A Life of Prayer is a Life of Love – Sr Yvonne Pepper, RNDM
Many years ago I read a message on a fridge magnet, something to the effect of: The extra-ordinary can only be seen in the ordinary. That thought has stayed with me ever since, pondering how it could be and what makes it possible. Now, after many years in Religious Life, I have found a satisfying and workable answer: “It is the ability to make the earthly transcendent.” [BBC1 Something Understood] It was suggested that the “ability” is a kind of “ether”—something intangible, heavenly, spiritual, causing a change, taking us to another sphere. I like to think that it is “God’s Spirit hovering over the deep” creating the world. Gen1:1.
For me this leads to a way of transforming words into heartfelt, emotional contact with God, just as prose changes to poetry, by the words we use. “The Word is alive and active; it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely . . . it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts . . . [Hebrews 4:12] Yes, words used thoughtfully have the ability to lead us to THE WORD very powerfully.
We have just passed through Lent and Passiontide and are now celebrating the Greatest Feast of Easter. The beautiful and moving Liturgies, which expressed deep emotions of suffering, fear, death, and amazing joy, so keenly that they had the power to make us feel not only part of everything but especially the all-pervading presence of God. Aristotle was right when he claimed the Heart was the seat of the soul and emotions!
So to make my prayer come from the heart I try to feel and picture the words. The word ‘silence’ a beautiful word, spoken slowly and gently becomes silence and Silence is God’s Love. ‘Alleluia!’ This just has to be said or sung, well enunciated, in sheer joy. The Heart can do that! Feel colour e.g. green—meadows lying peacefully over the earth—God’s amazing creation. In order to acquire Wisdom, a father advices his son: “listen carefully to my words . . . Keep them deep in your 
heart . . .” Proverbs 4:20.
Finally, how can you make the ordinary, extraordinary; the earthly transcendent? In this case, by making words LIVE.
I would recommend reading or singing the Song “Trees” sung by Paul Robeson. You will never say again: “So what, it’s a tree?
(Image: Vecleezy).