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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Still Learning How to Pray

I sat down this morning read the daily Gospel passage (please note, while this *should* be a regular, daily occurrence for me, it's not, and I am most certainly a work in progress when it comes to being a good Catholic).  The older two kids were outside with their Daddy, and Rachel was playing quietly, so it was nice and quiet for a change.  About halfway through the passage, I look over at Rachel, and she's sitting by the bookshelf, intently looking at a book...one of her favorite past times =)  I can't help myself, so I stop reading my Bible, and just watch her.  I notice how she turns the pages; the facial expressions she has at each page; how she stops at a page now and then, and her eyes move up and down over the pictures; the way she uses her little feet to help prop the book up.  After a few minutes, she looks up and sees me watching her.  So, she gets up, smiles, walks over to me, and climbs in my lap for me to look at the book with her.  I don't say anything..I just let her sit in my lap and turn the pages for her.  She cuddles close to me, babbles about something, and just enjoys being held.  Then, she hops down, says "bye", waves and goes on about her business.  The whole scene lasted maybe ten minutes.  While I was watching her, I realized that the way I just interacted with my child is exactly how Christ wants me to interact with Him!  So many times I try to figure out the "right way" to engage in meditation and prayer, but I always end up making it more complicated than it needs to be.  All it takes for a good meditation to occur is for me to just sit there and look at Christ.  Read a passage of the Gospel, then just look at it...the way Christ talked to others; the words He chose to use; the expression that may have been on His face; the emotion that was in His Sacred Heart; how He used His hands to heal and comfort; things He said to guide and correct our faults.  No words are necessary on my part.  And, if I'm lucky and sit still long enough, maybe He'll notice me watching Him, and He will smile and come sit with me, and speak to my soul.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is great! I really needed to read this today! This is some kind of strange coincidence: I live in the country in south Louisiana too and we're homeschooling (our oldest is four)! I'm glad I found your blog!

Cathy LeBlanc said...

aw, thanks, Maranda! I'm glad you stopped by my blog, and I hope the homeschooling is going well!! I am fixing to start my oldest in 1st grade in a couple of weeks. Glad to hear you are in South Louisiana...no better place, IMHO =)

Nicole said...

love this!

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