Leech Life Of Prayer Analysis

When Leech elaborates about the practice for the life of prayer, he stresses that “the most fundamental of these obstacles is, of course, sin.” (p.163) We are human as created whole and not with the capacity for wholeness. By grace we are restored to that wholeness. We do not achieve it or find it. We were created human by grace and therefore, sin, as human self-contradiction presupposes our grace-created humanness. We need the grace so that we can be restored back and continue the practice of the life of prayer.
Leech continues to say that “the best preparation for the life of prayer is to become more intensely human. Sin diminishes and distorts one’s humanity. Lack of self-knowledge and inability to relate to people are both signs that …show more content…
He elaborates that “social adjustment is frequently seen as an objective, while issues of social criticism are ignored. Kathleen Heasman even goes so far as to define counseling as ‘a relationship in which one person endeavors to help another to understand and to solve his difficulties of adjustment to society.’ But the adjustment to society is a highly dubious goal for the Christian. One American liberal writer, Daniel Day Williams, strongly criticized the tendency in the counseling movement to see freedom from anguish and the attainment of inner peace as an end. To exist in such a state within a society so marred by injustice and lack of true peace as ours was, he argued an untenable position.” (p.98) Pastoral counselling usually tries to help people adjust to their families and social situations. The spiritual director is helping another person to search for God and the goal is to be becoming in God. My understanding is that the attitude of the spiritual director should be to let God’s will be carried out in the other person and also to recognize only God is responsible for whatever healing or growth happens in the other person. Humanity is not only defined by the other human, but there is an important part defined by the Word of God. We should be doing what God calls us to do and work towards the transformation of our own lives, and through them to our communities. This kind of life, a new life, requires humility and courage, and the support of a community of faith to endure the journey. We should turn to God and confess of our agreement with contemporary social expectations, and confess of our being socially well adjusted instead of seeking reconciliation with God and the Christian community. The work of spiritual direction is to help us to be transformed until we “reach unity in the