Like a Ripening Apple


When I was ordained, one of the spiritual disciplines I took on was reading from the Bible every day. I have a book (an ordination gift) that has daily readings and the church's weekly readings from the Bible, and then a selection of readings from the compilers' favorite authors.

A quote from Thomas Merton out of one of last week's readings for reflections sticks with me: "How does an apple ripen? It sits in the sun."

I think the unpredictability of prayer life - sometimes it feels fruitful, sometimes it feels dry - is part of the larger experience of being acted upon by God. It's paradoxical in a way - prayer is something people do, of course - but at the same time, prayer is something God does to and with us.