There is a difficult balance to maintain in the spiritual life between the daily discipline of our prayer and learning to love the Lord in our prayer with heart, mind and soul. Nothing brings this into starker relief than times of transition, such as when we travel, go on vacation or move residences. Anything that takes us out of our routine can stress what normally feels like a seamless rhythm of prayer, revealing the tension between discipline and devotion.
The admonition from St. Paul to “pray without ceasing” is an invitation to maintain a consistent relationship of dialogue with God, but this call to unceasing prayer is not as much about discipline as it is about a disposition of the heart. In fact, Christ underlines the importance of this approach to prayer in the Gospel of Luke, encouraging his disciples that they ought “to pray always and not to lose heart.” We can be assiduous in our discipline of prayer, but unless we pray with all of our heart, mind and soul, we risk developing a temperament akin to what Christ corrected in the Pharisees. In Matthew’s Gospel, Christ is adamant that those who live according to the covenant but are not transformed by fidelity to it are like “whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth.”
‘A surge of the heart’
For this reason, vacations, travels and other disruptions to our habit of prayer can actually reveal how much growth is still needed in our spiritual life. To be sure, a habit of prayer is a necessary first step in the spiritual life. But our prayer should be that which leads us into a deeper transformation of the heart — not something that we have to do, but something which we earnestly desire. As St. Thérèse of Lisieux famously wrote: “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
Think of the different ways we react when we receive a call and look at the caller ID. Depending on who is calling, we might be enthusiastic about answering the phone or grumble under our breath. For one, it is a joy to unite in conversation; for another, it can be laborious and frustrating. Our prayer life on vacation should be like answering a call from a beloved friend, one marked by joy, not obligation.
Consider a Morning Offering
To cultivate this, root each day with a simple Morning Offering, dedicating your travels to God with something as simple as: “Lord, I offer you today the joys and challenges of this day.” As you navigate your day, allow creation and those around you to remind you of God, taking the time to offer him moments of praise and thanksgiving. St. Augustine tells us that our desire precedes our prayer; whenever distractions arise either from long days of travel or even difficult family members, trust that God honors even the most imperfect efforts. Learn to be attentive to the movements of your heart and do not be afraid of taking small moments — of gratitude, praise or even silence — to remain mindful of the Lord’s presence in your life. As you journey, may your prayer echo St. Thérèse’s “joy of the heart” in each moment of your day.
