Focus

Acts 20:17-27
Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21
John 17:1-11

…he raised his eyes to heaven… - John 17:1

In the little book The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis details the training correspondence between a chief demon (Screwtape) to a junior demon (Wormwood). It’s a very witty, deep and interesting book - I was able to understand it better since I read the comics version. He he. In it, Screwtape says when the human prays, “Make sure that he only concentrates on the corner of the ceiling or crucifix.” Focus on the object, he stresses.

I’ve wondered about this: Why do we look up to heaven when we pray? Is this instinctive? Reading back into John 17 we get a glimpse of Jesus actually saying a long prayer. Notice how he starts though. Verse 1 says, “He raised his eyes to heaven.” I’m not a literal Bible reader but I know that’s literal - and not symbolic.

We take after Jesus then, when we arise our eyes to heaven to pray alone, as he did. When done inside the house however, it doesn’t matter if we are looking at the corner of the ceiling, as long as our minds are in heaven. Remember though, it’s not in the looking in the direction of heaven that counts. It’s in the placing of our minds and hearts in heaven. Jomar H.

Reflection: When you pray and your mind strays, do you re-align to God repeatedly? Or just give up?

For our sustenance, we look to You alone.

St. Bobo, hermit, pray for us.