What can we learn from St Josemaria?
Today is the feast of St Josemaría Escriva. He died this day in 1975. The first time I saw a picture of him, I was sixteen. Sitting in my Dad’s car, I read the back of the prayer card as it said “sanctification of professional work”. Well, I am not a professional – I thought – so that’s no use to me. I learned over time though that it wasn’t just “professional work” but every task you have at hand, from washing your teeth to texting a friend that can be sanctified. It was an eye-opener. It wasn’t about an accumulation of pious practices or doing a pilgrimage to another country, but simply what you were doing today.
One line that I really liked from him was:
Heaven and earth seem to merge, my children, on the horizon. But where they really meet is in your hearts, when you sanctify your everyday lives.
One of the massive takeaways from his life that made a real impact in my life was the power of personal prayer and coupled with that, the importance of Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Confession. Those three things when done regularly are like night and day for your life.
Confession helps you clean the slate so you can see God more clearly in your life. Holy Communion gives you the strength to persevere in looking to God every day. And personal prayer makes this relationship with God more real and authentic. It’s you – with all your foibles and ups and downs – and Him – with His personality and love for you.
Personal Prayer
Personal prayer is an ocean of discovery. It’s different from the prayers you may know – like “Our Father”, “Hail Mary”, etc. – or the prayers you recite at Mass. Personal prayer, as distinct from vocal prayer, is you conversing in the depths of your heart with Jesus Christ. It’s sitting quietly in a Church, looking at Him present in the Tabernacle and opening yourself to Him. Letting down your guard.
The first couple of times I did this, I felt really awkward. I spent most of the time, spacing, looking at the fittings of the Church interior or wondering who was coming into the Church, not wanting to come across as a holy joe. But there are few ways of getting the most of our personal prayer. One that particularly works is using resources that guide you, like “10 Minutes with Jesus”. Guided prayer that can help you deepen in your friendship with Jesus. Another can be texts that you can bring to your prayer, like the Daily Gospel (this website is very good) or iPray with the Gospel (which also has an App with other material on it). Some books also help in guiding your prayer like St Josemaria’s small points in his various books: The Way, Furrow, Forge (the content of these books are available online).
These are tools to help when you might get distracted during prayer. They can help guide you but they can’t either replace your conversation with Jesus Christ. To sit in a Church for 20 minutes or even 10 minutes and talk to Him. It is true that you can pray anywhere but the Church is where Jesus is really present, not just symbolically but really and truly. Nothing can beat that.
You say that you don't know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and once you have said, 'Lord, I don't know how to pray!' rest assured that you have begun to do so. / St Josemaria
So today, I want to thank St Josemaría for many things but one thing that I can never thank him enough for – he introduced me to a real friend, the only Friend (with Capitals).
Jesus is your friend – the Friend – with a human heart like yours, with most loving eyes that wept for Lazarus. And as much as he loved Lazarus, he loves you. / St Josemaria