“Even though it may seem useless, we must not abandon prayer because of distractions or restlessness of spirit. Those who persevere throughout the time they have set aside for prayer and gently call their spirit back again and again to the object of their prayer will reap great benefits” (St. Philip Neri).
It is certainly annoying when we try to pray with recollection and suffer constant distractions. Here we are referring to the involuntary distractions that often beset us as soon as we try to enter into interior recollection. St. Philip Neri gives us the excellent advice not to abandon prayer under any circumstances, even if it seems useless to us. The temptation is to begin neglecting it when it seems to bring us no benefit. However, in the long run, this has serious spiritual consequences, as the soul ceases to receive the nourishment that unites it more deeply to God.
Our Father allows us to suffer these distractions and this restlessness of spirit. Since we know that He always has our spiritual growth in mind, we can be sure that even these annoyances in prayer will serve for our good. The Father calls us to fix our gaze on Him. If we understand prayer as the “great dialogue with God,” we will not interrupt it prematurely but will bring it to completion even in difficult circumstances. Thus, even distracted prayer can become a gesture of love and fidelity.
It may help us to consider that if we have given ourselves completely to our Father, our prayer also belongs to Him in a special way. If we reduce it or neglect it for a long time, we would be taking it away from our beloved Father, so to speak, and appropriating it for ourselves.
Therefore, let us follow the advice of St. Philip Neri and gently call our spirit—what a beautiful expression!—to return again and again to the object of prayer.