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in Prayer

Spontaneous Prayer

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Another principial reminded me that prayer is not just about the words we say, but about the relationship we build with Jesus. It’s easy to hear this and think, “I know that!” But I challenged myself to wonder how we, as a parish and school community, can model this better for our children.

One powerful way to do this is through spontaneous prayer—simply talking to God aloud throughout the day. It doesn't require formal words or long prayers; it’s just sharing moments of connection with God as they come up. This can be a beautiful way to demonstrate to our children that prayer is a natural part of our daily lives.

I remember my grandma would pray aloud in the car whenever we heard an ambulance or firetruck's siren. She’d say something like, “God, you are strong, a healer, and protector. Please protect our first responders and those they help today.” It was short, simple, and heartfelt. That moment of spontaneous prayer helped me understand how easy it is to talk to God at any time, in any place.

Of course, we can also use memorized prayers as a family. These prayers are a wonderful way to teach our children the rich traditions of our faith. But incorporating moments of spontaneous prayer into our day—whether it's before a meal, on the way to school, or as we hear a siren—helps show that prayer doesn’t need to be complicated or formal. It’s simply about speaking to God from the heart, right when we need it.

I encourage you to consider building spontaneous prayer into your family routine. Perhaps a bedtime prayer, a prayer for someone in need, or even a simple “Thank you, God, for today.” These small practices can have a profound impact on our children, showing them that they can pray now, no matter their age, and that prayer can be as simple as saying, “I love you, Jesus. Thank you for this day.”

Posted by Brita Willis
Tags: prayer, jesus

The Power of the Holy Spirit

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Do you believe the Holy Spirit is at work in you? Though we cannot see Him, we can recognize His presence if we allow Him to guide, instruct, and change our hearts and minds. As we invite Him into our lives and surrender to His power, we may experience strength during difficult times, a greater ability to forgive, and an increase in His spiritual gifts.

The excerpts below from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops article “What is Evangelization” speak to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

We must be open to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit who will continue to convert us as we follow Christ. If our faith is alive, it will be aroused again and again as we mature as disciples." (14)

Transformation speaks of the change of heart that, as a member of the Church, each one must undergo. The Gospel speaks across time and space to each human being, each mind, each heart. It asks us what we think about our lives, how we hope, whom we love, and what we live for. If faith is not transforming each heart and life, it is dead. (16)

The Gospel must overflow from each heart until the presence of God transforms all human existence. Sometimes this means that, as believers, we must confront the world as did the prophets of old, pointing out the claims of God to societies that are blind to God. More often, however, this means that we must let our faith shine on the world around us, radiating the love of Jesus by the everyday way we speak, think, and act. (17)

This gospel message gives us a different vision of what life is about. We see a pattern of love, hope, and meaning because the intimate relationship with God in which we were created, lost through sin, has been restored by Jesus, whose death has destroyed our death and whose resurrection gives us the promise of eternal life. We do not see a world of blind forces ruled by chance, but a universe created to share God's life . . . to live for God and others in love. We do not calculate what we think is possible, but rather, know the Spirit of God always makes new things possible, even the renewal of humanity. (21)

This vision we share is the power of the Good News. As it compels us, we believe it can compel, by its beauty and truth, all who sincerely seek God.  (22)”

Have you seen the Holy Spirit at work in your life? If not, ask Him in daily to give you the mind and heart of Jesus, to lead and guide you, and watch what happens!

Radiate Love

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Radiate Love: Do You Radiate Christ to Others?
Dr. Edward Sri

Do you realize the people around you are depending on you to pray every day?

I know that my wife and children, for example, need a lot more than my human love for them. They need Christ loving them through me. But that can only happen if I have a consistent, daily prayer life. I do sincerely love my family. But I also know my love is tainted by my own pride, selfishness, weakness, wounds, and sin. My wife and children need more that what I can give them on my own. They need Christ’s love supernaturally working through me. And that comes from daily prayer.

How about you? Consider the people at work, in your parish, and in your community, the people you serve: do you give them more than merely your own personal skills talent, wisdom, leadership abilities, or charming personality?

We should use all of our humanity, of course, to give the best of ourselves to  others in all we do. But the best of ourselves, actually, is more than ourselves. It is Christ radiating through us.

How about your family, your spouse, your closest friends—do the people in your life encounter something in you bigger than you are? Do they encounter Jesus Christ radiating through you?

Mother Teresa emphasized this point with her Missionary of Charity sisters throughout the world….they recite a prayer that contains this beautiful petition to Jesus: “Shine through us, and be so in us, that every soul we come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul. Let them look up and see no longer us but only  Jesus.

What a remarkable prayer! “Let them look up and see no longer us by only Jesus.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every soul we come in contact with each day—our spouse, our children, our friends, our colleagues at work, the people in the parish, the poor on the street—if every person we meet each day looked up and saw “no longer us but only Jesus!”

If we wish to truly radiate Christ in this world, we must be committed to daily prayer.

Tags: love, prayer

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