Saint Mary's
Year of the Domestic Church
Prayer is integral for a life of faith. It is through prayer that we are able to approach the Lord with whatever gratitude, burdens or petitions are on our hearts.
Christ himself taught us how to pray. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches us to call God “father,” and in Luke 11: 2-4, we see the familiar prayer that we say at Mass: the “Our Father.”
In prayer, we approach the living God, our father, who calls us into relationship with him. As his children, our relationship with God grows and changes as we do. For this reason, from the time children are small, we teach them to pray with simple prayers and petitions. As people grow, their prayer life changes and deepens as their relationship with the Lord deepens.
Children look to their parents and loved ones as examples of how to live and express their faith. Praying together as a family teaches children to seek God in prayer, and be confident in his loving response. Praying together as a family also strengthens the relationships within the family and allows the family to grow in faith together.
Does your family pray together? What is one simple way that you can increase the prayer time with your family or those living in your household?
Six Steps to Foster Family Prayer
Sacred space: “At home with your family, light a candle, place your family Bible or an image of the Holy Family on the coffee table. If you find yourself in your vehicle on-the-go, roll down the windows and have everyone take a deep breath of fresh air. Wherever you are in this busy life, slow down long enough to welcome God’s presence.”
Take turns: “If someone is in charge of leading grace, they’ll hold your entire family accountable. Switch off days and include your children! Give them the opportunity to experience the immense humility of helping your family begin a meal by first recognizing God’s many blessings.”
Routine: “It’s all about getting into habit. Once grace is in your family’s routine, you’ll notice your children will remind you if you ever forget to pray. Don’t let location deter you in praying together! Prioritize creating this time with your family near and far by establishing a schedule to do this often throughout the season. Engage together through a video call or simply connect and establish that you will all be doing this at the same time.
Special intentions: “Invite everyone to pray for the hopes, sorrows, or joys weighing on their hearts.” When praying with family remotely, choose a single intention that each individual family can touch on. “Sharing these intentions helps your family connect on a deeper level, as you’re reminded of the struggles or excitements each person experienced that day and allows you to come together to pray over them.”
Prayer candle: “Set a prayer candle on your dinner table and whenever it’s lit, encourage your family to see it as a reminder that Christ our light is with you in prayer. This is a great way to connect in prayer with loved ones who may be having dinner in another home, connecting the candle to the meal serves as a reminder that while you may not be physically together, you’re able to share the same experience.”
Try again: “Grace before meals won’t be perfect every time. There will be distractions, extensive whining, regretful eye rolls and sometimes discouraging exchanges. Do not be disheartened, for one day you will fondly look back on these moments and recognize the spiritual growth in your family.”
From Catholic News Service. (2020, December 16). Holy Cross Family Ministries suggests six steps to foster more family prayer. Our Sunday Visitor. https://www.osvnews.com/
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