In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul exhorted his fellow Christians to “pray without ceasing” ( 1:Thess 5,17). Prayer is an essential element in the process of one’s conversion to Christ. It is a powerful and decisive attitude, capable of keeping alive “the remembrance of God” (mnene Theou). But what do we mean by prayer?

Surely, not what the Messalians suggested. For the latter, prayer merely stood for vocal prayer. Thus, according to the Messalian principle, “to pray” is tantamount “to say prayers.” Such a faulty understanding of continual prayer was vigorously condemned by the Church. The objection is both social and spiritual.

From the social standpoint, it portrays spiritual life as being a parasite on society, completely dependent on the charity of others. Fortunately, throughout the ages, monastic life has always proved the contrary. By his very calling, the monk, whether solitary or in community, is essentially bound to support himself and others as well. In the Latin West, monastic life translated its obligation to promote the well being of the neighbour via numerous structured active works, be it schools, hospitals, and orphanages, not to mention the less structured works of mercy carried out on a personal basis.

From the spiritual perspective, spiritual life consistently championed the axiom that grace needs to build on and respect nature. If this is true, how can one expect to pray continually if one’s nature informs him /her that s/he is hungry or tired? Who is going to pray for the person when s/he eats and sleeps? Thanks to monasticism, spiritual life has rectified the Messalian error by proposing a harmonious balanced life between what is human and divine. The monk has two types of activity. The outer activity, i.e. his visible work, whether manual or intellectual, and the inner activity, i.e. standing before God for humanity’s redemption.

For those of us who want to take seriously their spiritual journey to Christ, the challenge is spelled out to them in the following excerpt taken from the Macarian Homilies: “Christians ought at all times to preserve the remembrance of God… in order that they may show love to the Lord not only when they go into the place of prayer, but that also when they are walking, talking, or eating, they may preserve the remembrance of God, and a sense of love and yearning towards Him”.

If prayer is a heart to heart conversation with God per se and as present in other people, how can our actions, as Christian believers, fail to proclaim the stark and profound truth that as we did it to one of the least of his brethren, we did it to him? (see Matt 25, 40).

Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap

San Gwann