“Abide in inner prayer” (Inner Word).
If we want to remain in intimate contact with our Heavenly Father, we will hardly find a more appropriate means than inner prayer, the constant dialog with God. This consists both in listening attentively – because we recognize His voice – and in raising our heart to our Father.
In Eastern Christianity, the “Jesus Prayer,” also called the “Prayer of the Heart,” is well known. In its classical form it is repeated again and again: “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”. To explain it in more common terms in our Roman Catholic world, it is the systematic repetition of an ejaculatory prayer meant to resonate constantly in the soul.
In the context of the “3 Minutes for Abba,” which is dedicated specifically to devotion to God the Father, it might be advisable to repeat an ejaculatory prayer like this: “Father, I love you”.
Such a prayer is a great help in accustoming our soul to frequent prayer, which would not be done only at the times specifically reserved for it, but – if practiced regularly – could accompany us throughout the day, even during work and in the most varied circumstances of life. In this way, the soul can become so familiar with the invocation of God that it will always long to practice this prayer.
Today’s admonition to remain in inner prayer can certainly be applied to any form of interior prayer. It exhorts us not to slacken in our efforts and to make interior prayer our daily bread in order to remain in constant dialog with the Lord. This will make our lives immensely rich and fruitful.