After thirteen years in the seminary I thought I should be proficient in prayer but it wasn’t happening. I even got an additonal degree in Spiritual Theology to see if that would help. My prayer never seemed to match up to all of the books I was reading about prayer. What was I doing wrong? Happily at that point I made a retreat with the Indian Jesuit, Anthony DeMello, who taught us that everyone’s prayer was unique. God calls us by name, hence our prayer will not be like others. The example of Samuel — At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD — demonstrates one common aspect of prayer: perserverance. Samuel’s willingness to keep saying “Here I am” in God’s time received a response.
