Praying is not the same as meditating

Today 'meditating' to calm down has become fashionable: breathing, emptying the mind, finding balance. It is fine to seek peace, but Christian prayer is something else, and it is worth not confusing them. It is not a technique to relax or a journey into yourself: it is an encounter with Someone. To pray is to speak with a God who is personal, who knows you and waits for you. That is why it is not a monologue with yourself, but a dialogue. And even if you are alone, you are never truly alone: you are united to the whole Church, to those who join you across time and distance. The difference shows at the core. Fashionable meditation turns you back into yourself; prayer takes you out of yourself toward God and toward others. It is not closing your eyes to disconnect, but to meet with the One who loves you.