It is difficult to believe that 10 years have passed since the Holy Year of Mercy in 2015 drew pilgrims to Rome and occasioned regional celebrations throughout the Catholic world. The prayerful months were marked in the Providence diocese especially by the erection of a splendid Holy Door that still graces SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral. This year, Pope Francis has wisely considered that the many events that will gladden the coming Holy Year in 2025 are best anticipated by a Year of Prayer, a year spent deepening the faithful’s liturgical and devotional practices.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, announced this Year of Prayer in January, inaugurating “a privileged time in which to rediscover the value of prayer and the need for daily prayer in our Christian life.” His Excellency first observed, “Prayer is a manifestation of the believer’s personal relationship with God Himself within that intimate and exclusive relationship that distinguishes our faith.” He then remarked, “From those who quickly make the Sign of the Cross to those who participate in the daily Eucharist, there is such a vast range of ways of praying that no one can fully describe them all; they can range from quick to distracted prayer to contemplative prayer to prayer filled with tears of pain.” “We cannot deny,” he pointedly added, “our time manifests a profound need for spirituality.” The Year of Prayer, he consequently hopes, would be “a time to discover how to pray and, above all, how to educate the people of today in prayer, in this age of digital culture, so that prayer can be effective and fruitful.”
In this coming Sunday’s Gospel reading, St. John recalls the colorful description of Christ as “the true vine,” of God the Father as “the vine grower,” and of the Christian faithful as “the branches,” who will bear much fruit if they remain intimately united to Christ, the source of every grace. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you (Jn 15:7).” Remaining in Christ — which indeed describes prayer — is the fruitful source of a worthy Christian life. “Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” (Jn15:6) Remaining in Christ is certainly an appropriate depiction for prayer. Remaining in Christ connotes intimacy, attentiveness, concentration and single-mindedness. And this remaining of the soul with Christ is the key both to interior prayer and to the active ministry as well: “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:6)
The modern Christian may certainly “remain” in Christ in the many ways the Archbishop listed: “…quick to distracted prayer, to contemplative prayer, to prayer filled with tears of pain.” But effective prayer will always involve attention and time. The Sign of the Cross before a foul shot or a swing of the bat is a noble sign of faith, but authentic and fruitful prayer demands just a bit more application and devotion. And commitment to prayer is admittedly difficult in this present age. As the Archbishop noted, “Our time manifests a profound need for spirituality.”
Venerable pious customs like morning and night prayers, grace before meals, the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, parish novenas, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, daily Mass and certainly regular Sunday Mass have been occasions of spiritual strength for generations. A renewed appreciation for Sacred Scripture among Catholics since the Second Vatican Council and the recitation of the Biblically based Liturgy of the Hours or the full Roman Breviary offer some fresh appreciation of fruitful Catholic spirituality. But again, the effectiveness of these spiritual exercises demands time and attention. Conscientiously spending moments open to the spiritual or sacramental presence of Christ is the beginning of all authentic prayer. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.” (Jn 15:7)
The English word “contemplation” derives from a Latin root meaning to occupy the same space. Prayer is exactly occupying the same space as God, relishing the presence of God, remaining in God. Now a lifetime of contemplative prayer is a grace admittedly bestowed on a limited number of believers. Yet the word ably describes all prayer. “Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” (Jn 15:6) Time spent on the vine, moments spent with Christ, is the foundation of all authentic prayer.
