As central foundations of Christian spirituality and life, prayer and service stand as two fundamental pillars of faith. However, it is crucial to understand that the efficacy of these practices lies not only in their performance but also in the attention and love with which they are carried out.
The Desert Fathers, early Christian hermits, monks, and ascetics who lived mainly in the Scetes desert of Egypt, placed great emphasis on what they called the “prayer of the heart.” This concept goes beyond mere verbal prayer to encompass a state of constant communion with God. Their teaching emphasizes that the “prayer of the heart” is not just about words or mental concepts, but about cultivating a constant awareness of God’s presence. It involves stilling the mind, purifying the heart, and maintaining an inner disposition of love and openness to God.
St. Augustine echoes this sentiment in his commentary on Psalm 33: “The entire life of a good Christian is a holy desire.” This desire for God, rooted in love, is what gives prayer its power and efficacy. This desire isn’t just about wanting to be with God in the afterlife. Rather, it’s about a constant orientation of the heart and mind towards God in this life. It involves seeking to align one’s will with God’s will, growing in virtue, and deepening one’s relationship with God.
Augustine sees this holy desire as transformative. As Christians cultivate this desire for God, they are gradually changed, becoming more like the object of their desire. This process of transformation through desire is, for Augustine, the essence of the Christian life.
Jesus Himself emphasized the importance of attentiveness in prayer in Matthew 6:7: “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” This teaching underscores that it’s not the quantity of words but the quality of our attention and intention that matters in prayer.
And the importance of love in prayer is beautifully captured by St. Teresa of Avila, who wrote in The Way of Perfection: “Prayer is an act of love. Words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.” (vida 8)
The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, eloquently captures the essence of this truth: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). While Paul speaks of spiritual gifts in this context, the principle applies equally to prayer. Words uttered without love, no matter how eloquent or pious, fail to reach the heart of God.
And just as prayer without love is ineffective, so too is service devoid of genuine charity. We turn again to St. Paul’s words: “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). This striking statement challenges us to examine the motivations behind our acts of service.
St. John Chrysostom reinforces this idea in his homilies on Matthew: “For what is the profit, when we fast indeed, but strike our brethren? What is the gain, when we withdraw indeed from flesh, but devour the flesh of our brethren?” Here, Chrysostom highlights the contradiction of religious observance without love for others.
When service flows from a heart of love, it becomes a powerful expression of faith. Jesus Himself set the ultimate example of loving service: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). This sacrificial love becomes the model for all Christian service.
Pope Benedict, writes in his Encyclical letter Deus Caritas Est, that “the Church’s deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: of proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia), and exercising the ministry of charity (diakonia). These duties presuppose each other and are inseparable”. (#25)
In conclusion, the teachings of Scripture, the Magisterium, and the Church Fathers all converge on this fundamental truth: love and attentiveness are the essential ingredients that give both prayer and service their power and meaning. Prayer without love and attention becomes empty words; service without love becomes mere action. But when love infuses our prayers and our acts of service, and when we approach them with full attention, we truly embody the Christian ideal and draw closer to God and our fellow human beings.
As we strive to love God and make him loved, let us remember that it is not the quantity of our prayers or the magnitude of our service that matters most, but the love and attention with which we pray and serve. For in the end, as St. John of the Cross reminds us, “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.”
Pierre-Alain Giffard, Director of Pastoral Work
Articles on evangelization and parish revitalization:
- The Transformative Power of Love
- The Evangelization Power of Prayer and Love for God
- Everyday Evangelization
- Every Act of Love is Evangelization
- Loving Jesus and Making Him Loved
- Embracing a Lifestyle of Worship and Praise
- A Prayer for Divine Healing and Restoration
- Factors That Have Proven to Attract People to Christ
- Evangelization: Finding Life and Giving Life
- The Eucharist: Source And Summit of All Evangelization
- Practical Steps for Reaching the Unchurched
- Bible Sharing Guide for Small Groups: A Synodal Approach
- Bringing People to Christ by Inspiring Love and Praise for God
- Proclaiming God’s Word: A Sacred Call
- From Decline to Renewal: The Transformation of New Life Church–Farmington
- The Church’s Social Doctrine and Evangelization
- Kindness: A Christian Perspective
- How to Bring Someone to Christ
- The Ultimate Purpose of Human Life – Glorifying God
- From Near-Death to New Life: A Rural Church’s Revitalization Journey
- Evangelization simply: “Taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8)
- Revitalization of Rural Churches
- Attracting Converts to the Catholic Faith
- Addressing Low Attendance in Churches
- Fostering a Sacred Atmosphere during the Sunday Mass
- Prayer to be baptized in the Holy Spirit
- Jesus is Thirsty for Souls
- Praying And Sharing The Good News With God’s Redemptive Names
- Embracing the Call to Evangelize
- What is Most Pleasing to God? Bringing Souls to Christ
- The Growth of the Church of the Nativity (Fr. Michael White)
- Deliverance Prayer, by Fr. Stephen J. Rossetti (AUDIO – mp3)
- The Growth of Saint Benedict Parish (Fr. James Mallon)
- Five Pillars of the Christian Life
- Encountering Christ: The Path to Transformation
- What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus?
