RETURN Series // Returning With the Ear of the Heart

I remember being in undergrad when my roommate and I were talking about just how busy our schedules were and how stressful our study load felt. It was then that she quoted a line from Saint Francis de Sales, who said, “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour.”

It reminded me of something my mom and dad would pray over me. That God would “multiply my hours.” The first time they said it, I thought it sounded a little funny. God multiplying my hours? Like, would He really be able to make one hour of my time seem infused with two? And was that okay to pray for? Maybe I just needed to be more productive with my time rather than praying for a miraculous amount of “more” of it. But I let their prayer wash over me, and I saw the fruit of it.

When I prayed for God to “multiply” my time, I frequently found myself getting way more done than I had expected. Which brings me back to Francis de Sales. There are so many times when I think of visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but don’t make it a priority. It was much easier in college, a time when Adoration was a block away.

In my current state of life, as a wife and mother of small children, making a Holy Hour isn’t quite as simple as it used to be. Praying more than fifteen minutes each day isn’t as simple as it used to be. But it is possible. I just need to make it a priority. But of course, different seasons call for different needs, and just “making it a priority” can seem easier said than done. 

For example, when I’ve just had a baby, the healthy thing to do for my mind and body is to rest. Waking up at 5 a.m. to get prayer in before little bellies need to be filled would be admirable, but perhaps not prudent. Especially with multiple middle of the night feedings. If I can string along a decent number of hours of sleep in a night, I feel much more refreshed to take on the day. Or maybe you’re not postpartum, but are fighting illness, or are sleep-deprived, and getting in good rest is the best decision for you. I’m not going to tell you to grin and bear it and wake up before the sun. But I will encourage you to plan a time each day, or even just a set amount of time, when you plan to pray. 

I was recently convicted that I needed to spend five minutes of my prayer time just being still with the Lord. Usually I spend my daily prayer time doing a variety of spiritual reading and journaling. My eyes are usually scanning something, whether it be words on a page or the blank page before me, ready to be filled. 

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But Jesus was asking me to just sit and listen. So that’s what I’ve been trying to do, even when a dozen to-do’s are swirling around my head. My daily prayer time isn’t lengthy, and it’s not always at the same time of day, but I try to be consistent, and I incorporate that five minutes of silence and stillness. I try to follow the advice of The Rule of St. Benedict, and listen with the ear of my heart.

Sometimes it doesn’t always feel fruitful, and I don’t always feel like I’ve walked away with a specific word or message, but I usually always feel more at peace. My prayer time feels more about Him than about me. Without that five minutes, I find I’m consumed with seeking consolation from Him. However, with the five minutes, I’m reminded that I’m just simply His, and that, at least for a few moments, I’m not expected to be anything but that. This grounds me in the Truth and helps to keep me encouraged throughout my day. 

So maybe it’s not an hour that the Lord is asking of you, but surely, as Saint Mother Teresa said, He is knocking at the door of your heart. Jesus is hoping you will open the door and invite Him in, in whatever form that looks like. 

We read in John 21:15 that “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’”

In calling me to five minutes of just waiting on Him and listening, Jesus was asking me if I loved Him more than I loved my list of things to do. Did I love Him more than a swept floor, an emptied dishwasher, or a text that needed a response? He was asking me to follow Him.

About Susanna Parent

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Susanna Parent is a regular contributor to the BIS blog, speaker and a freelance writer. While a Wisconsin native, she now begins her mornings brewing French press coffee in the home she shares with her husband and children in the Twin Cities. When the sun sets, you’ll find her with friends enjoying a glass of red wine, preferably outside underneath twinkly lights. When not exploring all that the Twin Cities has to offer, she is indulging her wanderlust spirit by brainstorming their family's next new adventure. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Susanna's posts here.