“God is merciful and will hear your prayers” - St. Padre Pio
People often hope to learn the most efficient way to pray. The most efficient way to pray is to trust that God has heard your prayer and will answer in a way that is best for our salvation and that of others.
What is Prayer?
St. John Damascene once said, “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” We can all do that. The key is to approach God in humility with a contrite heart and trust in God’s response, which will happen in his time according to his wisdom.
How God Answers Prayer
All prayer is answered in one of four ways. Sometimes God answers swiftly, as in the case of miracles. Other times, the answer may come after our perseverance, as was the case for St. Monica, who prayed for several years for the conversion of her son Augustine. And if we continue to persevere, trusting in God’s providence, we may discover God is answering our prayer in a way that is more consistent with his plan for our eternal happiness. Many men and women were surprised by discovering a religious vocation later in life. Finally, some prayers will only be answered in eternal life. We all have loved ones we are praying for that seem to have lost their connection with God. We must believe that our prayers will help them to experience the mercy of God, even if it is at their life’s end. God promises he will answer the prayer of a faithful person.
The Beauty of Catholic Prayer
As Catholics, we have many beautiful ways to pray alone or with others, such as the Lord’s Prayer, the Scriptures, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and other devotions.
The most powerful prayer is the Holy Mass because by the power of the Holy Spirit, the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are made present to us on the altar, and bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. Even if we should see a vision of God or hear his voice, the greatest intimacy we can have with Jesus is when we receive him in Holy Communion.
Building a Strong Prayer Life
A good prayer life doesn’t just happen; it is the result of a plan.
- Create a prayer space in your home.
- Have a special time every day to spend with God privately, at least 15-30 minutes to begin with. If possible, spend an hour in Eucharistic adoration at least once a week.
- Read the Gospel passage of the day, found in a missalette or at USCCB.org.
- Spend time in silence. Allow God to give you inspiration.
- Read about a saint to see how God works in the lives of those who love him.
- Pray together as husband and wife. This will bless your marriage.
- Pray with your children. This will teach them to pray and give them a sense of security.
- Ask for God’s guidance when making decisions.
- Pray before everything you do. This develops a relationship with God and an awareness of his presence.
- Pray the Rosary, or at least part of the Rosary, every day. Mary is a powerful intercessor.
- Pray at night and reflect on your day—strengths and weaknesses. This will help you make a good confession once a month.
The Blessings of Family Prayer
When families pray together, it aids their communication and strengthens family bonds. Daily prayer reminds us that God is present in our lives, and will help us to discover the plan that he has for each of us which will allow us to reach our potential for happiness in this life and for all eternity. Many saints, clergy, and religious discovered their vocation because they prayed together as a family.
Prayer, faith, and hope are directly related. The more we pray, the deeper our faith and our hope will be eternal.
The Power of Prayer
There is nothing we do during the day that is more important than prayer.
“The prayer of a faithful person is powerful indeed.” - James 5:16
Originally written by Pilgrim Center of Hope for Today's Catholic newspaper.
Deacon Tom Fox, K.C.H.S., and Mary Jane Fox, D.C.H.S. are the Co-Founders & Co-Directors of Pilgrim Center of Hope. The two left their careers after a profound conversion experience and began working full-time in ministry at their parish in 1986. After several years and having impacted tens of thousands of families, the Foxes founded Pilgrim Center of Hope in 1993 as a response to the Church’s call for a New Evangelization. Deacon Tom is an invested member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Commander Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
