Embracing weakness, as Saint Paul reminds us, is our very path toward becoming strong in and through God’s love and strength. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:10)

The very essence of prayer reminds us that we cannot do anything on our own. That which matters most, our intimate connection with the divine, is at the same time the highest and the hardest goal to attain – indeed, the very purpose of life. And so prayer is both asking for help knowing how to relate with the infinite and putting it into practice. We both beg God to help us know, love, and serve him and actually put knowledge, love, and service into practice through our time of prayer.

The result is that humility must always be present. God doesn’t ask us to go it alone; he created us weak and needy; we are supposed to rely on him so that we can successfully rely on him.