15 Seconds

Another major point I got from my retreat this year is the exercise of keeping a concentrated 15 seconds of attention or "focused meditation" without distractions. Really, isn't it really hard to just keep focused on one thought for 15 seconds? Even St. Teresa of Avila, great mystic and Doctor of the Church, would complain that her distractions at prayer were like "mad men" invading her thoughts. She required a meditation book for 16 years in order to stay focused at prayer.

So, on your way to receiving communion, the God of the universe, instead of thinking about what line you're going to get in, if you're walking to slow or fast, if junior is going bump his sister, who the Eucharistic minister is, smiling at so-and-so, etc. try to REALLY concentrate for 15 seconds on WHO you are going to receive and really prepare yourself. Same thing with the first 15 seconds after receiving or with keeping a straight 15 seconds at your meditation time at home before a "mad man" comes into your thoughts and interrupts you with how pleasant or rough a day it is, or what you are going to do next, or who's making that particular noise you hear. Hard, isn't it? Recollection. 15 seconds at a time. Practice, practice, practice. You'll eventually get quite good at anything with enough practice.