Thoughts from our Chaplain - Ora et Labora!

It is Wednesday 2^nd July and I’m in the William Harvey hospital for my last chemo session – at least for the moment!

I am reading in Living Faith (April - June edition) excerpts from a book by Fr Ronald Rolheiser entitled “Prayer. Our Deepest Longing”. Coming from him you know that there will be some pearls in it.

He writes that spirituality is as real as science. However, we live in a world where the real has been reduced to what is physical: to what we can see, taste, touch etc. But that won’t still our deepest desire. He quotes St Augustine, who wrote “You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you”. All of us will struggle with prayer, but if we want to get anywhere we have to embrace the fundamental or non-negotiable rule, “You have to show up for prayer and you have to show up regularly.”

It reminds me of this morning’s reading from Amos,“Seek good not evil so that you may live and that the Lord may really be with you as you claim he is.” Somewhat later he writes, “Let justice flow like water, and integrity like an unfailing stream.” That tells us that prayer should lead to worthwhile action. As St James wrote, “Prayer without good works is quite dead.” Or to use the ancient motto, “Ora et Labora: Bid and work.” Let us do just that!

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.