If there’s one truth that can transform our entire approach to prayer, it’s this: Jesus thirsts for you.
Not just for your prayers, your good intentions, or your to-do list of devotions—He thirsts for you. For your attention, your heart – your trust.
Those two simple words—I thirst—adorn every chapel of the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order founded by St. Teresa of Calcutta. Just beneath the crucifix, in bold, unmistakable letters: I thirst. These words aren’t merely poetic or symbolic. For Mother Teresa, they captured the very heart of Jesus.
And not just His heart for humanity in general—His heart for you.
A Personal Invitation
Too often, we treat Jesus’ thirst as something abstract. He thirsts for the souls of the world. He thirsts for the lost. That’s true, of course. But Mother Teresa insisted on something deeper: Jesus thirsts for you, personally. He wants your love, your attention, your time. He wants you to sit with Him, speak with Him, and let Him love you.
She would tell her sisters to go before the Tabernacle and hear Jesus say, “I thirst”—but to insert their own name before the words.
Catherine, I thirst. Michael, I thirst. John, I thirst.
This isn’t a metaphor. It’s a call to intimacy. A God who needs nothing has chosen to long for your heart.
The Heart of Prayer Isn’t Productivity
In our culture, even our spiritual lives can become infected with the desire to perform. We check boxes: the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, a podcast or two. These are beautiful and important practices. But they are not a substitute for real prayer—the kind of prayer that St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross called mental prayer.
Mental prayer is not complicated. It’s simply time set aside each day—ideally 20 to 30 minutes—to be with God, to read a passage of Scripture or a spiritual text, and to speak with Him about it. Not just to study it but to bring it into a conversation of the heart. Lord, what are You saying to me here? How do You want me to respond? Where are You asking me to trust You more?
This is the kind of prayer that draws us inward into what Teresa of Avila famously called the Interior Castle. That castle is the soul—and the King dwells in the innermost chamber. But too often, we are stuck on the outskirts, tempted, distracted, even by good things.
The Saints remind us: if we want to become holy, if we want to become who we’re meant to be, we must enter within. That begins with quiet, consistent, daily prayer.
Need help getting started? Check out A Simple Guide to Creating a Daily Prayer Routine for easy steps to build a habit that lasts.
When Prayer Feels Like Scribbles
But what about when prayer doesn’t go well? When our minds wander? When we feel dry or discouraged?
Years ago, one of my daughters gave me a picture she had drawn of me. To be honest, it didn’t look much like me. It was just scribbles. But I loved it—not because of its artistic quality, but because she gave it to me. She wanted to love her dad. That made it beautiful.
Your prayer might feel like scribbles. But if you’re giving God your best, He sees beyond the mess. He sees your heart.
And even when we don’t feel anything in prayer—even when it seems like God is far away—the Saints tell us: that may be the moment He is drawing you closest. As St. Catherine of Siena wrote, God sometimes withdraws the sense of His presence to test our hearts. Will we love Him for who He is and not just for His gifts?
That’s the journey of real love.
The Daily Decision
Prayer isn’t just something we do. It’s where we discover who we are and who God is.
Make the decision today to give God not just your words or your works but your heart. Set aside time. Turn off your phone. Show up in silence.
Let Jesus speak.
You don’t need to pray perfectly.
You just need to show up.
Because the One who thirsts for you is already waiting.
Additional Resources
We have all the resources you could need to improve and grow your prayer life.
Want to learn how to hear God speak through Scripture? Check out this article on An Easy Guide to Praying Lectio Divina.
Curious about Ignatian prayer? How to Pray: A Step-by-Step Guide to Ignatian Contemplation walks you through a powerful way to enter into the life of Christ through your imagination.
Looking for something simple and structured? How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet is a great devotion to incorporate into your daily routine.
Need help staying focused at home? Creating a Sacred Space: How to Set Up a Prayer Space in Your Home offers practical ideas for designing a prayerful environment.
Check out this video from Sr. Mary Grace, S.V. from SEEK, sharing 7 Life-Changing Tips for Prayer, and be inspired to build a habit of daily prayer that lasts.
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