Prayer Gets Practical
By Marissa Zimmet
As young Catholic women, we’re always searching for ways to grow in holiness amidst our daily responsibilities. Life alone requires a lot of attention—everything from doing the dishes, eating healthy, exercising, paying bills, doing laundry—oh, and let’s not forget working, taking care of children and the major responsibilities our vocation asks of us.
Juggling all this makes it hard to find time, let alone the mind space, for daily prayer.
Maybe you’re like me and ask yourself, “How, when I am so busy, can I deepen my relationship with God?”
When looking for more time to devote to prayer I considered, “Maybe I can commit to Morning Prayer, or perhaps a Divine Chaplet every day.” But then looking at my to-do list, I think, “MORE TIME?? Isn’t that already the problem? The very thing I don’t have?”
Yet we probably all feel that we all have friends who are able to fit these structured forms of prayer into their schedules.“If they can, then I should be able to, too!”
Sisters, we have to remember that God calls us each to our own path of holiness. This means that we each have a unique prayer life that fits our unique schedules, our passions, our talents and our vocations. We cannot compare ourselves to our neighbor - even in prayer.
Their journey with God is different than our own.
The solution to adding more prayer to a busy schedule might be easier than you think. When you start just making prayer a part of the activities you already do every day, it becomes easier to find additional ways to fit it into your life. Incorporating prayer into your daily routine makes it feel less like just another thing on your laundry list of responsibilities, and more like something you are excited to find time to sprinkle into your day. You might find it so rewarding that you WANT to exchange other parts of your routine for more time to pray.
Some of the ways I incorporate prayer into my day include conversing with Jesus on morning runs, reading a Catholic-themed book while eating breakfast and listening to the rosary on my commute to work. I also go to mass during my lunch break as often as possible.
Prayer can also be done while doing the dreaded chores we all need to get done as well. Offer up thanks for the dishes and cool kitchen gadgets you have when washing the dishes. Thank God for the roof over your head when cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming.
Even when doing errands, look for ways you can make a connection with a stranger. You’d be surprised how “Great coat!” or “Your perfume smells pretty,” can boost someone’s spirits. Bringing a smile to a person and sharing God’s light is another way you can pray for the Spirit to move through you. That is a prayer you’ve offered up and it also makes you feel good, too.
And yes, you can bring prayer to your stress, too. Even on those days when you feel you have so much on your plate it seems overwhelming. Or when you have a project you just don’t want to do but you know it needs to be done. Or when you have to interact with someone you don’t necessarily enjoy dealing with.
In Searching For and Maintaining Peace, Father Jacques Philippe discusses how we should not allow daily stressors to take away our inner peace. We still need to maintain a peaceful mind and heart as we rely on God and move throughout the day in a prayerful manner.
From Father Philippe’s advice, I have discovered the great importance of pausing in those moments of anxiety, stress and worry. These are the most perfect moments for prayer. Pause, breathe and invite the Spirit in. Ask God what He wants you to do. Why are you called to this moment? What purpose do you serve here and now? Just these few extra minutes can help you discover what God is calling you to in the moment, and show you how to proceed.
These habits helped me develop a fuller, more connected prayer life that works for me. I have found my own ways to invite the Lord into my life throughout my entire day, rather than planning and solely praying in specific penciled-in times. I find myself looking for these moments throughout the day when I’m called to pray and go deeper than before.
Some other ideas that might work for you:
Switch out time you set aside to read a recreational book for one that helps you dive deeper into your faith (some authors to start: Fr. Jacques Philippe, Edward Sri, or Emily Wilson)
Find a church nearby that has daily mass. Sacrifice an occasional lunch hour out to be with God
Call to mind St. Therese’s Little Way or Mother Theresa’s quote, “Do small things with great love” throughout the day. Ask how can you do the tasks you have to get done with these intentions
Pray the Daily Examen, a short 5-minute daily reflection to assess what went well, what you need to ask forgiveness for, and how you can improve for tomorrow
Just because this routine works for me doesn’t mean it will work for you. And that’s OKAY. Our relationships with God are different; our paths to holiness are all unique to what God has in store for each of us.
Start slowly, and build from there. Allow yourself grace from feeling that you have failed if you missed an appointed prayer ritual or missed a prayerful moment. A habit takes 21 days to form! You might be amazed at how you come to see the little moments that God has blessed you with—yes, even while completing the menial task of cleaning the bathroom.
