Phenomenology of Prayer: Samuel and Mary's Prayers

When reading theological texts I tend to relate everything explicitly back to my own life. While I admired the beauty in Mary's immediate response to the call of God, the idea that "prayer is the beginning of responsibility because it begins as a response" seemed like an oversimplification.  I don't believe my prayers have ever been the response to something as concrete as the outward voice of God or Gabriel. What am I praying to if not just silence? Am I not praying then? I feel like in my own life my prayers tend to be spoken out in the void. I've been trying to wrap my head around this notion of responsibility because I feel as if the missing element in my own life is the same explicit call which Samuel and Mary received.  Maybe I'm looking at this too obtusely but how should I know my responsibility when my prayers are seemingly unheard? 

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