“Prayer is like love. Words pour at first. Then we are more silent and can communicate in monosyllables. In difficulties a gesture is enough, a word, or nothing at all—love is enough. Thus the time comes when words are superfluous. . . . The soul converses with God with a single loving glance, although this may often be accompanied by dryness and suffering.” - Carlo Carretto
"The whole reason why we pray is to be united into the vision and contemplation of God to whom we pray." - Julian of Norwich
"Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God." -Teresa of Avila
"Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." - St. Therese of Lisieux
“The experience of having our prayers go cold, as distressing as it is, signals a major transition in the life of prayer and thus in our relationship with God. It signals an invitation to deeper levels of intimacy that will move us beyond communication, which primarily involves words and concepts, into communion, which is primarily beyond words. If there are any words at all, they are reduced to the simplest and most visceral expressions. In Christian tradition, there are several signs that indicate we are transitioning into a new phase in the life of prayer: What you are doing isn’t working, no matter how much effort you put into it. You find yourself asking, Is this all there is? Your desire for God continues to be strong even though you have no desire for anything external—words, images, previous structures for prayer, including the Scriptures. While these things may still be present to some extent, you are not attracted to them anymore. Words fail. The hunger for intimacy—to just hang out with God—is all there is. You find yourself enjoying being alone, aware of God’s presence without structured activity. In the deepest part of your being, you know that God alone can satisfy the longings of the human heart, and other things fade in importance. There is no attraction to thought, meditation, or any other human activity or achievement. This last condition is most important, for it justifies the other two and indicates a readiness to leave words behind and remain with God alone in an act of love. This transitional place in the life of prayer can be frightening, because it requires us to let go of what we have known in order to open ourselves to something new. It can feel as if we are being ripped from the safety and familiarity of a known space and our roots are dangling in midair. Whereas the old space held us snugly and we felt secure there, now we are being transplanted to a space that is less protected and less structured. We are left feeling vulnerable and unsure, like a tender sapling exposed to the wind and the elements.” - Ruth Haley Barton
