Prayer is an essential part of my life. It is through prayer that I enter into a conversation with God. Having a sustained period of prayer each day helps me to live out my Christianity in practice. This is a constant challenge but it is the means by which my faith can become something real and active.
As my spiritual life developed I was led to explore more deeply my personal relationship with Jesus and be more open to the presence of the Holy Spirit. I have come to encounter the love of Jesus in a deep and personal way through Eucharistic Adoration. Spending time in adoration gives me peace. I gaze at Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament and I receive the gift of his unconditional love. I have learned in trust in his providence and the plan that he has for my life. This helps me to let go of my own struggles and instead focus on living in the present moment with an attitude of gratitude for all I’ve been given. I try to have a simple conversation with the Lord, thanking him for the people he has put in my path, and for the experiences that I’ve lived. Then I listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to me in my heart and ask Mary to accompany me in my walk of faith.
My participation in Youth 2000 helped me to deepen my personal faith and use my gifts and talents for active service in the Church, while being part of the Emmanuel Community has helped me to become more rooted in God by having regular times of praise and Eucharistic Adoration which helps me to reach out in compassion towards others and commit myself to evangelisation.
I have experienced that by having a deepened awareness of God’s presence in the various activities of my day I am able to strive better toward the goal of living out the Christian life well. This is a prayer I try to renew each day inviting God to be present in all the encounters I have, in my daily work, in my leisure time, and just in my being.
First published as part of a feature article ‘How I Pray’ in ‘Reality’ magazine, May 2015.
