Make Time For Prayer (you’ll feel better in no time!)
No matter what your faith is, it’s always good to make a little time for prayer. Even you’re a fire-breathing atheist, take some time to just wonder at the universe, rather than always thinking of this world.
All ancient cultures use prayer, and when John Robbins journeyed to the four longest-lived cultures on earth (communities in Chile, Japan, Russia and Pakistan), he was surprised to find none of them even knew what an atheist was, even though they were fairly remote from established religious churches.
Prayer feels like an open line to God. Think of prayer as a reset button for the mind. Quiet reflection washes away worry and brings life into clearer focus. Many people find that just a short time spent in silence or peaceful prayer, helps them feel more centred and alert for the rest of the day.
Saint Padre Pio (pray, hope and don’t worry!)
Padre Pio was an Italian saint, renowned for performing many miracles, and had the stigmata (blood on his hands, like Christ when crucified). He would spend hours each day in prayer, and advised everyone to ‘pray, hope and don’t worry’.
Fellow friars said he often appeared in several places at one time, and when not performing miracles, he would often be seen to hear confessions (12 to 15 a day). He said that when people confessed their sins, he would smell flowers!
Just 5 years old when he devoted himself to God, he began his holy life age 15, and lived in a rural friary for over 50 years, until he died in 1968.
Now one of the world’s most popular saints, he has been documented as having performed many miracles. The most remarkable was during World War II, when Italy was still under the Nazi rule.
The bombs that American air forces dropped failed. Years later when an American air base was established nearby, one of the pilots recognised the friar, who he says he had ‘seen in the air’ on that very day!
Irish nun Sr Briege McKenna was once asked how to pray. She said it’s a bit like sunbathing. You simply go somewhere you feel at peace with God, and kind of do the same – just sit and be, and absorb your faith and that’s prayer, rather than parroting off prayers you learned in childhood.
Blair Piras is an American Catholic artist, who offers lovely images of Jesus and favourite saints, with prayer cards on the back. These are nice to carry on your person (especially when travelling) or just to keep by your beside.
Poor Clares (Ireland) is a closed order of Catholic nuns, who wrote a very popular book Calm the Soul, based on their popular music. They have nice prayers on site, by nuns who between them have very interesting histories.
From former campaigners to accountants, you can read their biographies on-site from how they ended up here, after quite a few heavy partying days!
The worst moment for an atheist, is when he feels a profound sense of gratitude. And has no-one to thank. G K Chesterton
To only think ‘you’re alive, you have acne and then you die’, makes you wonder what it’s all for. (Victoria Wood, who became interested in the Quaker faith before her death).
The Lord’s Prayer (does not contain the word ‘me’)
Everyone knows the Lord’s Prayer. But what is it, and what are the benefits of reciting it? In these days of ‘manifesting everything you want’, it’s a simple prayer that basically acknowledges a love for God, asks for forgiveness, then forgives others, and leaves everything to God’s Will.
It’s a lot simpler than writing hundreds of affirmations!
Our Father who art in heaven,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen
What’s interesting if you look at the Lord’s Prayer, is that a prayer to help all others, not just yourself. This is quite different to today’s self-obsessive’ working on myself’ mentality’ that we often hear about.
You cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer and even once say ‘I’
You cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer and even once say ‘My’
Nor can you pray the Lord’s Prayer and not pray for one another,
And when you ask for daily bread, you must include your brother.
For others are included.. in each and every plea,
From the beginning to the end of it, it does not once say ‘Me’.
Poem found in a mailing from Omaha Home for Boys
Hail Mary Prayer (and the Catholic Rosary)
Hail Mary is the traditional prayer of the Catholic faith, also used by some Orthodox religions. Named on the opening Latin words from the Gospel of Luke, people have been praying this in its present form, since the 16th century:
Hail Mary,
Full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb
Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now.
And at the hour of our death,
Amen.
The prayer is basically a praise to the mother of God, and a popular devotional practice. Some people pray the Rosary each day, and says it brings them more peace than any meditation practice ever could.
Check out local Catholic churches, as many have Rosary services. You don’t have to own beads, just pop along and sit and listen if you don’t know the words by heart. It is strangely comforting to hear others chant the Rosary, a bit like listening to monks singing at Vespers.
Kenrick-Glennon Seminary has four wonderful videos where you can pray the Rosary alongside some priests. It’s very well-done in a lovely relaxing church, and they even chant in Latin at the end!
Stella Maris produces beautiful rosary beads, made from ocean-bound recycled plastic. Collected by communities in the Philippines, each one prevents up to 10kg of plastic (around 500 plastic bottles) from entering the sea.
