something he did; it was all of him like his breath.
The tax collector’s prayer came from the Holy Spirit. In Romans, St.
Paul writes “… we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit itself intercedes….”
The Catechism (CCC 2558) calls “Prayer a surge
of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of
recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” That
sounds like the tax collector’s prayer.
The Pharisee seems to have forgotten the wisdom of Sirach. “The Lord is a God of justice he shows no favorites.” “He
hears the cry of the oppressed.” And the one who serves God willingly is heard;
… the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds.”
Many times in a race, we run alone. It is a battle not to seek self but to
know the divine will of God in our life. “… that our
life be conformed to Christ in the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father.
(CCC 2558)
None of us are pure and without fault. It is so hard for us to run the race or walk
with great strides of love. Realizing these things, we only need to look
towards heaven and cry out “God have mercy on me a
sinner.”
Embrace God’s will in both trail and joy. Surrender to the love of the
divine will “…being poured out like a libation…” Pouring
out our ego and replacing it with grace. Fill the self with the faith and truth
found in the grace that is God’s love and mercy.
Remember that Prayer is
lived. (CCC 2569) Prayer is lived by love. Love allows us to inhale
and exhale our prayer. It is the walk in love with giant strides. It is running
the race.
Prayer is lived by surrendering to the divine will and call of the Lord.
It is not something you do; the surrender must be part of us like our breathing,
automatic and constant. Exhale your prayer and love to the world and inhale
God’s love and mercy.
Y’all be good, y’all be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live
and love. Amen.
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