What About Prayer?

 

Several years ago, I was asked by my parish to discuss prayer in my life. I remember being excited to share with people how my journey has been sustained through prayer—and it continues to.  Recently, I came across my answers and was delighted to see how much has remained the same. It’s also important to underscore that people have so many options for praying! It is amazing!

(NOTE: For this blog, I have expanded on a few answers and added some additional information. I also have updated some of the resources as well.)

What is your favorite way to pray?

My favorite way to pray is simply to have a conversation with God. Sometimes it is a formal prayer, more often it is just a short phrase or thought; it usually occurs while I’m driving or doing dishes. Because of my commute, I often listen to the Daily Mass readings or the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) podcast. Sometimes, I just listen to the Psalms.

What nourishes you in prayer? 

I enjoy reading the Scriptures and praying the Psalms, because they are so powerful and they were the first prayers of the church. My favorite prayer is “Come Holy Spirit,” since it was a beloved prayer often recited by Fr. Ted Hesburgh, CSC, the late former president of the University of Notre Dame.

I love that my prayer is heard, regardless of what the outcome is. The Father hears me and rejoices that I trust in Him. It helps me trust in God and renews my faith and sense of justice.  I love to give thanks to God; even—and especially—the “small stuff,” that’s how you can start to find the beauty and majesty of God’s work in our everyday lives.

What advice would you give someone who is struggling to find time for prayer (like a busy parent with small children)?

As a father with small children, I know time is often the most challenging. I love the line from St. Paul, “Pray without ceasing,” and that starts with very simple, very short phrases: “Come, Lord Jesus,” “Hail Mary,” or the “Glory Be.”  Long, formal prayer doesn’t need to dominate our prayer life—we can simply talk with God and tell Him how we are feeling, what we (or someone else) needs, or what we are most thankful for.

I was always under the impression that I had to say the entire prayer for it to count, but like, sometimes we can just say the first line, because ancient tradition holds that the first line IS the prayer. Jesus, hanging on the Cross in Matthew 27:46, cries out the opening words of Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But the Psalm is one of trust, like in verse 12a: “Do not stay far from me” or verse 20-21a: “But you, LORD, do not stay far off; my strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword.”

What about someone who doesn't know where to begin?

·         First, begin small. Try out different prayers and see what feels best and natural for you. See what works and try out all the different types of prayer out there. Trust that the Lord is going to guide you in the right way.

·         Find a good spiritual mentor, someone experienced in their prayer life and ask them. See how they do it. You don’t have to copy them exactly, but they can help be instructive and provide guidance. Often, they will have been through the same journey.

·         Look to the Saints as great examples—they ALL had amazing prayer lives and many of them wrote about it. Reading those can be incredibly valuable too.

·         Third, get some good resources. The Catechism has an entire section devoted to prayer, which is very helpful and a great place to start to get your bearings. You can collect prayer cards (they’re often available at church or through a reputable Catholic store ). The apps mentioned above are really useful. I also like to have several books that I can turn to:

o   I use the Glenstal Abbey Prayerbook (Liturgical Press) that is slim and inexpensive. Jesus, Teach Us to Pray by Fr. Jerome Bertram (Ignatius, 2008) is an awesome first book that helped me tremendously.

o   I also use the USCCB’s Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers as an excellent resource that has prayers for literally every single event or issue in our lives.

o   There are a lot of good websites as well, usually connected to Catholic orders or their colleges and universities, that have excellent prayer resources, including: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ and Catholic Resources - Felix Just, S.J.  

o   There are many other books, websites, apps, and other material that can be useful. Ask what other people use. 

How do you deepen your prayer life?

I have found that reading the Holy Bible is one of the most powerful forms of prayer for me. It is so rich and beautiful. Joining a bible study, especially in a small group, can be a really engaging way to encounter Jesus and the other Disciples. Seeing how they prayed, thinking about what they were praying during a specific scene, and then praying alongside them is a really amazing experience. I also think that it helps draw us closer to the Eucharist, the Source and Summit of the Christian life.

The Mass is a prayer itself and gives us the opportunity to be with Jesus. Being together is how we are meant to be; praying alone is good, but praying together is incredibly powerful and uplifting. I’ve found that the more I am drawn into the readings and understand the context of the Bible and the Liturgy, the more strengthened I feel in prayer (especially when I’m feeling low or in the “dryness” of prayer).

Any other prayer advice?

Just start! Like right now! The next time you’re stuck, or angry, or grieving, or depressed, or happy, or joyful, or excited, or relieved, say a quick prayer. Pray in any moment you can, and you will suddenly find yourself more mindful of others, a better parent, spouse, employee, servant-leader, community member, and Catholic.

Prayer doesn’t cost anything other than an open heart, a willingness to listen to the Holy Spirit, and less than 15 seconds. Pray in every moment and you’ll find yourself walking with Jesus, side-by-side, in life and facing every day with love.

 Photo: Initial N (?) with David in Prayer. 1430s, Master of the Cypresses. National Gallery of Art. Public Domain.