Pray as You Go offers audio reflective meditations on each of the rosary mysteries. Each of the 20 minute or so meditations includes Scripture and music, to learn more about and pray on:
- The Joyful Mysteries
- The Sorrowful Mysteries
- The Glorious Mysteries
- The Luminous Mysteries
Praying the Rosary in difficult times
Many people in history have prayed the Rosary at difficult times, and it seems to have a special power. Often during the Irish troubles, soldiers knocking on doors were amazed that local people were not scared, they just kept praying.
And Rwandan Immaculée Ilibagiza not only gives testimonies from others, but of course has her own, when she spent months locked away with other women in a bathroom during the genocide, after her family were massacred. She later met and forgave those involved.
One man who dedicated his life to praying and teaching about the Rosary was Italian saint Bartolo Longo. He was only beautified in 1980. What makes him interesting is that in his ‘previous life’, he had got so involved with the occult that he was a practicing satanist. Until he gave it all up, to follow God and the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.
He is widely credited as being the influence behind creation of the Luminous Mysteries, part of the standard rosary. Showing that anyone can become a saint, no matter what their past! He called the Rosary a ‘sweet chain that units us to God, a bond of love that is a safe port in our universal shipwreck’.
Pray As You Go (an audio prayer sanctuary)
Pray As You Go is a nice ‘audio sanctuary’ run by Ignatian Catholics. Not only can you listen to a relaxing 10-minute reading each morning or evening, but each one is preceded by nice music, which you can also read about and download at the website.
This is really nice. A beautifully designed site where you can read the prayers and lessons if preferred. But it’s nice to just make yourself a brew, and take 10 to 15 minutes each day, to hear a passage from the Bible, then someone with a nice calm voice explains it. You then listen to the verse again with new understanding, asking what it means to you.
Each lesson is preceded by a lovely relaxing piece of music, and you can also use the site to learn more about the Catholic Rosary, find sign language lessons, explore passages to help your mental health, and much more.
There are even prayers for Advent and Lent, and special prayers for children. This is a good example of ‘prayer done well’. It’s very well put together, and very calming.
Who are Ignatian Catholics?
The Catholic faith has various different ‘families’. There are Franciscans, Benedictines, Passionists and Ignatians. In a nutshell:
- Ignatians are inspired by a Spanish saint, and known for using their gifts to help others, through work. Their work becomes their ‘holy vocation’, if you like.
- Franciscans are inspired by St Francis of Assisi, an Italian former party boy who became the patron saint of ecology and animal welfare.
- Benedictines live a life of prayer and work. Devon’s Buckfast Abbey is run by Benedictine Monks, who make the famous Buckfast Tonic Wine.
- Jesuits are quite scholarly (Pope Francis was a Jesuit priest).
- Passionists focus on modern-day suffering, often helping prisoners and refugees. Minsteracres (a Northumberland retreat) is run by Passionist priests and nuns.
This blog has a post on Franciscans (busy loving everything that comes across their path – rabbits, kittens, spiders, trees, mushrooms) to Dominicans (his favourite Catholic order, because ‘everyone needs a favourite, it’s like baseball’).
Nice books to help you start a prayer practice
Simply Pray is a book on how to understand the power of prayer: ask, seek and knock! This simple concept from Matthew 7:7 is known the world over. Now the author masterfully weaves her own story (from desperation and divorce), to hope and healing with Biblical principles and Scripture.
With over 30 years of answered prayer in her own life, Deb demonstrates how every concern, is worth bringing to God.
Are you carrying a heavy burden or in the midst of troubles? Maybe you’ve also been hurt by another human’s words or actions. His comfort is real and Jesus will draw near to you, precious one.
Deb Hopper has been married for almost 30 years (and is a mother and grandmother). But before that she reached breaking point spending 10 years as a single parent, which saw her begin a powerful prayer journey. She even launched a non-profit to help single mothers.
Prayers for Peace of Mind offers 100 inspired prayers and powerful truths, for more peace during stressful times. Whether you are concerned over a loved one, having issues with life or get upset if you watch the news, anxiety does not have to control your life.
This heart-calming and faith-building of prayers are for times you feel burdened by worry. Whether you use them to start or end your day, or find a prayer to fit your current concerns, this collection of Scripture and encouragement can help.
Holley Gerth is a writer (who helps other introvert writers to success) who has written many beautiful, inspiring and comforting books on prayer (she is also a certified Christian counsellor). She writes that she grew up with grandparents who ran a little Christian bookshop, and spent a happy childhood, often reading in trees. Sounds idyllic!
Whatever your work is, God is not asking you to get it all done today. He is inviting you to simply get started – one moment, one prayer, one step with Him. He will meet you where you are; he will get you where you need to go. Holley
