“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?” Luke 11:9-13

THEY PRAY BADLY

My son, write:

“I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

Also write:

“Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind.”

You have become accustomed to hearing these Commandments just like you hear the sound of bells that are heard every day; everyone hears them but almost no one pays attention. In the same way the Commandments have remained as a dead letter, although they should be intensely alive in your hearts.

I desired to make this premise, to make you understand better how they pray badly, even the few who do pray. Very few are those who pray well, since it is not possible to pray, if one ignores the First Commandment, and even worse, if knowing it, one forgets it.

To place oneself in the presence of God means: to fulfill a series of spiritual actions that are essential for good and efficacious prayer. It is necessary to make an act of faith that elevates our soul toward him; this means: making a spiritual contact with God, three and one. This act of faith must necessarily be followed by acts of humility, of confidence and of love, that are necessary to intensify the contact with God, and they are indispensable for a good prayer, for they prevent a purely mechanical action that is repugnant to God. I withdraw from those who honor Me only with their lips and not with their heart

 

References and Excerpts

[1] O. Michelini, “Confidences of Jesus to a Priest,” in Book 2: Courage, My Sons!, 1976, p. February.