Beloved

Jean Vanier began L'Arche community, a ministry serving mentally and physically challenged men and women. In one of his books, Befriending the Stanger, he spoke about Frank, one of the residents. Frank suffered on a nearly constant basis due to his disabilities. Prayer was an important part of his life and knowing this, a staff member asked him, "What do you do when you pray, Frank?"

Frank responded, "I listen."

"What do you listen for, Frank?"

"I listen to God telling me that he loves me."

Prayer. Sometimes, a thing we do at the start of events, meals, or gatherings. Maybe something we do as part of a routine each day. It is often done as a result of our struggles, needs, or physical ailments. As our most intimate companion, he delights to receive all connections we make with him.

Yet, at its heart, prayer is about sitting quietly and listening to God's voice telling us how much we are loved. Jesus was baptized, and the first words spoken by the Father were, "You are my son whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Jesus' prayer for us was that we would also know these very words (John 17:20-26). The same intimacy he shared with Father, he prayed that we might experience. Each of us is God's beloved child. Our joy and completion is sitting, kneeling, standing or walking in the quiet presence of the One who speaks these words to us: "You are my dearly beloved child."

There are a few challenges to this contemplative, quiet, and receptive style of prayer. The first is our hunger for success. There is no achievement when our prayers are merely to be in the presence of God, hearing his voice tell us of how much we are loved. We don't see direct results, and no "praise God for answering our prayers!" Prayer where we sit in contemplation of how much we are loved may leave us feeling, "Did I accomplish anything?"

There may also be some fear of intimacy. With ourselves. With God. To sit and listen to God tell us of our deeply beloved status, can be overwhelming. We may want to run. Too much!

Finally, many of us are taught to love, serve and give. Less so, we are taught to recieve love. To sit and receive the very presence of God's love may be like writing with our left hands (if you're right-handed, that is).

May God grant us his grace to intimately know his imeasurable love. May we experience, taste and touch it.