Prayer Language

Fr. Cesar came from Mexico to live with us for a month and work on his English. He tried to find situations where he could converse with people in English. It would seem silly for him to come here and spend all his time reading books or being alone. He needed to speak and listen to people in English. To speak and understand what people are saying is to learn a language.

Prayer is a language. Most of us are taught only to speak it, but not to listen. We don't really know how to pray until we can learn to listen to God. That means we have to stop speaking and listen. At first we understand nothing. It is silence, except for the thoughts invading our brain. God's language begins with silence. Eventually, as with any language, we will begin to "understand" the silence. God will communicate through the silence. Then we will know the language of prayer.

Jesus would be busy healing, teaching, and preaching. But then he would go off by himself to be away from the noise and talk of others. He would listen to Abba in the silence. They were good friends, Jesus and Abba. Want to become good friends with God? Stop talking prayers for a while.