March 27, 2021

“Lent is like a long retreat during which e can turn back into ourselves and listen to the voice of God in order to defeat the temptations of the Evil One. It is a period of spiritual conflict.”                                                                                 —Pope Benedict

If Lent is a period of spiritual conflict, disciplined prayer is even more so. Too often I have approached prayer as a retreat to the still waters and green pastures of Psalm 1; the “Sweet Hour of Prayer that calls me from a world of care” to a place of peace and rest. Prayer however, is not always a time of comfort and spiritual rejuvenation. Conflict is at its heart. My favorite definition of prayer is “rebellion against the status quo.” It is the recognition that God’s kingdom has not yet come and his will is not yet done on earth as in heaven, and is the first step in rectifying that aberrant situation. It would be wonderful if every time I tried to pray the words would flow easily and the glory of God’s presence would descend. Instead, most of the time, I muddle my way through, coming out at the end somewhat frustrated. The key however, is that I don’t stay stuck; I come through it. 

In Matthew 4, Jesus’ experience of prayer took the form of a vicious and brutal encounter—a to the death battle with Satan. It left him so wearied that angels had to come and administer aid (v.11). The struggles I experience in prayer are not merely the human experience of a wandering mind or heavy eyes; these are the fiery arrows of the Enemy, aimed with deadly accuracy in a furious battle, winner take all. There are no human weapons adequate for this warfare; only by taking up the armor of God at the start can I hope to emerge victorious. If I forget the true nature of prayer, I am sure to be defeated in it; only when I recognize that the army of God marches forward on its knees do I approach prayer properly. The gates of heaven are open wide for all to enter in, but to get there, we must fight our way through a demonic foe determined to halt our advance. The Scriptures are clear however: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper” —Isaiah 54:7. The battle belongs to the Lord who is victorious. We just need to stay in the fight till we have cut through all opposition. Rest awaits those who fight.