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February 8, 2005
Prayer: Family-style for Catholics
I know, I know: I hit the prayer drum often and loud. But prayer is critical to developing your spiritual life and, especially, to raising Catholic kids. If we do nothing else, we need to teach our children to pray by example. So as Lent approaches (quickly), we have a unique opportunity to work more prayer into our lives – “more prayer” is always a good thing.
In particular, we should try and make sure we pray together as a family, so here are some suggestions. First and foremost, before bed the entire family should get together and pray Nighttime Prayers. If you haven’t been doing this, start simple, just say a “Hail Mary” or “Our Father” and over a few weeks add additional prayers as well as personal prayers. Older children are not exempt and this should be a requirement every night – if you have something planned that will go late into the night, do your prayers beforehand (this instills in children the understanding that God comes before everything else). Through these prayers, our children get to know us better and we have a unique opportunity to lead by example.
An easy way to start personal prayers is by using a Prayer List. Simply start a list of people and situations that the family should pray for. The perfect place is on the refrigerator using a pad with an attached magnet. Make sure that any family member can add a prayer request to the list and every night you pray for those requests on the list. The real benefit from a Prayer List won’t be seen immediately, but will have a big impact: As God answers the prayers on the list, we should thank Him for answering and then remove the prayer from the list. Seeing God actually answer prayers deepens your children’s faith in a way it is difficult to do otherwise. In addition, you can use the list to teach children about the Saints. For example, if your child loses something make sure to explain that Saint Anthony is the patron saint of lost objects, so a special request should also be made to St. Anthony. This also helps the parents to learn more about the patron saints (you can search on Google if you don’t know the patron of a specific request).
Finally, Lent is an excellent time to start working the Rosary into your family life. There’s no more football, so Sundays during Lent provide a unique opportunity for a family Rosary. And it’s a perfect Lenten sacrifice; you give up time to God in prayer and it will improve the spiritual lives of your family individually and as a whole. Small Rosary books can be found at almost every parish or Catholic book store for around $1, these will include all of the prayers and readings you need.
By focusing on prayer this Lent, you can improve your family’s life. Literally.
God bless,
Jay
Posted by jay at February 8, 2005 11:05 AM
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Comments
Please pray for my daughter Jessica Lauren Wheeler that she leave her abusive boyfriend Tony Gallagher. He beat her once and he will again. May the Lord open her eyes and close her heart to Tony. Please pray before it is too late.
Posted by: angela wheeler at November 3, 2005 11:50 AM
Pls pray for John and Lotis, to restore there love and frienship and to understand one another. To put God first and not get there pride get in the way of there love. Pray for John and Lotis to streghten there love and wisdom and understanding for one another to better there communication so they may servce God. Pray for both of them so they may grow in the spirit of God and Christ. Pray not to let little minor thing get in the way of there friendship and love to one another.
Posted by: John at July 31, 2006 12:00 AM
Please pray for sick husband and for son to get into school
Posted by: Anonymous at March 3, 2007 12:24 PM
Dear Lord. I thank you for all the blessing you have bestow upon all of us. I ask you to bless me and my husband Dominic with a gift of a normal healthy child. Please let us have the joy and blessing of your child according to your will as soon as possible so that the bond of love between us may increase more. Dear Lord, please bless us so that our faith may grow more in you and may we do your will always. Please also show us a way how to look after Nathan and keep him with us, who has lost both his parents in an accident. Please cure my husband, my mum monica, me (agatha) of my thyroid problem and swelling of legs and all those who are sick of all their illness and make them completely already. Please give a strong will power to my husband to give up alcohol completely from his life. Please bless Neville, Natasha and Nathan who lost both their parents in a boat accident. Please help Neville to get a job as soon as possible and make him a responsible person in life. I make this pray through the Child Jesus. AMEN
Please Lord, bless all my brothers and sisters to live in harmony and peace with each other. Bless all my nephew and nieces and help them to walk in the right path of life which is your will and not to get strayed away by material things of life. Help them and guide them to always do your will and follow your path. A special prayer for Samron who is going away from the church, please help to be with God always and walk on the right path of life. I make this pray through the Child Jesus. AMEN
Posted by: Agatha at April 16, 2007 6:43 AM
