Saint Philip Neri once said, “We must not leave off our prayers because of distraction and restlessness of mind. Although it seems useless to go on with them, he who perseveres with the whole of his accustomed time, gently recalling his mind to the subject of his prayer, merits greatly.”
There's so much to unpack there but here's the takeaway for today friends. The next time you go to prayer and you're just not feeling like it - we've all been there - set a time. Perhaps it's shorter than other times. Fine, but set a time for your prayer and stick with it.
So you're distracted. We all get distracted. Don't get flustered. As Saint Philip Neri says, “gently bring yourself back to the Lord.” Lord, here I am again. Look you're normal if this happens to you. Even the greatest of saints wrestled with restlessness and distraction in their prayer on a regular basis which is why the discipline of setting a time and seeing it through is so important. It’s because God is important. The graces God is pouring into our hearts during those times are many, I believe.
From Jon Leonetti
Jon Leonetti will be the keynote speaker at the Orlando Diocese 2022 Rise Up Men’s Conference at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs on Saturday March 26, 2022.
