Text for the Times: Prayer Continued

Extract

Most of us are experiencing new insights into the liturgical prayer of the Church with the reform and introduction of the vernacular into the liturgy, and gain great joy from it. We ought to remind ourselves that this joy of being in communion with God through Christ can be ours all the time and must be so if we follow the teaching of Christ. St Ambrose, bishop of Milan in the fourth century when liturgical life was flourishing, preached the same theme to his newly baptised converts as the Second Vatican Council does to us today.

The spiritual life is not only contained in participation in the liturgy. Certainly the Christian is called to pray in community, but nevertheless he ought to enter into his chamber to pray to his Father in secret, further, as the Apostle teaches, we ought to pray without ceasing.

Second Vatican Council. Decree on the Sacred Liturgy, 12 Now listen to how we ought to pray. Prayer has many good qualities. Where you should pray is not insignificant or a question of little importance. The Apostle says: ‘I desire then that in every place the men should pray raising holy hands without anger or quarrelling'. And the Lord says in the gospel: ‘But when you pray, enter into your chamber and shut the door and pray to your Father.’ Doesn't it seem to you that there is a contradiction? The Apostle says. Pray in every place: and the Lord says.