Prayer Priorities
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Faith on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 8:00 AM
This week, I am writing a chapter on the place of prayer in the life of a busy Catholic mom. If you missed last week’s podcast, I would urge you to take a few moments and listen to Deacon Tom Fox’s reflection during the first few moments of the show. In this simple, three minute message, Deacon Tom encourages us to experience “little deaths and little resurrections” in our lives.
Deacon Tom’s thoughts were prompted by a Catholic mom who had written to him to share the gradual dying out of her prayer life as her commitment to mothering grew. Deacon Tom referred to the “little deaths” in this woman’s life, including the gradual loss of her prayer life. She is prioritizing quiet time for prayer during this Lenten season. Deacon Tom encouraged this mom, and each of us, to seek out our own “little deaths” - dying to self during the season - and “little resurrections” leading up to Easter.
Deacon Tom’s prescription to this mother, and to you and me, is to try to spend ten minutes in a quiet place of silence in our homes. I have been seeking that silence in my own life: rising early, turning off radios, computers, iPods and the like, and just soaking up the precious silence that enables me to quietly listen for God’s voice in my life.
Today, I’m asking you to share your thoughts on the place of prayer in your life. Do you find sufficient time for prayer on a daily basis? Do you prefer spontaneous prayer, treasured devotions such as the Rosary, or simply silent meditation? What works for you and what doesn’t? When do you pray and what most prompts you to turn to God in prayer? Do you find time for practices such as Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary and daily Mass? Your responses will help me gather my thoughts and inspire other mothers in the process. Also, if—like me—you struggle to find silence and lack a routine prayer discipline, I would love to hear from you too!
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