YOUCAT Question n. 505 - Part III. Why is prayer sometimes a struggle?
(Youcat
answer repeated) The spiritual masters of all times have described growth in
faith and in love for God as a spiritual, life-and-death combat. The
battlefield is man’s interior life. The Christian’s weapon is prayer. We can
allow ourselves be defeated by our selfishness and lose ourselves over
worthless things - or we can win God.
A deepening through CCC
(CCC 2734)
Filial trust is tested - it proves itself - in tribulation (Cf. Rom 5:3-5). The
principal difficulty concerns the prayer
of petition, for oneself or for others in intercession. Some even stop
praying because they think their petition is not heard. Here two questions
should be asked: Why do we think our petition has not been heard? How is our
prayer heard, how is it "efficacious"?
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment) Often someone who wants to pray must first
conquer his lack of will power. Even the Desert Fathers were acquainted with
spiritual sluggishness (“acedia”). Reluctance to seek God is a big problem in
the spiritual life. The spirit of the times sees no point in praying, and our
full calendars leave no room for it. Then there is the battle against the
tempter, who will try anything to keep a person from devoting himself to God.
If God did not want us to find our way to him in prayer, we would not win the
battle.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 2738)
The revelation of prayer in the economy of salvation teaches us that faith
rests on God's action in history. Our filial trust is enkindled by his supreme
act: the Passion and Resurrection of his Son. Christian prayer is cooperation
with his providence, his plan of love for men. (CCC 2739) For St. Paul, this
trust is bold, founded on the prayer of the Spirit in us and on the faithful
love of the Father who has given us his only Son (Cf. Rom 10:12-13; 8:26-39).
Transformation of the praying heart is the first response to our petition.
(This question: Why is
prayer sometimes a struggle? is continued)
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