Who is involved in the apostolate of accompaniment? 39
Daily Prayer
Since the mentor is called to act as a presence of guidance in the apos-
tolate of accompaniment, it is crucial that they are people of frequent, dai-
ly prayer. Through a life of prayer, the mentor enters into their heart and
comes into communion with their deepest selves and the Person of Christ:
The heart is the dwelling-place where I am, where I live; accord-
ing to the Semitic or Biblical expression, the heart is the place
"to which I withdraw." The heart is our hidden center, beyond
the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can
fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place
of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth,
where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because
as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2563)
This entering into the heart that is the center of the life of prayer is
made possible by a daily decision to entrust the small and large aspects of
life to the Lord who offers a “living relationship of the children of God with
their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and
with the Holy Spirit” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2565). Therefore,
with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a life of prayer is constructed with the
foundations of habit, realistic expectations, and the intention to grow every
day as a disciple of Jesus Christ. mentors must discern the practical aspects
of the life of prayer through by considering things such as styles of prayer
that are the most life-giving, the hours of the day in which it is easiest to
pray, the influence of the demands of their state of life on their prayer, and
resources and people who might help them grow in the life of prayer. Dis-
cernment is key in forming a life of prayer.
In building a consistent, realistic, and mature life of prayer, the mentor
comes to know Christ, themselves, and others at a deep level. In coming to
know themselves at the level of the heart, mentors also grow in the grace
needed to know and guide others on the spiritual journey.
Incarnational Spirituality and Commitment to Service
The apostolate of a mentor is one that is fundamentally a gift of self to
another in the form of accompaniment. Accompaniment is one iteration of