Last Aug. 9, 2008, the St. Paul University Surigao had the first Graduate School Recollection (taking up my masters degree) held at the SPUS High School site. The recollection day was a blessing for me that weekend. I was supposed to conduct an orientation for our new employees at work that day but thanks to God, it was rescheduled.

Days before the recollection I was feeling all so tired, crying my heart out…so many schedules ahead of me, so many surprised responsibilities, both work and community... I was about to explode.I wanted to fly out of Surigao….I really needed a break. Indeed, I was given a break, though I wasn’t able to fly out of Surigao but God allowed me to have time with Him that Saturday. I was able to listen to talks given by the Sisters, spent Holy Hour, had a good confession and attended Mass. A great vacation indeed!

Here’s a share of my one day vacation with God… “Building One’s Prayer Life”

On Prayer

Our very goal why we pray is that we want to get closer to God, to pray unceasingly, every moment of our lives.

Prayer is not a matter of intelligence.

Do experience feelings of emptiness, frustrations or loss of direction in life?

Do you hunger for a greater sense of the Lord’s presence in your life?

Do you desire to know God in a deeper way?

-How much do we love God?

-Is God first in our priorities?

-Will you compromise? “If one Sunday, you were on your way to Church…then suddenly a man comes up to you and tells you “I will give you here 1 million pesos, just don’t go to mass today.”

Do you want to serve Him better and more completely but don’t feel you have time, energy, and opportunity?

Do you need more time with Him in prayer?

Preparation for a degree (taking up masters, doctorate, etc.) is plain vain empty without God in it. We must always consult God’s will for us.

God wants you to long for His presence. Let us not settle for what’s temporary.

He wants you to find fulfillment in Him and nothing else. What for you is the source of fulfillment in life?

-We must distinguish want and need.

-So many wants and “created needs” will never satisfy us anything.

He wants us to walk closely with Him.

He wants you to increase in faith and acknowledge His word.

He wants you to put all your hopes and dreams in His hands and look to Him all your needs.

When you do, He will open the storehouse of blessings upon your life.

Pray- “pecori” Latin

“to entreat or ask”

it simply means “please”

The true essence of prayer is focusing on God with a pure and repentant heart. We need to touch God with our hearts by becoming so preoccupied with Him and nothing else.

Prayer is an art which only the Holy Spirit can teach us. Pray for prayer. Pray until you can really pray. Prayer is a gift. “A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.”

Prayer may not change things for you, but it sure changes your perspective towards things.

Conversion is a matter of grace.

You cannot change any one. Not necessarily anything will change, instead you will be graced to understand and you will be given a deeper understanding that will allow you to change your perspective.

Reflect on the event, what have you done to have contributed to that event, why it happened in the first place?

It is very destructive or harmful when you know not how to forgive.

Why do we pray?

Prayer is a holy occupation.

The job of every Christian is to pray:

• duty and privilege
• right and responsibility
• leads us to onesness with God
• not a routine exercise
• pray always: in good time and in bad times
• pray about anything and everything

What are our motives in praying?

• to get blessings and favors
• pass on my problems to God
• last resort in times of trouble
• to get God do things my way or to get me do things His way

- God answers: NO, YES or WAIT

- NO: When it will not be good for our salvation. Let’s not dictate God because there’s so much wisdom in God’s decisions.

• Conversion and transformation
• Love of God (the noblest prayer concern)- praying without conditions
• Build intimacy with God

Prayer is a relationship between God and you. We cannot build relationship with someone we do not like.

Prayer is an act of faith.

Talking to God and listening to Him when He speaks.

HOW TO PRAY

• No hard and fast rules of prayer
• No technical procedure to follow
• Focus on your gaze and attention on God loving you
• Handle distractions properly
• Feel the air as if it is the touch of God and breathe the air of God.
• Put yourself in the Holy presence of God

2 MISTAKES WE OFTEN MAKE

* Not pray at all for whatever reasons

* To merely repeat the words if a prayer without thought or feeling, so it’s essentially the same mistake of not praying at all.

Pray following the leading of the Holy Spirit from your innermost heart. The Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf. (Romans 8:26-27)

We will feel spontaneous lightness, fire within (strong desire)

ATTITUDES AND DISPOSITION IN PRAYER

- openness

- reverence

- patience

- humility

- surrender

Have faith and trust that you’ll eventually be able to discern that whisper from God.

It is not religion that will determine if we go to heaven…..it is our faith.