“Prayer is not a request for God’s favors. True, it has been used to obtain the satisfaction of personal desires. It has even been adopted to reinforce prejudices, justify violence, and create barriers between people and between countries. But genuine prayer is based on recognizing the Origin of all that exists, and opening ourselves to it… In prayer we acknowledge God as the supreme source from which flows all strength, all goodness, all existence, acknowledging that we have our being, life itself from this supreme Power. One can then communicate with this Source, worship it, and ultimately place one’s very center in it.”

–Piero Ferrucci, Ineffable Grace

[Following on the invitation of Sunday’s gospel reflection to live into God’s Spirit within, this week’s quotes come from Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening by Cynthia Bourgeault (Cowley Publications, 2004).]