Often when we end our time in prayer, we return to our daily duties and forget all that we experienced. The fruits of our meditation disappear, and we return to our bad habits.
This is why it is important to build in a time for transition, slowly and carefully adjusting back to the day’s responsibilities.
St. Francis de Sales explains this process in his Introduction to the Devout Life.
When you leave off this interior prayer, you must be careful to keep your heart in an even balance, lest the balm it has received in meditation be scattered. I mean, try to maintain silence for some brief space, and let your thoughts be transferred gradually from devotion to business, keeping alive the feelings and affections aroused in meditation as long as possible.
He then gives an illustration to further comment on why this is important.
Supposing some one to have received a precious porcelain vessel, filled with a most costly liquid, which he is going to carry home; how carefully he would go, not looking about, but watching steadfastly lest he trip or stumble, or lest he spill any of the contents of his vessel. Just so, after meditation, do not allow yourself forthwith to be distracted, but look straight before you.
It’s easy to get caught up in our daily activities, but St. Francis de Sales urges us to try and extend our time of prayer into our daily life, putting into practice what we received from God.
Thus the lawyer should be able to go from meditation to his pleading, the tradesman to his business, the [mother] to the cares of her household…so calmly and gently as not to be in any way disturbed by so doing. In both you are fulfilling God’s Will, and you should be able to turn from one to the other in a devout and humble spirit.
Another way to make sure your prayer bears fruit in your life is to recall throughout the day the subject of your meditation and think about any inspirations you had.
In this way, you will live a united life, one in which your prayer informs your actions.
Read more:
A simple way to achieve stillness in Christian meditation
Read more:
A beginner’s guide to Christian meditation
And today we celebrate...