Learning to Pray

Recently I was wondering how to pray. I've been praying all my life and I still feel like I don't know how. When I read sentences like, "St. Joseph was a man of prayer" I realize I am not yet where I want to be. Is prayer what defines me? I deeply wish it were. But I feel like I just don't know how. 

I thought, "I'll try to find a spiritual director." 

Then I thought, "I'll find a really prayerful person and ask them." 

Then I wished I were a monk at Christ in the Desert since the monks there have set prayer times for communal prayer. 

Then I remembered that they chant the Psalms. 

Finally I thought: "I have the Psalms, right in front of me!" My Bible was already in my lap. I have a divinely-inspired prayer book under my nose already in my possession. I opened my Bible to the Psalms and asked God to teach me to pray. I started reading Psalm 1 very slowly. I read it several times, imbibing each word. I felt fear and anxiety melt off my soul, and a fresh spring of healing water flow from within my heart. I did not want that moment to ever end. I sensed God so close. He spoke to my inner self as clear as day. 

Time barreled on inconsiderately: kids burst in the room, the sun rose, and a cock literally crowed (our neighbors have chickens). I had to tell the Lord I would see Him tomorrow. I'd meet Him again in the Psalms. 

And I did. 

Lord, please teach me to pray and make me "a woman of prayer."

Sebastian and Me

 Sebastian loves to have time alone together. Recently he proposed time together in Rome. We drove into town, parked at the Circus Maximus and talked about the races and martyrdoms that happened there. Then we walked to the Bocca della Verita. Then we strolled over to Trastevere. Sebastian has a book called "Pepe in Trastevere," an Italian children's book about a dog named Pepe who lives in Trastevere. We walked around imagining that each dog we saw might be Pepe. 

Then we met Clare for dinner. She was in Rome for a guitar lab, an intense day of practice with many students in the school. She walked from her studio near LePanto to our restaurant in Trastevere. I picked that one because it specializes in Cacio e Pepe, Clare's new favorite dish. We had a fantastic day in Rome! 

Sebastian got a slingshot as a gift--which he pretended to use on all perceived enemies!