Thursday in the First Week of Lent

When I was a young monk I noticed Br. Kevin spending a lot of time praying in church, I asked him, “Why do you spend so much time praying in church?”  He replied, “Because prayer is never wasted, it is always worthwhile.”  That made a deep impression on me about the value of every prayer.

I remember reading a short story titled “The Lady or the Tiger” in which the hero is faced with a dilemma.  He is in a coliseum standing before two doors.  Behind one of them there’s a beautiful maiden. If he opens that door she will be his.  Behind the other there’s a ferocious, hungry tiger.  If he opens that door he is finished.1

But Jesus teaches us that when we pray there will always be a something good behind every door.  Our prayers will always be answered with what is good for ourselves or for others.

  1. Frank Stockton, The Lady or the Tiger and other Short Stories, TOR.