Experiencing God - Attentiveness is to pray 161

"My brothers and sisters, some have informed me that there are quarrels among you.  What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided?
First Corinthians

Saint Paul was a community builder. He knew what was needed at a particular point in time to engage the people he encountered. He could be inviting and attentive to the people's needs, or challenge them to grow in their faith. He was a master at "paying attention" to whatever would arise in order to provide what was needed at that moment. Such discernment would require much prayer on his part.  

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul is dealing with a problem that has risen in their community. The people are taking sides. They are picking the leader that they favor based on personal preference, and then creating division over their choice. As a result, a lot of wrangling and jealousy was creeping into their discussions. Paul gives his attention to this matter, and challenges them to look at what is happening and what they are doing.

In a sense, we are all called to be pastors for one another. Churches are such that no one person can do it alone. We have to know when to be inviting, when to encourage, when to make that emotional connection with another, in order to create an environment that is welcoming and safe. This is how relationships begin. This is how relationships are nourished. And then again, we have to be attentive to those circumstances that occur that give way to divisions and factions, and not contribute to their escalation. This requires our attentiveness - not only to see but to discern the corrective action that will lead to unity. Without prayer, this is very difficult.

The Gospel story about the Good Samaritan is really a story about attentiveness. It was the Good Samaritan who saw the man at the roadside, recognized his need, and then out of compassion, stopped to care for those needs.  

The Gospels are full of stories of Jesus giving attention to the needs of those he encounters. This seems to be His prime initiative. "Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was very sick. She had a high fever. They asked Jesus to do something to help her.  He stood very close to her and ordered the sickness to go away. The sickness left her, and she got up and began serving them."  This story from the Gospel of Luke is just one example of Jesus' attentiveness to the needs of those around Him.  But even this incident is followed by an action that is obviously an important source of this attentiveness.  "When day light came, Jesus left the house and made His way to a lonely place to pray."

Attentiveness to the Spirit, to see what is happening and to discern how to respond is so closely linked to prayer.  In fact, when we pray, we experience Jesus giving us His attention.  It is an attention that guides us personally in our day to day decisions.  It is this same attention that guides our communities in their times of tensions and difficulties.  Without prayer, we have only our somewhat compulsive and limited human ways to direct us.  We become like sheep without a shepherd, subject to the prey of whatever may come along.  If Jesus had to pray for discernment, then we surely need to pray as well.