Like many of people, I’m a creature of habit. That extends into my prayer life.

I habitually either open or close a session of prayer by asking God for wisdom, courage and strength: wisdom to discern His will, courage to follow His leading and strength to walk the path before me.

After reading this morning about an elderly couple who fell in love and married while living in a rest home, I felt a familiar pang of self-pity at my own lack of a mate. While I should have found this couple’s story hope-inspiring, my inner voice whined, “Even these two ancient wrinklies found love. Why not me?”

I decided to begin adding a request for love to my habitual triad, although I usually shrink away from self-indulgent requests in a vain attempt to overcome my self-centered and greedy nature.

As I began to pray, it was illuminated to me that we should all be habitually praying for love, only we should not be praying to receive the love of others, but to give it.

I should be praying for more capacity to love…more love for God, more love for family, friends, neighbors, strangers… more love for even my enemies.

Perfect love casts out fear, including fear of loneliness. Perfect love is what we receive only from our Lord. It only remains perfect when we pass it on to others.

Today I pray for God’s love; the wisdom to recognize its sufficiency; the courage to  pass it on to those God puts before me; and the strength of character to be grateful for every opportunity to pass on this perfect love without diminishing it with my own imperfections.