From Our Pastor
Dear Folks,
This week Father Folmar and I will be on retreat at the Jesuit retreat house in Faulkner Maryland. It is a requirement for all priests to go on a retreat to spend a week in prayer every year. Father Kelly went away earlier this year, and Father Colin is scheduled for October.
This week Father Folmar and I will be on retreat at the Jesuit retreat house in Faulkner Maryland. It is a requirement for all priests to go on a retreat to spend a week in prayer every year. Father Kelly went away earlier this year, and Father Colin is scheduled for October.
Dr. Ralph Martin wrote in his book The Fulfillment of All Desire. “Prayer is, at root, simply paying attention to God (p. 121).”
Such a wonderful image: paying attention to God. Imagine that, actually paying attention to Him. Also a reminder of why the church insists that her priests go apart and pay attention to Him!
Yet we so often overlook this. Haven’t we all been involved in one sided conversations that we long to escape? It is good that the Lord is patient with us. I sometime describe recollection (which is the necessary preparation of the soul for prayer) as letting the mind settle and quiet down. We must live Psalm 46:10… “be still and know that I am God.”
This ‘paying attention to God’ struck me as the opposite of the social media… where I must put out my great words, and all who “follow” me can reap my wisdom. Sometimes on social media we are saying to the world, ‘pay attention to me…. but I don’t want to hear what you have to say!’
But technology can also be a great assist. I will have a picture of the parish on my phone ‘lock screen.’ That way every time I look at it to see what the time is, I will be reminded to pray for the parish! Yes…. I basically use my cell phone as a watch.
There are countless ways throughout the day where we can take a moment and pay attention to God and countless ways we can remember one another…. Momentary aspirations, a quick thought sent heavenward, a look of love, whereby we pay attention to Him and one another.
I’ll be praying for you this week. Please pray for Father Folmar and me!
pax et bonum,
fr mosimann
This ‘paying attention to God’ struck me as the opposite of the social media… where I must put out my great words, and all who “follow” me can reap my wisdom. Sometimes on social media we are saying to the world, ‘pay attention to me…. but I don’t want to hear what you have to say!’
But technology can also be a great assist. I will have a picture of the parish on my phone ‘lock screen.’ That way every time I look at it to see what the time is, I will be reminded to pray for the parish! Yes…. I basically use my cell phone as a watch.
There are countless ways throughout the day where we can take a moment and pay attention to God and countless ways we can remember one another…. Momentary aspirations, a quick thought sent heavenward, a look of love, whereby we pay attention to Him and one another.
I’ll be praying for you this week. Please pray for Father Folmar and me!
pax et bonum,
fr mosimann