SAINT NICHOLAS, BISHOP (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Strengthen the hands that are feeble.

Jerusalem was under threat of foreign invasion; national morale was at a low point; it even felt to some that God had abandoned them. But Isaiah countered the glum environment by promising that it would not always be like that. “Hold on to your faith!” he cried. A time will come when “the parched land will exult.” It may feel like you’re in a harsh, dry desert, but “the burning sands will become pools” (Isaiah 35:1, 7).

We all know what it’s like to experience a season of dryness in prayer. It’s hard to motivate ourselves. We feel as if we are talking to a wall, not to the Lord. We don’t feel any consolation or affirmation as we try to connect with the Spirit. We may wonder what God is doing or whether he is listening to us at all. These are the times when we need to take Isaiah’s invaluable advice: “Don’t give up!”

Times of dry prayer can become rich opportunities for us to build our foundation of faith. And as any builder knows, you want your foundation to be solid and unshakable. You want it to be able to withstand any trouble.

Uncomfortable though they are, dry periods give us the chance to build such a foundation. They help us build our prayer life on the solid truths of our faith and not just on our emotions, which come and go. They urge us to spend our prayer time recalling the awesome attributes of the God who loves us, whether we feel it or not.

One good strategy for building your foundation of prayer is to spend the time contemplating the creed that we say at Mass. Recite it slowly and tell the Lord that you believe in everything you are saying. Don’t just look for God’s comfort; look for his truth. Believe that he is still at work, even in hidden ways. Look at the cross and place your faith in Jesus’ resurrection, even if you don’t feel like a new creation at that moment.

So don’t give up. Strengthen your weak knees. Persevere. Know that God always rewards those who persist in honoring and trusting in him.

“Jesus, thank you for those times of dryness when you call me to seek you more deeply. I trust that you are using them to make me strong in your Spirit.”

Psalm 85:9-14
Luke 5:17-26
Isaiah 35:1-10