Press Summary: Sometimes praying while you breathe can be a beautiful experience, letting yourself be in the presence of God.

During the day I often try to pray about my choices and experiences, being attentive to the echoes of what I am experiencing. However, I don’t often pray with my breath, placing myself in the presence of God and slowing down to listen to him.

When I am reminded of this, I try to start over and redouble my efforts to pray in this way. When I pray while I am breathing, I can feel the holy effects of availability to God. Suddenly, the project that was taking away my peace, despite remaining chaotic and unresolved, no longer possesses me and throws me into anxiety. In an instant, I turn to God with the heart of a disciple, one who is attentive and wants to dedicate himself to the mission at hand, doing everything possible in the company of Jesus.

Do I approach prayer only when I need to ask for things, like someone who only approaches the table only when he’s hungry? This is one of my shortcomings. This is not where I want to be.

In this “breathing prayer,” there is a discovery of life in the Spirit— a way of receiving grace from God. Praying is not only asking God for what I need but also staying with the Lord and giving thanks to him. Why don’t I do it more often?

Francisco Almeida Maia
(Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network – Portugal)