Praying to be ready for the annunciations in our own lives

A Reflection for Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Find today’s readings here.

Pope Leo XIV gave us all a key insight into his prayer life recently. He mentioned one of his favorite books, other than those written by St. Augustine, is The Practice of the Presence of God, a small book of teachings from a 17th-century Carmelite friar named Brother Lawrence. The book helps its reader develop a spirituality made up of “conversing with God continually.”

Can I really maintain a constant dialogue with God throughout my day? Could I take up St. Paul’s admonition to “pray without ceasing?” I find this kind of spirituality inspiring and worth striving for, but also a little out of reach, if I am honest. My attention span is too small, my ego too large, my schedule too demanding. A mystic or a holier person than I could move throughout their day and duties constantly reflecting and conversing with God, but I know that I am likely to burrow back into my own concerns as soon as I sense the slightest pang of hunger, hear a knock at my office door or feel the buzz from another notification.

I cannot help but feel there is some healthy tension between this idea of praying without ceasing and the Annunciation that we read in today’s Gospel. Yes, we are always in God’s presence, but it seems that sometimes he speaks louder and more clearly. Not all of us will be visited by an angel with news that we will give birth to the son of God, but I can think of times when it has felt like God was practically shouting at me to get a message across.

I think it is not unlike our human relationships: I am in regular, if not constant, communication with my wife, about things big and small. But there are times that call for more attention than normal; when we slow down time as much as we can, increase our eye contact and active listening, and do our best to mourn, to repair or to celebrate, depending on the circumstance. I think of these as the little “annunciations” in our relationship with each other. Great harm can be done when these little annunciations are presented and subsequently ignored, or brushed off, one of us caught up in the trappings of busyness or selfishness. 

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

This psalmist’s prayer is one that I can relate to more than St. Paul and Pope Leo and Brother Lawrence. I do not know if I will ever develop the mystical capacity for an unceasing prayer. But I can beg God to have a ready heart to listen to his voice, should he come with an annunciation for me today. 

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