Retreat flashback from October 2025:
I woke this morning not by hearing birds singing, but by an alarming discovery of a loud chirping sound above my head. After coming to some sense of alertness, I realized that sound was the smoke detector informing me that it was time to change the battery.
I glanced at my phone. It was 4:30am – on the last day of my retreat, while attempting to sleep in one last time before returning to reality. So much for that idea.
However, I got up and thanked the Lord for having a good night’s rest (up to that point, at least). I removed the smoke detector from its wall plate and promptly stuck it outside on a table on the screened porch. Although, I could still hear the loud beeping sound every 30 seconds (yes, I timed it), at least it was somewhat muted.
I then began my morning prayer ritual, albeit much earlier that I would have preferred. With cup of tea by my side, I prayed the Liturgy of the Hours. While praying the Office readings, I read a letter from St. Augustine where he was writing about the importance of prayer at appointed hours. (Although I’m not sure if he meant that early when the smoke detector battery indicator went off.)
He also wrote about the length of prayer and that it was not wrong or useless to pray for a long time where there was an opportunity. But he also indicated to pray for a longer time doesn’t mean that we should be multiplying words. Excessive talking should be kept out of prayer, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t spend much time in prayer – as long as we have a fervent attitude.
Remember, in prayer we can place our petitions before the Lord. But then, we need to be silent and listen for what the Lord has to say to us. That alone could extend our prayer time, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Then Augustine wrote this sentence that I want to share with you:
“To spend much time in prayer is to knock with a persistent and holy fervor at the door of the One whom we beseech.”
I love this image of us standing at the door and knocking. That’s really what prayer is all about. Our knocking is our cry to the Lord as we place our prayers and petitions at his door. He will gladly hear all we have to say. But then we need to be silent and wait for him to open the door and for him to speak. God will then tell us that he hears our cries and that he loves us. We need to hear those words of comfort, and that will only happen when we silence ourselves and truly listen.
“When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you.” ~Jeremiah 29:12
Prayer is a powerful thing. Check out this story.
