Wednesday, November 14, 2012

WHO HAS TIME TO PRAY? (YOU DO)


Say it was a very trying day.  When you get home all you can think of is getting to bed and falling into a deep slumber, after all, you must be up early in the morning.  So you think to yourself, “Ugh!  I haven’t done my night prayers yet.  I just don’t have the energy to do them.  I think I am just going to skip them tonight.  Maybe I can make up for them tomorrow.”  In the time that it took you to think these thoughts as you shuffle toward your bed in your slippers, you could have said most of a Hail Mary.  It may not have been the prayer you usually do, it may not have been the quality of your nightly prayers, but it is a far cry better than skipping prayer all together.
I don’t recommend using this as your only method of prayer, but next time you are tempted to think, “I just don’t have time to pray now,” know that you do – for if you had time to think that thought, you had time to pray however brief.  It is far better than not praying at all.
 
And when something comes up and you think, “I should really pray about that.  I should make some time later to make sure I pray.”  That is a very good thing to do.  Put it on the docket for some quality contemplation time.  But you could have shot the first salvo of prayer across the bow right them.  In the time it took you to think about putting prayer on the docket, you could have already sent a message to heaven.
 
And when someone asks you to pray for something, if it is feasible and you are willing, say yes and do it right.  Suggest that you say a Hail Mary right at that moment together (when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name . . .) or in the back of your mind immediately think, “God, hear this persons appeal.”
 
Prayer can be anytime/anywhere.  “Pray always,” says Scripture.  Prayer on the fly may not be the best prayer, but more prayer rather than less is always better.

3 comments:

Carey said...

Father, your advice on prayer could not have come at a better time! I am the queen of side-tracked praying and unfulfilled promises of prayer to friends and family. Thank you!!

Anonymous said...

Heh heh! Read this earlier today and thought "yeah, yeah, I'll take time to pray this afternoon." Stopped by again tonight to see if tomorrow's post was up yet, and still haven't prayed yet. That settles it. Time to get off the computer and go pray! Thanks, Fr. V.

Anonymous said...

When I was growing up, I learned from my Mom that even work can be a prayer when you say, "all for Thee sweet Jesus all for thee" and do your best at the task that you are facing.