Prayer. Sometimes we make it so difficult.  I am not sure why.  Maybe we think it needs to be very formal or formulaic? I know that I thought that for a very long time.  There is certainly a place for formal prayer, be it communal, such as during the Mass or the Liturgy of the Hours or even private, such as when using a formal written prayer. In fact, we Catholics have a love affair with our prayer cards, books, and other sacramentals, including candles, statues, and icons.  This is an excellent thing because "they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1670).  They are, though, simply means, not ends in themselves.  Means to a conversation with God or maybe more precisely, a dialogue.  We might not consider it a dialogue.  Fervent prayer, ardent prayer, in the way that Pope Francis is calling for is an on-going dialogue with God throughout our day, an awareness of the action and activity of the Holy Spirit permeating our lives.  It is a seeking for God and finding God in all things, in every moment and in every place.  St. Teresa of Avila encourages us to be seekers of God and St. Ignatius of Loyola calls us to "find God in all things."  St. Vincent Pallotti puts the two aspects together, as was often his way, and challenges us to:

"Seek God and you will find God.

Seek God in all things and you will find God in all things.

Seek God always and you will always find God."

We certainly need to take time to be in communal prayer like those in the Cenacle or Upper Room at Pentecost. We also need to be in private prayer, setting aside time to go to our "inner room, close the door, and pray to [our] Father in secret" (Matthew 6:6). The Holy Spirit, though, is active and alive everywhere, if we but  open our eyes to see and our ears to hear.  

Fr. Frank