Your First Love (Part II)

(The devil is explaining to the disciple why he woke the disciple up to do  meditation)
"If the time of prayer had passed, this world would have become  dark to you, and without a gleam of light.
And then from dissapointment and grief, tears would have flowed from your eyes...
That disappointment and grief would have been as a hundred prayers: what is ritual prayer in comparison with the spiritual glow of humble supplication?
If you had missed the prayers, you would have uttered sighs and lamentations from your heartache.
And that regret and lamentation and that sorrowful yearning would have exceeded in value two hundred litanies and prayers.
I awakened you in fear that such a sigh might burn away the veil of formality. In order that such a sigh should not be yours."

Rumi (Vol. 2 from 2767-2784)

Commentary: If your Christmas Eve observances include some tears, some sighs, some grief over those you loved who are no longer here; if on this holy night, you find yourself with an ache in your heart that nothing in this world can set right, then know that your prayers are reaching God. Know that God's love is reaching you.