Letting Yourself Be Loved: Prayer and the Holy Trinity, by Lawton Brinkman

Many years ago, Father George L. Thomas knocked on the door of a small rectory at Saint Thomas the Apostle Seminary. Residing there was the Metropolitan of Seattle, Hunthausen. When asked what he was doing before being interrupted by Thomas, he stated “I’m sitting here letting Jesus love me.” In those seven words, Hunthausen revealed a deep truth of ascetical theology.

For many people, Catholics and non-Catholics, prayer is not fully taught. It’s seen as a given.

Several years ago, one of my parish priests, a great mentor, gave me Peter Kreeft’s Prayer for Beginners after lunch. At first, it was a rather shocking gift. In many regards, it seemed insulting prima facie. However, there was great wisdom in his gift. In all my years as a Catholic, I had never been properly taught how to pray, rather viewing it in simple binary. I was always told that prayer is “a conversation with God.” This definition is not wrong, but it can be taken the wrong way. …

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