“Jesus likes to give himself to simple souls; we must make an effort to acquire this beautiful virtue of simplicity and to hold it in great esteem.”
—Letters, Vol. 1, 677-78
“Stay with me, Lord . . .” That was the prayer Padre Pio often recited—simple, straightforward, to the point. It is a reminder to us that prayers don’t need to be lengthy or filled with scholarly words and phrases. Have you ever heard a child pray? There’s a beauty in the simplicity of their conversations with God.
Perhaps we should try to emulate that. Sometimes prayers such as “Help,” “Thanks,” or “Give me strength” simply and powerfully express the message we wish to convey to Christ. Even if our prayers can only come out in short, simple expressions, God hears them.
In Padre Pio’s Own Words
I am experiencing a very strong desire—without, however, attaining it most of the time—to live every moment of my life loving the Lord. I want to keep myself very close to him and hold his hand as I joyfully walk the sorrowful path on which he has placed me.
But I say, with a heavy heart, with consternation in my soul, and with shame on my face, my desires do not in fact correspond to the reality.
It takes only the least little thing for me to get agitated. All I have to do is forget your reassurances to me and I am flinging myself into the darkest spiritual confusion that makes me suffer terribly day and night…. I want to think only about Jesus. I want my heart to beat only and always for him, and I have promised all this to Jesus in earnest. But alas! I realize only too well that my mind wanders or even ceases to function in a difficult spiritual trial, and then my heart can do nothing except languish in that sorrow.
(To Fr. Benedetto of San Marco in Lamis, March 6, 1917)
Prayer
St. Pio, help us remember that Christ is always with us, even when we don’t feel that he is near.
