August 15, 2001

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

My Dear Missionaries,

 In this centenary year our celebrations, and the reflection that accompanies those celebrations, focus on some fundamental values of our life and our vocation. This was the primary goal of our centenary plans. Our secondary goal was to nurture the people of God with the life and apostolic zeal that derives from Blessed Allamano's charism and that can be found in his missionaries and in the Church at large.

 I would like to share my thoughts on one of those fundamental values: prayer. What exactly did “spirit” mean to Blessed Allamano when he spoke about the need and the importance of continuous prayer. We will be surprised to find that Joseph Allamano does not recommend ordinary, easy prayer to his missionaries in the Vita Spirituale (Spiritual Life) , prayer that has little in common with the deep and elaborate prayer of contemplatives and godly people. He is not concerned with “any old sort” of prayer – rather he concentrates on “a spirit of prayer.” He was committing his followers to a very demanding sort of apostolate and he wanted very much to provide them with a strong interior life. To assure their success he trained them diligently; he insisted that they learn “continuous prayer” and the practice of the presence of God. Let me cite some of his better known and more significant statements on this subject:

- “Recollection is absolutely necessary if we want to gain something from what we do; otherwise, we have only the oases of our spiritual practices, outside of which everything is arid” (SL 455).

- “In the Gospel Jesus tells us that we have to pray always. This means we must be clothed with the spirit of prayer in the same way that our bodies are clothed with our habits” (SL 456).

- “You are fortunate if you try to advance more and more in the interior life with the spirit with the spirit of recollection and prayer! A religious or a priest who does not have this spirit will never be a good religious or a good priest. He can deceive himself by thinking that he is – but he’s not” (SL 4457).

 The ardor Allamano sought to impart to his missionaries 100 years ago finds an echo in the words of John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte (NMI) where he invites Christians not just to pray but to learn the art of prayer. On the threshold of the third millennium, the Holy Father asks that our communities become “genuine schools of prayer, where the meeting with Christ is expressed not just in imploring help, but also in thanksgiving, praise, adoration, contemplation, listening and ardent devotion, until the heart truly "falls in love". Intense prayer, yes, but it does not distract us from our commitment to history: by opening our heart to the love of God, it also opens it to the love of our brothers and sisters, and makes us capable of shaping history according to God's plan” (NMI 33).

 We are ever more convinced that we must make Blessed Allamano’s charism our own; at the same time the Pope urges all Christians to return to prayer so that they can embark on a new journey of Christian commitment at the end of our Jubilee year. With these thoughts and words echoing in our mind I would like to discuss a subject with which we are all familiar but which nevertheless is fraught with difficulties and challenges. It is my fervent hope that all of us share the conviction of our Blessed Founder that a missionary “must have a spirit of prayer. It is not enough that we run here and there overwhelmed with work – we must be one with the Lord, then everything will be accomplished” (Pietre Vive per la Missione / Living Stones for the Mission, p. 46).

Continuous Prayer

Our Constitutions cite continuous prayer as a constitutive element of our spirituality; the element that enables us to “carry out the mission.” Article 56 of the Constitutions states that prayer is the missionary’s primary obligation and goes on to tell us why this is so by referring to a famous passage in Paul VI’s Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi:

“Let us now consider the very persons of the evangelizers. It is often said nowadays that the present century thirsts for authenticity. Especially in regard to young people it is said that they have a horror of the artificial or false and that they are searching above all for truth and honesty. These "signs of the times" should find us vigilant. Either tacitly or aloud- but always forcefully- we are being asked: Do you really believe what you are proclaiming? Do you live what you believe? Do you really preach what you live? The witness of life has become more than ever an essential condition for real effectiveness in preaching. Precisely because of this we are, to a certain extent, responsible for the progress of the Gospel that we proclaim. […]The world which, paradoxically, despite innumerable signs of the denial of God, is nevertheless searching for Him in unexpected ways and painfully experiencing the need of Him- the world is calling for evangelizers to speak to it of a God whom the evangelists themselves should know and be familiar with as if they could see the invisible” (EN 76).

It is through prayer that a missionary establishes contact and becomes so familiar with God that he can repeat the words of St. John “Something which has existed since the beginning, that we have heard, and we have seen with our own eyes; that we have watched and touched with our own hands: the Word, who is life … what we have seen and heard we are telling you” (1 Jn 1,1-3).

After this deep and powerful introduction the Constitutions go on to describe the role continuous prayer must play in our life, its characteristics and how it constitutes the source of our apostolic ministry: “We strive to acquire a spirit of unceasing prayer (cf. Lk 18,1) so that every activity of ours be inspired by God and be performed in his presence for him alone. Prayer, by which we search for God, and apostolate, by which we help our brothers and sisters are complementary and make us grow in holiness” (Const. 57).

