INTO THE WILDERNESS

11/7/2016

Ary Scheffer - The Temptation of Christ (1854)

"Here God and the devil struggle, and the battlefield is the human heart." - Fyodor M. Dostoyevsky

"As long as we live, we fight, and as long as we are fighting, that is a sign that we are not defeated and that the good Spirit dwells within us. And if death does not meet you as the victor, he should find you a warrior." - St. Augustine

Read:
Romans 8:26-28
Psalm 4
Mark 14:32-41

Study:
1) The Battle of Prayer; Lent: Period of Purification and Enlightenment; The Stations of the Cross

2) CCC 357, 2559, 2725-2745 (YOUCAT 505-510)

Meditate:
Why is there a struggle when we pray? Where does this struggle come from or what is it's cause? How does our struggle in prayer correlate with our struggle in life with evil, both involuntarily and voluntarily experienced? How does that struggle, as difficult as it is, help us focus on what is most important? Where and how can we find the help necessary to make our prayers meaningful and effective?

Pray:
My Lord and my God, take from me everything that distances me from you. My Lord and my God, give me everything that brings me closer to you. My Lord and my God, detach me from myself to give my all to you. Amen.

Imitate:
St. Therese of Lisieux

Apply:
Do I pray when I know I should, even when I am tempted otherwise? Do I persevere in prayer when it is difficult to continue on?

Extra:
The Battle of Prayer
Bishop Barron on the Disorienting Quality of Real Prayer
Tips for Praying
The Power of Prayer
Praying in a State of Mortal Sin
Getting a Spiritual Director
No Spiritual Director? No Problem!
Spiritual Life Part I (Prayer)
Spiritual Life Part II (Mental Prayer)
Spiritual Life Part III (Obstacles in Prayer 1)
Spiritual Life Part IV (Obstacles in Prayer 2)
Spiritual Life Part V (Spiritual Reading)
Spiritual Life Part VI (Predominant Fault 1)
Spiritual Life Part VII (Predominant Fault 2)
Spiritual Life Part VIII (3 Stages of the Interior Life)
Spiritual Life Part IX (Grace)
Spiritual Life Part X (Actual Grace)

Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

2 Comments

Florence

3/15/2018 10:03:55 am

I had to do a lot of research on this one. But, it proved to be worth it!

Struggle:
We know as Christians prayer is certainly necessary. I find I have difficulty in concentrating ..We know Satan is working on us to change our path to his. So he's constantly driving a wedge in our prayers. First, pray is a gift of Grace from God. So it's something to strive to battle against ones self to overcome losing our attentiveness. At times it seems easy to become distracted. But, I think if one holds something (cross) it would help keep the Lord on your mind. This could be very beneficial to gently keep your mind on praising God. We have so very much to be thankful as our Lord patiently listens to our problems/happiness/praises/as well as, for help etc. I actually wonder if God ,at times, sends us in a different direction than the one we were seeking? But bottom line, God will win the Battle.

Important:
One must realize how much God loves us. Based on His love we certainly should be willing ,with a very happy heart , to serve Him in all ways possible. This means we put God first and foremost in our lives. Our dedication should be shown everyday guided by prayer. Through earnestly seeking God's help and knowing within your heart He'll carry you through.

Prayers:
We need to spend time really thinking about all of the blessing God has given us. This involves our daily activities as well as something that may have touched your heart. We certainly shouldn't just carry on endlessly about nothing. You must also remember those whom need your prayers. And it's important to be some what ready when we pray. This hopefully will elevate losing some of our concentration. Moreover, we must always seek God's will. Last but not the least, remembering those who care for our spiritual growth!

Florence
Have a Blessed Day

PS This has been a very rewarding journey. I can't thank you enough for your dedication to help enlighten those seeking the truth. You truly are a blessing!

Michael L Miller

4/29/2018 08:16:09 am

! I believe that prayer is our strongest way we communicate with God. Threw actions and prayer we become a force against the devil. Prayer to me has always been {thank you Lord } I never expressed myself. As we all should know prayer is a battle between the devil and myself

2 As time goes by the facts are prayer is not easy. When you are praying the devil is also there trying to make you see how much easer it would be to follow him into a life of sin. The devil promises everything but delivers nothing. R ember The Lord makes all possible and life is so much better when you believe in The Father..

3 I watched a short film called Tolkiens Leaf. You know all my life I loved working with wood.The images I saw were always of fine furniture,wooden toys farm sets with animals and Doll houses with spiral stair cases. It always seemed that my images were grander than the product I ended up with.

4 It took 70 years and a short film to realize that God was behind my images. He was saying that with a little more belief I could have made it better just as with a little more prayer from the heart life in the hands of the Father is all I could hope for.

5 I know that all I will ever be with prayer my Father will make it possible.

Michael L Miller

Thank you so much Calesb I have learned a lot and there is a lot left to learn. I just hope I haven,t wandered off the subject matter to far .

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AUTHOR:
Caleb Payne

Caleb began his journey with Christ in 1997. He worked as a Protestant missionary for 8 years in China. It was soon after that he was challenged to consider the Catholic Church. After much prayer and study, he realized he had nothing to protest anymore and was received into full communion with Christ and His Church at the Easter Vigil Mass of 2011. For him the joy and peace that comes with receiving Christ in the Eucharist has turned into an insatiable desire to lead others to this same banquet. Caleb is first a husband, a father of three, and works in the Cortland area as a Registered Nurse. Caleb is a member of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic, the Angelic Warfare Confraternity, the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, and is an Evangelist for Saint Paul Street Evangelization. He has Certifications in Thomistic/Catholic Philosophy, Catholic Theology, and Catholic Apologetics through the New Saint Thomas Institute. He is also currently in the Formation for Ministry Program of the Syracuse Diocese.