- Unleashing The Evangelization Potential of Your Parish
- The Ultimate Goal of Evangelization
- God’s Longing for Love and our Mission to Make it Known
- A prayer for those whom we wish to encounter Christ
- Memorable Sundays
- Fr. Bedard’s Three-Step Blueprint for Evangelisation
- Guide for The Missionary Transformation of Parishes
- Divine Encounters: A Practical Guide for Small Evangelization Groups
- The Missionary Transformation of Sant’Eustorgio Parish
- Creating Vibrant Faith Communities: Insights from ‘Excellent Catholic Parishes’
- Sharing The Gospel According to People’s Needs And Receptivity
- A Prayer for Inviting Others to Evangelization Meetings and Services
- Welcoming Church Guests and Visitors: Dos and Don’ts
- Various Dimensions of Evangelization
- The True Measure of Success
- Pope Francis on Evangelization
- Revitalizing the Rural Parish for Mission
- Factors Leading to Christian Conversion
- Evangelizing Through Random Acts of Kindness
- Questions To Start Spiritual Conversations
- Three Feet From Gold
- Spreading the Gospel One Act at a Time
- Gather, Witness and Invite
- Prayer to Receive the Spiritual Gifts of The Holy Spirit
- The Language of Evangelization
- Key Factors for Parish Growth According to Rich Birch
- How to defeat Satan?
- Bringing Love, Hope and Healing Through the Gospel
- Love: Our Fundamental Vocation
- Touched by the Master
- A Man, a Dog, and the Ultimate Love
- The essence of evangelization: Loving God and our neighbours
- Loving Our Enemies and Reconciling with Others
- A Powerful Prayer for Healing: You Are The LORD Who Heals Me
- Living a Life of Love: Mother Teresa’s Legacy
- Living a Life of Love: Lessons from the New Testament
- In The Shadows Of Darkness, A Powerful Force Is At Work
- 19 Pastoral Orientations for Parish Renewal and Growth
- The Missionary Renewal of Catechesis
- Characteristics of missionary parishes
- Powerful healing prayer attributed to St. Padre Pio
- We are called to share our faith with others
- Should we seek to grow the Church?
- Find a Need and Fill It – Revealing God’s Heart in the Community
- 15 Habits to Evangelize on a Daily Basis
- The Church’s Mission
- Three Barriers to Building An Invitational Culture In Your Parish
- The Relational Evangelizer
- Doing Church at Home
- The Blind Girl
- A Group of Frogs
- The Elephant Rope
- A Shared Faith is a Growing Faith
- In The Shoes Of The Unchurched
- Parish Evangelizing Cells
- Six Unique Features of Missional Parishes
- Steps Towards Becoming A Missional Parish
- What Is Evangelization, And How Should It Be Carried Out?
- Discussion And Self-Assessment Questions For Parish Evangelization
- A Missional Church Is A Church That Prays
- The Jesus Prayer: A Method To Pray At All Times
- What can help children raised Catholic continue practicing the faith as adults?
- An Example of a Missionary Parish: Phoenix First Assembly of God
- Satan’s Tactics
- Learning to Be a Missionary
- When we cry out to God, he answers
- Presence and Proclamation
- Saving those who are lost
- Saint-Nazaire Parish: The story of a missionary transformation
- Small Groups and Evangelization
- Evangelizing By Inviting People To Receive Jesus As Lord And Saviour
- You Will Receive Power…
- Have You Heard About the Law of Three Hearings and Seven Touches?
- Three Habits of a Fruitful Christian Life