Why “continuous” prayer? Given the sort of life a missionary leads isn’t this too much to ask? We are neither monks nor contemplatives … In response the Constitutions point us to the parable of the widow who importunes the dishonest judge in St. Luke’s Gospel. Exegetes situate this parable in what they call “the little apocalypse”; it is a response to the question posed by the first Christian community: When will the Lord come? Without the Lord the disciple is like the widow – without a spouse, not just deprived of support, but lacking something that gives meaning to life. Continuous prayer, urgent supplication become an expression and an extension of faith. They save us from falling into the temptation of thinking we can live our life without him, that we can arrange our life without feeling the need for his presence. The Gospel passage tells us that we must pray always. The Kingdom of God will come only to the extent that we pray for it. The Kingdom of God enters our normal, everyday history and turns it into sacred history, into a time of salvation, because the Risen One is with us. Prayer is how we open up the time and space of our own history to the Lord who will come and establish his kingdom there.

The same Gospel passage urges us to persevere in prayer and not become discouraged. With our modern obsession with efficiency, we see prayer as a waste of time especially if we don’t get what we want immediately and are frustrated by events beyond our control. It is in this feeling of helplessness that prayer achieves its purpose – teaching us to rely on God for everything. To empty ourselves requires perseverance and constancy; almost unconsciously we become self-absorbed, filled with ourselves and our concerns we leave no room for God to come and dwell within us.

Article 57 of the Constitutions reminds us that prayer and life are to be integrated, that one supports the other. One cannot exist without the other. If this were not the case we would neglect one or the other to the point of uselessness. Prayer without life would be a pointless repetition of words; life without prayer would be useless activity. Prayer and apostolic work fully integrated form a genuine plan of salvation for ourselves and for others. Prayer affords us the opportunity of proclaiming the centrality of God to the world – to a world in which everyone does his utmost to place himself at the center and demonstrate that he can make it on his own – without God’s help.

Four expressions of continuous prayer

Let me give four brief examples or methods that will help us develop lives of continuous prayer. These methods are closely aligned to our own tradition, the teachings of our Founder and the insights of the masters of spirituality. 

a. Managing time

The modern world in which we are intimately involved and the countless activities that fill our days make this aspect – managing time – especially critical. We never seem to have enough time; time slips through our fingers like quicksilver before we are even aware it is disappearing. If we are absolutely honest, though, it is not time that is the culprit – rather we don’t know how to manage the time we do have. We are caught between the past and the future. We look at the past with nostalgia, “the good old days”, or we look to the future and procrastinate, planning to do things with time we do not yet possess. The only time that really counts, the only time we really have is the present – and it is precisely in the present that God achieves his history of salvation. St. Therese of the Child Jesus was wont to say: “You know, God, that to love you on earth I have only today” (Gli scritti, 1970, p. 818).

How can we convert our present into the time of God, the time of Salvation, the time of prayer? Here are three simple and important suggestions:

- Concentrate on today, live in the present, be present to God in all things, mindful of St. Paul’s words: “All that you do, words or actions, let all be done in the name of Jesus our Lord” (Col 3,17). Blessed John XXIII adopted as a golden rule for his own life: “I must do each single thing, recite each prayer, follow the rule, as if I had nothing else whatever to do, as if the Lord had put me on earth only to say that prayer” (Il giornale dell’anima, 1967, p. 102).

- Seek to do God’s will on every occasion, in every circumstance. In the words of our Founder, this is the royal road of holiness (cf. VS 258-262). How much or what we do is not important – how we do it is important. It is how we do something that God wills and asks of us at this point in time.

- Fill our days with times of silence that allow us to perceive and feel the presence of others and the Other. We must pause from time to time and take our life in hand; we must direct each activity towards that point of total balance which is God. It means launching meaningful and intimate conversations with God; we, who are so accustomed to speaking about him, must stop and speak with him.

b. Living the Word

The Word of God is an enormous presence in our life as missionaries – especially if we are priests. It is one of the principal “tools” of our “job.” We use it to teach and console; we use it to point out the path others must follow; we clarify it when it is obscure … it has rightfully become the very foundation of our preaching and the subject of our reflection in the most significant moments of our apostolate – catechizing, forming the people of God. 

There are certain questions we cannot avoid. What use do we make of this Word for ourselves? Do we know how to treasure it in our hearts like Mary? Do we live it in such a way that it becomes the very framework of our existence and ministry? Do we grasp intuitively that it is not a question of study or detached reflection, but that we must allow the Word to enter into our very being and take command of our life? This is the only way we can cultivate Jesus’ life within ourselves and live in constant communion with him. In the words of John the Evangelist, “If someone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come and make our dwelling in him” (Jn 14,23). This is why Lectio Divina has become a common practice in Christian communities – it facilitates the transition from meditating the word to living the word. To remain in the “Word” involves making continuous prayer a reality in one’s daily life however busy it may be; it involves a living dialogue in which God becomes “Thou” – the other half of the conversation; it involves transforming the Word read into the Word lived. The results of this practice of continuous prayer are many and often unexpected: seeing everything with the eyes of faith, joy, serenity, light. Continuous prayer makes us free; it gives us the courage to proclaim the Message; it changes our mentality and re-evangelizes our way of thinking, willing and loving; it creates communion and strengthens the bonds of community.

c. The Eucharist in life

Our Founder used an image to describe the place the Eucharist ought to occupy in our lives – or rather the place we should occupy before the Eucharist. In houses were the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius are carried out, the chapel is at the very center and the rooms of those making the exercises are in a circle around the chapel. Allamano believes that this is the pattern our lives should follow: the Eucharist at the center and we in a circle around it.

