Prayer is the light of the spirit
- SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Prayer and converse with God is a supreme good: it is partnership and union with God.
As the eyes of the body are enlightened when they see light, so our spirit when it is intent on God, is illumined by his infinite light. I do not mean the prayer of outward observance but prayer from the heart, not confined to fixed times or periods but continuous throughout the day and night.
Our spirit should be quick to reach out toward God, not only when it is engaged in meditation; at other times also, when it is carrying out its duties, caring for the needy, performing works of charity, giving generously in the service of others, our spirit should long for God and call him to mind, so that these works may be seasoned with the salt of God's love, and so make a palatable offering tot he Lord of the universe. Throughout the whole of our lives we may enjoy the benefit that comes from prayer if we devote a great deal of time to it.
Prayer is the light of the spirit, true knowledge of God, mediating between God and man. The spirit, raised up to heaven by prayer, clings to God with the utmost tenderness; like a child crying tearfully for its mother, it craves the milk that God provides. It seeks the satisfaction of its own desires, and receives gifts outweighing the whole world of nature.
Prayer stands before God as an honored ambassador. It gives joy to the spirit, peace to the heart. I speak of prayer, not words. It is the longing for God, love too deep for words, a gift not given by man but by God's grace. The apostle Paul says: We do not know how we are to pray but the Spirit himself pleads for us with inexpressible longings.
When the Lord gives this kind of prayer to a man or woman, he gives him riches that cannot be taken away, heavenly food that satisfies the spirit. One who tastes this food is set on fire with an eternal longing for the Lord: his spirit burns as in a fire of the utmost intensity.
Practice prayer from the beginning. Paint your house with the colors of modesty and humility. Make it radiant with the light of justice. Decorate it with the finest gold leaf of good deeds. Adorn it with the walls and stones of faith and generosity. Crown it with the pinnacle of prayer. In this way you will make it a perfect dwelling place for the Lord. You will be able to receive him as in a splendid palace, and through his grace you will already possess him, his image enthroned in the temple of your spirit.
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Acknowledgement
Saint John Chrysostom. "Prayer is the light of the spirit." excerpt from a homily by the saint. (Supp. Hom. 6 De precatione: PG 64, 462-466).
This excerpt from one of his homilies on prayer as the gift of continual conversation with God is used in the Roman Catholic Office of Readings for the Lenten Friday after Ash Wednesday with the accompanying biblical reading taken from Exodus 2:1-22.
The Author
Saint John Chrysostom (golden-mouthed) on account of his eloquence (c. 349-407) was Archbishop of Constantinople and an important Early Church Father. In 374, he began to lead the life of an anchorite in the mountains near Antioch, but in 386 the poor state of his health forced him to return to Antioch, where he was ordained a priest. In 398, he was elevated to the See of Constantinople and became one of the greatest lights of the Church. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, and for his denunciation of abuse of authority. Of his books in print are The Complete Works of Saint John Chrysostom, Saint John Chrysostom: Homilies on Genesis 1-17, and On Living Simply: The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom.
