St. John Vianney and Prayer

Meditation Three

What is prayer? St. John Vianney teaches us some powerful things about prayer. This is the third in a series of reflections on his instructions about prayer.

Have you ever melted wax? When wax is cold, it is hard and stiff. But when it warms up, it becomes soft and flexible. If two pieces of wax get melted together, they become just one piece of wax. You can’t tell where one stops and the other begins.

Prayer is like heating up a piece of wax. God wants our hearts to be united with him. We’re supposed to love others as he loves them, and we can only do that if the Spirit of his love is within us. But if our hearts stay cold and hard, they can’t be united with him. Prayer warms and softens our hearts so that they melt and become one with the heart of Jesus. With Jesus, we can give ourselves to the Father through the love of the Holy Spirit.