Allamano urged us not to confine the Eucharist to times of celebration; it should permeate the twenty-four hours of our day. To accomplish this he made some practical suggestions that are pedagogically interesting; two in particular: 

- Prolonged, silent adoration before the Eucharist. Blessed Allamano insisted on the need for missionaries to spend time before the Eucharistic Lord. These periods of adoration may be brief but they will kindle enough light to illuminate our entire days. He didn’t explain why he believed this – he seemed to be saying: try it and you’ll see!

- The whole life of a missionary must become Eucharist. He was convinced that “our Institute must form men who are enamored of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament” (SL 555). He saw the whole life of the missionary as one continuous celebration of the Eucharist. The burden and fatigue of missionary work and the daily dedication of ministry are an extension of the Eucharistic sacrifice and a preparation for its next celebration. The Eucharist is the sacrament of love; it consumes the heart of the missionary. The presence of Jesus in the missionary’s heart must last forever (cf. SL 564); he cannot impart the presence of Jesus to others if he does not cultivate it within himself.

d. Purify the heart in God

Throughout the history of spirituality every age has discovered methods and insights to make Christians aware of God’s presence within: St. Ignatius’ examination of conscience, St. Benedict’s recollection of God, St. Therese of the Child Jesus’ surrender, Charles de Foucauld’s desert. Saints and spiritual directors work to keep the heart in close contact with the divine. Close contact with God is the necessary pre-condition of striving for holiness and fulfilling one’s Christian vocation. A Christian life that does not cultivate a serious interest in meaningful prayer is doomed to sterility and death.

Today’s world overwhelms us with images, words and sounds; they are like a river in flood that plunges us into whirlpool of desires, emotions and impressions. How can we ever manage to remain aware of ourselves, of God and of our brothers? One simple and effective way our Founder often mentions is what writers today call “purification of the heart.” In 1961 our own Father E. Oggé wrote a book  “Frecce di Vittoria (Arrows of Victory)” based on the Founder’s teaching and the spiritual experience of saintly people. The book demonstrated the efficacy and usefulness of this sort of prayer and described the most effective ways of practicing it.

“Purification of the heart” is the practice of the presence of God. It takes place in the midst of our daily activities, the demands that fill our days, the problems that assail us and make us suffer. This prayer is called “purification” because it helps us achieve purity of intention; it directs our activity towards God and assures its effectiveness. It helps us see with the eyes of faith – difficulties assume their proper proportions. It injects reality into our plans and projects. It liberates us from the need to excel; it empties us of ego and fills us with the presence of God.

This prayer is especially appropriate for people like ourselves, missionaries whose lives are filled with activity. We don’t have the time we would like for prayer – but with “purification of the heart” every minute of the day is at our disposal.

What exactly is this prayer and how does one practice it? It consists of using a brief prayer, a thought or a verse of Scripture to lift our mind to God at any moment or in any situation. It is the purifying recollection of the name of Jesus. It is an instant, swift and easy connection with the divine that cannot be blocked by any situation, task or problem. Russian pilgrims walked along the road repeating the name of Jesus to the rhythm of their breathing. Our Founder referred to this practice as a quick “telephone call” to heaven (cf. SL 561). People called these prayers ejaculations; spiritual writers describe ejaculations as reaching out to God from the very midst of our activity … Different methods exist to purify our heart and make Paul’s words a reality in us: “All that you do, words or actions, let it be done in the name of Jesus our Lord, and through him give thanks to God, our Father” (Col 3,17).

What we have written here about continuous prayer should dispel any notion that it is the prerogative of an elite or something that can be practiced only in certain periods – novitiate, annual retreat. Since contemplation is an essential part of our life we must recognize that the Pope’s words in Novo Millennio Ineunte – all communities must become authentic schools of prayer (cf. 33) - are addressed to us.

I began this reflection using the Constitutions as a guide. I would like to conclude by citing the words of the General Directory speaking about the Constitutions.

“Through growing faith, meditation on Sacred Scripture, study of theology and close attention to the real world, one patiently builds a life of prayer. Faithfulness to the acts of prayer performed with regularity and genuine enthusiasm will help support and develop the spirit of prayer” (57.1).

May our Blessed Founder and St. Francis de Sales, our protector and the master of continuous prayer support and assist us.

I greet you fraternally in Our Lady, the Consolata.

Father Piero Trabucco, IMC
(Father General)