Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Thoughts on Prayer Techiques
There are a few things I have found that have given
meaning to my prayer life when it seemed all I was
doing was saying rote prayers.
1) Get a scriptural rosary book.
This adds a whole depth of meaning to your prayers,
because even if you have trouble thinking about the
mysteries, reading the scriptural verse gets you there.
There are a number of them out there.
2) Make offering of your daily chores, tasks,
activities.
I hate to do certain chores. One of the things I do to
draw close to God is to offer up some of these
activities as sacrifices. I did my spring cleaning
during Lent, because I was offering it up! When I
start to do something I don't like, I'll say, "Lord, I
offer this up for the salvation of sinners and for
reparations to the Immaculate and Sacred Hearts." Or
some words like that. It's not a lot of words, but it
helps give purpose do doing yucky things, and helps me
get relationship with God.
3) Read devotional books, especially those with short
chapters that talk about the Passion, or the sorrows of
Mary, or other form of spirituality you like. For me,
it's currently the Passion, in all and every aspect.
Do the devotions to the five wounds of Christ. Keep an
illustrated stations of the cross book in your pocket
or briefcase or wherever, so you can look at it from
time to time.
4) Use little prayers from time to time. Say, "Hello,
God, I love you!" or "Thank you Jesus", or my favorite,
"Jesus, I love you. Have mercy on us."
5) sing a hymn when you're alone. St. Augustine used
to say, He who sings prays twice! Or learn how to sing
the Divine Mercy Chaplet, or something else like that.
All these activities are prayerful ways to get closer.
Prayer isn't just saying words, or going through
actions. Prayer is knowing God is with you, and being
there with God. Sometimes he feels so far away, so
abstract, so much like an idea rather than a
person...but he's not.
Sometimes we put prayer in a box, but prayer is being
with God. Reach out a little bit and he'll come a long
way to take your hand.
It's kind of hard to walk humbly with God if you don't have any real relationship with him. Prayer is the tool we use to get there.
There are a few things I have found that have given
meaning to my prayer life when it seemed all I was
doing was saying rote prayers.
1) Get a scriptural rosary book.
This adds a whole depth of meaning to your prayers,
because even if you have trouble thinking about the
mysteries, reading the scriptural verse gets you there.
There are a number of them out there.
2) Make offering of your daily chores, tasks,
activities.
I hate to do certain chores. One of the things I do to
draw close to God is to offer up some of these
activities as sacrifices. I did my spring cleaning
during Lent, because I was offering it up! When I
start to do something I don't like, I'll say, "Lord, I
offer this up for the salvation of sinners and for
reparations to the Immaculate and Sacred Hearts." Or
some words like that. It's not a lot of words, but it
helps give purpose do doing yucky things, and helps me
get relationship with God.
3) Read devotional books, especially those with short
chapters that talk about the Passion, or the sorrows of
Mary, or other form of spirituality you like. For me,
it's currently the Passion, in all and every aspect.
Do the devotions to the five wounds of Christ. Keep an
illustrated stations of the cross book in your pocket
or briefcase or wherever, so you can look at it from
time to time.
4) Use little prayers from time to time. Say, "Hello,
God, I love you!" or "Thank you Jesus", or my favorite,
"Jesus, I love you. Have mercy on us."
5) sing a hymn when you're alone. St. Augustine used
to say, He who sings prays twice! Or learn how to sing
the Divine Mercy Chaplet, or something else like that.
All these activities are prayerful ways to get closer.
Prayer isn't just saying words, or going through
actions. Prayer is knowing God is with you, and being
there with God. Sometimes he feels so far away, so
abstract, so much like an idea rather than a
person...but he's not.
Sometimes we put prayer in a box, but prayer is being
with God. Reach out a little bit and he'll come a long
way to take your hand.
It's kind of hard to walk humbly with God if you don't have any real relationship with him. Prayer is the tool we use to get there.
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