Reflections

Prayer

Last Wednesday Martine Zaman a Contemplative Sister, shared with us her own intimate experience of prayer in her 28 years in Sion and how she develops day by day.
She says that each one of us has her own experience of prayer for example: painting, cooking, gardening, knitting and so on. For Sister Martine her way is through music especially with the flute. She has had some difficulties in her prayer life and she said that when she began to breath consciously, she realized that prayer is with her whole body and that helps her to create more music.
Through her own experience she difines \prayer in three steps.
What is prayer? It is a link \ between two things. First the vertical form, with one intermediary and that is the Holy Spirit. As Christians we must remember that God does not speak to us directly, but He sent his only Son and helps us to intercede to the Father.
Second is the requirements of prayer:
According to Sister Martine prayer is poverty, depending always on God by breathing. She quoted from the book of our founder Theodore Ratisbonne that without prayer a Sister of Sion is like a machine. So, these words are very strong in her life: when she stops praying she feels that she is dying. For her the best activity that you can never replace is prayer. Prayer is to listen, to receive and to give. what you do is the answer to your prayer?

The Condition of Prayer: for Sister Martine she can pray everywhere, and at all times but it is not easy to set your self in silence without any disturbances inside of us. For her one verse or one thought is enough and to put everything in Jesus‘ hands especially her difficulties. She puts into God hands all her sins, wounds and needs and God will transfigure everything. In prayer we need to listen and by listening we purify ourselves with new energy.

written by Alejandra