“Let us think of a houseplant: we need to water it consistently every day. We cannot soak it and then leave it without giving it water for a week! Even more so with prayer,” he said.
“We cannot live only on strong moments of prayer or occasional intense encounters … We need the daily water of prayer, we need time dedicated to God, so that he can enter into our time, into our lives.”
Pope Francis said that it is in these consistent daily moments of prayer that “we open our hearts to Him so that he can daily pour out on us love, peace, joy, strength, hope, thus nourishing our faith.”
Reflecting on Jesus’ instruction in chapter 18 of the Gospel of Luke to “pray always,” the pope suggested a traditional spiritual practice that “is a bit forgotten today.”
Aspirations, or short easy to memorize prayers that can be repeated often, can help one to stay “in tune” with God throughout the day, Pope Francis said.
“For example, as soon as we awaken, we can say: ‘Lord, I thank you and I offer this day to you.’ This is a short prayer. Then, before an activity, we can repeat, ‘Come, Holy Spirit.’ Between one thing and another, we can pray thus, ‘Jesus, I trust in you. Jesus, I love you,’” the pope suggested.
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