Mar
21
2019
By Anonymous (not verified)
Saint Faustina's spiritual life - particularly her informal way of speaking to God - has long inspired Vinny Flynn. An author, speaker, and former executive editor for the Marian Fathers, Vinny has a new book, Mass & Adoration Companion (TAN Books), written with his daughter Erin. Intended to help readers develop a more intimate relationship with God, the book includes versions of ancient and modern prayers that guide readers to a Eucharistic spirituality, such as St. Faustina lived. Vinny recently spoke with us about the project.
What does St. Faustina have to teach us about prayer?
Years ago, when I learned about St. Faustina, I was deeply moved by how she spoke with God. She actually got into a lot of trouble with the other sisters who would say things to her like, "Who do you think you are to talk to God like that?" They had overheard her praying to the Lord in the most intimate way. But what she had received from the Lord was the realization that He wanted a close, personal relationship with her without the formality or distance. In putting the book together, we gathered prayers, including some that we wrote ourselves, to help people develop that kind of intimacy with God, to move beyond being merely spectators during Mass and Adoration, to be present and actively involved with God, who wants a real and personal relationship with each of us.
Sadly, many of us were taught differently.
Yes. I grew up pre-Vatican II and was raised with a strong emphasis on recited prayers and memorized things. I was well into adulthood until it occurred to me that God wanted a one-on-one relationship with me. Since then, in my private prayer life, I've moved away from prayers that don't intimately and honestly express what I'm thinking and feeling. In the book, we present prayers that represent this approach, and we strongly encourage readers to make whatever changes to the prayers seem most natural for them. There's value to memorized prayer, of course. But we must remember that when we pray, ultimately, we are to lift the mind and heart to God.
Saint Therese spoke of this.
Yes, in the book I quote her when she wrote that prayer is, above all, a "surge of the heart toward God." That blew me away. In true prayer, our hearts reach toward the Heart of God.
Throughout St. Faustina's Diary, we read how she drew strength daily through prayer.
Exactly. I was recently giving a talk, and I thought of the famous song "From a Distance." You know that song? "From a distance, God is watching us. ..." The words bother me. It should be, "From a nearness, God is loving us." But many of us grew up with that concept that He's far away. He's not. We see in the Divine Mercy Image that He's stepping toward us. He's pursuing us. What He needs is a deeper "yes" from us to let Him come closer. This echoes to some extent what Christ said to His disciples: "I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends" (Jn 15:15). When I was a kid, nobody told me that Christ wants to be my friend. We offer this book to help others grow in their friendship with Christ.
Visit ShopMercy.org ShopMercy.org or call 1-800-462-7426 to order Mass & Adoration Companion (Product code:
FM-MAAC, $29.95).
What does St. Faustina have to teach us about prayer?
Years ago, when I learned about St. Faustina, I was deeply moved by how she spoke with God. She actually got into a lot of trouble with the other sisters who would say things to her like, "Who do you think you are to talk to God like that?" They had overheard her praying to the Lord in the most intimate way. But what she had received from the Lord was the realization that He wanted a close, personal relationship with her without the formality or distance. In putting the book together, we gathered prayers, including some that we wrote ourselves, to help people develop that kind of intimacy with God, to move beyond being merely spectators during Mass and Adoration, to be present and actively involved with God, who wants a real and personal relationship with each of us.
Sadly, many of us were taught differently.
Yes. I grew up pre-Vatican II and was raised with a strong emphasis on recited prayers and memorized things. I was well into adulthood until it occurred to me that God wanted a one-on-one relationship with me. Since then, in my private prayer life, I've moved away from prayers that don't intimately and honestly express what I'm thinking and feeling. In the book, we present prayers that represent this approach, and we strongly encourage readers to make whatever changes to the prayers seem most natural for them. There's value to memorized prayer, of course. But we must remember that when we pray, ultimately, we are to lift the mind and heart to God.
Saint Therese spoke of this.
Yes, in the book I quote her when she wrote that prayer is, above all, a "surge of the heart toward God." That blew me away. In true prayer, our hearts reach toward the Heart of God.
Throughout St. Faustina's Diary, we read how she drew strength daily through prayer.
Exactly. I was recently giving a talk, and I thought of the famous song "From a Distance." You know that song? "From a distance, God is watching us. ..." The words bother me. It should be, "From a nearness, God is loving us." But many of us grew up with that concept that He's far away. He's not. We see in the Divine Mercy Image that He's stepping toward us. He's pursuing us. What He needs is a deeper "yes" from us to let Him come closer. This echoes to some extent what Christ said to His disciples: "I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends" (Jn 15:15). When I was a kid, nobody told me that Christ wants to be my friend. We offer this book to help others grow in their friendship with Christ.
Visit ShopMercy.org ShopMercy.org or call 1-800-462-7426 to order Mass & Adoration Companion (Product code:
FM-MAAC, $29.95).
MAAC
