Prayer life opens up exciting possibilities

“In the continuum of life, people often think they will have more time to pray when they retire from full-time work,” Sister Dorothy said. “However, they often fill their time with activities that they did not have time for when they were working full time. Also, as a person grows older, it takes them longer to do things. That actually can be an entry point into prayer for them, so prayer can become a very natural thing.”

Seniors often say they are “busier” in retirement than they were when they had full-time careers. Sister Dorothy said seniors who want to draw closer to God need to realize that their increasingly busy schedules need to include daily time in prayer.

“If prayer has not become a part of their life before retirement, chances are they will not find the time for it now,” Sister Dorothy said. “People who really want to pray and grow in relationship with God are going to make time for that relationship to grow, but it’s going to take some work.

“Spending time in prayer is an intentional act. It has to become as natural as walking, breathing and eating. Whenever we spend time with people with whom we want to grow in relationship, that’s what happens, and it’s the same thing with God.”
The retirement years are an opportune time for a person to consider making a retreat or beginning spiritual direction, Sister Dorothy said, “to learn how to surrender more deeply into a deeper union with God.”

The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center can answer questions about how to make a retreat or enter into spiritual direction. Sometimes a person who has been involved in Catholic organizations for a long time and who attends Mass or prays the rosary regularly may need help in discovering new ways of praying, Sister Dorothy said.

“I think spiritual direction is a good way for that to happen,” she said. “I also recommend that people pick up some books from Catholic bookstores on how to pray. People can attend different workshops on prayer that are offered on the parish level or here at the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center.”

Among the books on prayer that Sister Dorothy recommends are ones by Jesuit Fathers William A. Barry and William J. Connolly. The books are good both for those who are beginning to pray and also for those who are further along in their prayer life.

“They give some real depth to beginning a more personal relationship with God,” Sister Dorothy said.

Search for eternal life

The growing reality of the finite nature of their lives can spark an interesting reflection on how a person has lived his or her life and what lies ahead. That can be a moment where prayer becomes more important in order to make sense of a lifetime of successes and regrets.

“As a person gets older, the things of their past life come more into play, and they become more grateful for their life,” Sister Dorothy said. “They cross over into more looking toward eternity than life on this earth. They have a growing sense that time is going to be longer. As the body and mind begin to deteriorate, I think the spiritual self becomes more alive. That’s God nudging people to become more aware of that spiritual side of themselves.”

Here are some suggestions for seniors who are seeking to draw closer to God and develop that personal relationship with God:

* Spend short periods of time in prayer every day.

* Read the Scriptures every day, particularly the Gospel of the day. Those readings are available on the website of the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops (www.usccb.org).

* Consider reaching out for spiritual direction. The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center has a list of certified spiritual directors and would be glad to explain the process.

“Our spiritual directors are trained and formed to walk with people through prayer at all times in their life,” Sister Dorothy said. The center can be reached at 861-3254.

* Go to adoration for quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. “It’s sitting there and talking to God and then being quiet and letting God talk to you,” Sister Dorothy said.

* Read good Catholic books on prayer. You can start with books by Fathers Barry and Connolly.

Can this be an exciting time in a person’s life?

“It absolutely can be a time of deep union with God and all of life,” Sister Dorothy said. “It’s like the pieces of a person’s life tending to be woven together into a whole and they move closer to God. Spending time in prayer is an intentional act.”

The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center recently moved to a new location due to extensive renovations at Notre Dame Seminary. The new location is on the campus of the former St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, 2525 Maine Ave., Metairie, 70003. The website is asc.arch-no.org.

Peter Finney Jr. can be reached at pfinney@clarionherald.org.