Prayer is Not a Race or a Point System

The bible makes it clear that we are to pray continually. But why? If it isn’t to see how many prayers we can do in a day, or to earn points in heaven, what’s the point?

RELATIONSHIP

You may be thinking, It is also for growth, knowledge, direction, etc. and it is, but they are just smaller parts of the bigger Relationship we are called to have with God. They are fruit that come directly from that prayer time we have with Him.

Recently I was surprised to find out that many people view recited prayers as a way to bust out some time with God without really investing thought or emotion into the action.

Take the meditation of the rosary. Many people believe it is a great substitute for going to mass (or can be/should be done while they are sitting in Mass). Nope. The Rosary is a meditation. You are asking for Mary’s intercession and it is a personal devotion. The mass is an offering up to God for all the people of God and a moment of closeness to God as a faith family. Notice, one is personal; the other is together, with and for each other. This includes the faith family across the Earth and those who have gone before us to God..

Then I was told people try and see how many decades of the rosary they can do in a day. I was stunned. Why? Quantity is not a substitute for quality. Don’t get me wrong, prayer is always good, but underneath that Speedy Gonzalez approach to prayer, is an opportunity to be thankful, love and be loved and recognize that our Beloved is not far from us. In fact, He is with us every moment of everyday. Yes, even at those times when we are not our best self.

So, what is this weird meditation thing we are supposed to be doing. Is it like being a Hindu yogi?

Meditation is a shushing of the voice that is incessantly telling you, you are not enough. (The Beloved) It is an opportunity to slow down, quite that voice that tells you, you need to…, and let God get a word in edgewise. In fact, sometimes you may not even complete a prayer. When you are meditating you are giving God permission to take the lead. It isn’t about finishing the prayer the way you (yes, sometimes we set weird expectations for ourselves) or someone else told you it should be done. It is about your time with God and letting Him take control.

I don’t know about you, but I have done my fair share of self-help stuff. Trying to change a habit, improve an aspect of myself, or be that awe-inspiring person they claim I can be in 12 short weeks. I have discovered it is much simpler than that. It is me accepting who I am, sitting with God, and letting him guide my next steps. He didn’t take away Moses’s stutter so he could speak to Pharaoh, He gave him the means to do the task He set before him. Enjoy your time with God this weekend and see how it changes you.

A special thank you to Father Chrysogonus and his bible study class on the Mass. Learning has never been so much fun.

Additional Acknowledgment of the book: The Beloved by Henri Nouwen

The Rosary

If you are not familiar with the prayers of the rosary, or have just recited the words without really paying attention, here are some helpful things to think about.

The Sign of the Cross - It is done in remembrance of our baptism vows and a reminder of who we belong to. It centers us on what we are getting ready to do, talk to God. (Done at the beginning and the end)

Next is the Apostles Creed - it is proclaiming to God what we believe and assuring him that YES, we believe you have done all these great things for us. (X1)

Our Father- the definitive prayer for all Christians given to us by Jesus. We are calling to God in Jesus’s words. (At the beginning right after the sign of the cross, and before each decade. There are 5 decades)

The Hail Mary – Asking Mary to pray with us and for us. It is the annunciation conversation between the angel and Mary when Mary says yes to God and becomes the vessel for Christ. (3x at the beging one in Faith, one in Hope, one in Love then 10x for each decade)

The Glory Be – The sign of the cross in another form. (one time after each decade of Hail Mary's)

Oh My Jesus – Who doesn’t ask Jesus to forgive sins and protect them from evil? (one time after each Golry Be)

The Holy Queen – Again asking for Mary to pray for and with us, and acknowledging our unworthiness (one time after the last decade)

The Concluding Prayer - Asking God to bring what we have learned in our meditation to fruition. (one time after The Holey Queen)

Don’t forget the final Sign of the Cross!