The ‘secret’ of prayer is to remember that it is a real act, having real results, as such it requires effort to make.83 If we were offered the opportunity to save a life, few would flinch from the task…yet we too often avoid prayer, which saves souls and betters our world. Prayer is union with God, this union may be partial or complete. Complete moral union with God requires denial of selfishness and even self — we cannot become Christ if we remain self. At such a level, prayer is no longer avoided as the last thing we do, rather it is the first thing we desire.
Prayer is a real act of spiritual construction, and the result of prayer is a deeper participation in God. From CCC 2725;
“Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part.” It always presupposes effort. 84
83 Perhaps bil ions of people are elevated from a state of mortal sin, to a state of sanctifying grace (salvation), at the last instant, likely by human prayer. A person’s prayer has more effect than an atomic bomb…and in a more positive realm. If we sensed the same equivalency between prayer and effect, as we feel between selfishness (excess, addiction, pornography, revenge, etc). and effect, we would attain spiritual perfection in a few months.
84 The moral effort required in prayer exists because of the difference of quality between the person praying, and the ideals dealt with in prayer. As a person advances in virtue and perfection this difference between qualities is reduced. Jesus flowed naturally into prayer and it was a joy, these were the divine qualities he fully participated in.
We also observe that once Jesus took on the apostles sin via the Eucharist at the last supper, his prayer turned to agony. The divine will of Jesus was intact, but his human emotions were damaged by sin, every created part of Jesus “became sin for us.”, (2Cor 5:21). His incorruptible 105
The apostle Paul advises us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Prayer is any act, which raises the heart (will) and mind to God. Prayer is the spiritual component of any good act, in the preceding verse, St. Paul could have said, “Rejoice always, for you in fact pray always.” Let us make the spiritual component of our actions always good.
“If I had to give up hours in prayer or hearing con fessions, I would cut back hours hearing con fessions, but never prayer.” — St. Pio