Authenticity

 The prayer of meditation is meant to change us.  It is meant to reveal ourself to ourself.  It takes courage to meditate.  Without words or thoughts to focus on, without images to look at, we are vulnerable to God revealing our mediocrity to ourself.  I think piety is something else.  Novenas, prayers with lots of words and images, are often about worship and if we are honest, about getting whatever we worship to give us our agenda.  We don’t see ourself changing, but about others, boss, spouse, child, changing.  We want the Divine to get onto our agenda.  Prayers of petition need meditation to balance us.  Sometimes, what we want, is not what God wants or what we need.  Work out yourself.  This may be where the problem is rooted.