You may have heard the old adage in the church: “lex orandi, lex credendi.” It translates to “the law of prayer is the law of belief.” I’ve always thought of this concept through the example of the Eucharist: how you receive the Eucharist affects what you believe about the Eucharist. If you treat it like a potato chip, then it will be nothing more than a potato chip to you.
However, recently, I came across a slightly different explanation. Yes, how we receive the Eucharist matters, but that we receive the Eucharist matters, arguably more. Someone might say, I don’t believe in the Eucharist, therefore I won’t receive. And someone else might say, I want to believe in the Eucharist, therefore I will receive.
Or to draw a personal parallel, I’ve had seasons in my life where I’ve consistently prayed a daily rosary, and seasons where I haven’t. When I haven’t, among other excuses like work, family life, having a baby, etc., is the fact that I just haven’t felt particularly drawn to the devotion. My relationship with Mary wasn’t that strong.
But here’s the difference. We don’t always pray a rosary because we are so in love with the Blessed Virgin, we pray the rosary to love the Blessed Virgin.
It’d be like saying, “I don’t want to start dating this person, because I’m not in love with them.” Versus, “I’m going to date this person, so that I might fall in love.”
It’s not just a matter of how, but that we pray.
So in practical terms, if you struggle with belief in the Eucharist, or a relationship with Mary, or something else in the faith, maybe the very thing you struggle with, is the very thing you should do, to help you in that struggle.
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, You know our hearts. You know our strengths and our weaknesses. Draw us close to You through the paths that You choose. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
