Thursday, May 5, 2011

Prayer Day

Today is our National Day of Prayer. It is the 60th annual observance of National Day of Prayer. All around the country, we gather to pray as a people, as a nation.

In my town, the National Day of Prayer observance is being held around the flagpole at Town Hall.

In New York City, President Obama is laying a wreath at Ground Zero where the 9/11 attacks took place.

Certainly, we have a lot to pray for this year. Prayers are needed for the people of this country and for the people of the world. In this country, there is hunger, joblessness, child abuse, the recent tornadoes  and so forth. In the world, we think of Haiti, Japan, the conflicts in the Middle East, the aftermath of 9/11 that we are still dealing with.

How do YOU pray?

I remember about a year ago, taking a wonderful retreat at a nearby monastery. The theme was meditation and finding God. The priest who led the retreat said, 'Each of us has three people inside us, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We should at least all be talking to each other!'

Sometimes, I forget to pray.

I forget that I can always talk to God, not just in church, but anywhere, even in my car or at the beach.

I forget that I can talk to God about anything! Even about the troubles I am having with my furnace or with the family pet!

Sometimes I try little "tricks", so I remember to pray. For example, instead of Grace before meals, I ask each member of my family to "say something good". Often what comes out is a heartfelt thank you to another family member.

Each year after Christmas, I keep the Christmas cards we have received for some time. I put them in a basket on the kitchen counter or on the family room coffee table. Each day, I ask my son to pick out a card. That is the person or family that we pray for that day!

If I am talking to a friend or family member about a particularly rough time they are having and I truly do not know what to say, I simply pray that the Holy Spirit comes to them and guides them.

Prayer is awesome, powerful. When you pray, you are never alone, you are with God. Some have asked me why, how I am so close to God? I reply, Even if you have no other human being in the world on your side, you always have God!
And you do not have to pray alone. "When two or more are gathered together, God is present!" Being together with others in prayer is like a magnifier. There is something about the awesome power of a common plea uttered as a prayer. Have you evern heard monks chant together, or priests singing at another priest's funeral? Prayer together makes the experience stronger, It makes us more peaceful.

I pray with my Bible Study class. I pray with other women in my Moms in Touch International group. I pray with fellow parishioners in church. I pray with the members of my church's Prayer Network. I pray with members of my Prayer Shawl Ministry.

Prayer is fundamental to what it means to be a Christian. I think of the summer when I volunteered at our local Vacation Bible School. I was in the pre-school room, helping with the 3 and 4 year olds. At morning circle time, we were talking about the Scripture for the day. At the end, the leader asked, Was there anything else that any child had to say? A tiny four year old boy raised his hand and said, "Yes! Always remember to pray!"

All the adults in the room sat, stunned! Such wisdom, out of a tiny child.

"Always remember to pray!"

(c) The Spiritual Devotional 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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