The Wall of Distractions

I'd like to come back to the subject of walls.  It seems we'd just made our way through the doors of one wall, then another...  when suddenly we were "walled in prayer" for those inside the Sistine Chapel.

The doors opened, our new Holy Father emerged, and we have all been getting to know him.  Like our Sisters and Brothers behind monastic walls, we've allowed ourselves the mid-Lenten fun of white smoke, pealing bells, joyful greetings, maybe a bit of online reading (I wonder how many times our new Holy Father's name has been "googled" in the last two days?), and distractions of a prayerful kind. 

Now maybe we're returning to normal routines, going about our day-to-day lives.  Which brings me right to the next wall that I (personally) encounter most frequently when I'm trying to move closer to God in prayer.

This wall has doors, and they're right in front of me.  All I have to do is open them, but you know, it's funny.  When I get to these doors, it's like I forget why I came here.  My prayer today provides solid evidence of this fact, and if you'll forgive me for putting it as follows, I prayed something not too different from this:

"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mailbox, which is where the book I ordered should arrive today, which is my goodness Friday already.  Oh, and I forgot to write down the time of the Easter lunch so I'd better go get my calendar while I'm thinking about it, and that reminds me, I need to call my friends and tell them the movie night needs to be rescheduled..."

I'd be willing to bet there are others out there who've had similar experiences. 

"Even our distractions can be helpful," writes Tim Gray, "as they show us what we're attached to and can signal subjects that we should submit to God." 

Lord God, thank You for showing me my attachments.  I ask you to continue shedding light on all that keeps me from moving forward in prayer.  Draw me on, in spite of and through the wall of distractions.  Help me remember that, on the other side of that wall, is a deeper encounter with YOU.

"Your Face is all lovely and Your Heart all inviting, but my thoughts alas! go wandering far from You.  Come, O God of my heart, gather together my scattered mental powers and fix them upon Yourself."  St. Gertrude

Text not in quotes © 2013 Nancy Shuman.  All Rights Reserved.
thecloisteredheart.org     

Painting: Théo Van Rysselberghe; Portret van Marguerite van Mons

This is part of a 'mini-series' of posts on walls. To continue in chronological order, click here.

A Prayer for Pope Francis

Michelangelo, Separation of the Earth from the Waters

'Lord, source of eternal life and truth, 

give to your shepherd Pope Francis 

a spirit of courage and right judgement,

a spirit of knowledge and love.  

By governing with fidelity 

those entrusted to his care,

may he, as Vicar of Christ, 

build your Church into a sacrament

of unity, love and peace for all the world.'  

Prayer for the Pope, from The Catholic Prayer Book, Servant Books, 1986, p.183 

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We Pray for Light

Sistine Chapel, God Dividing Light from Dark

'The light shines on in darkness,

a darkness that did not overcome it.'

John 1:5

Father, we pray for Your Cardinal Electors 

to be filled with the Light of Christ

Give Ear

Jeremiah by Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel

'Give ear, listen humbly, for the Lord speaks.'  

Jeremiah 13:15

May each Cardinal in the Conclave hear the Voice of God

The Hush Approches

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I have been (as you know) thinking about walls.  My mind was originally on personal walls: both the kind that block our path to God, and the kind that keep us from roaming outside His will.

Now I am aware of an entirely different kind of wall.  As the Conclave of Cardinals is about to begin, I'm thinking of the walls these men will be going behind.  They will be cut off from the rest of us; no information in, no information out.

The Cardinals will be, in the strictest sense, cloistered.

Their ears will be closed to the world's input, so they can hear as clearly as possible the Voice of God in their hearts.  Once the doors have been shut on the chapel, every Cardinal inside will have the responsibility of listening intently for the whisper of the Holy Spirit.

During the Conclave eight years ago, I felt as if a hush had fallen over the Church.  Once again, as I write this, I feel that hush approaching.

'Quiet, world,'  I want to whisper.   'Shhh; our Cardinals are listening.'   And we, in the midst of our lives and duties, have the high privilege of praying that they hear clearly.  May they listen as one, as with one sanctified 'ear,' with obedient spirits, with purity of heart.

Speak, Lord, Your servants are listening.

And Your Church shall await the sound of Your Voice.

Text not in quotes © 2013 Nancy Shuman.  All Rights Reserved.
thecloisteredheart.org    

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