The Importance of Prayer in our busy lives
The greatest challenge within our family life, especially where it's so busy, is making time to pray. We often yearn for those quiet times of prayer, those hours of adoration that you look for, but that might only end up being 10 or 15 minutes, or that retreat that you would like to go to, but because of the busyness of family life, you have to surrender that, and you can't go to it. When you’re at that stage of life it’s all about trying to find those moments throughout the day that you can pray and spend some time with the Lord. For some, it's getting up half an hour before the children, sacrificing that wee bit of time in bed to really tune in with God and get prepared so that you can be the best version of yourself that day. Carving out different prayers times throughout the day, such as the Angelus at 12pm, Divine Mercy at 3pm and the Angelus at 6pm, is a way of reminding ourselves that there are those moments, small moments, that can be incorporated into the day. St Teresa of Avila said “Oh then, my daughters, let there be no neglect: but when obedience calls you to exterior employments (as, for example, into kitchen, amidst the pots and dishes), remember that our Lord goes along with you, to help you both in your interior and exterior duties.” In fact, St. Teresa believed that it is these mundane tasks that help us more along the path of sanctity than receiving a heavenly vision from God. It sometimes requires a lot of effort to do those things that we are obliged to do with a joyful countenance, but we are greatly rewarded for it. So, you can make a prayer out of all your daily tasks, when you're washing the dishes, when you're hanging out a wash on the line, whatever it is your doing, bring Jesus with you throughout the day. We, as part of Catholic Mothers Ireland, have a WhatsApp group where there is always prayer intentions requested, we often say that our unofficial motto has become ‘when you can’t pray for yourself, we’ll pray for you!’ It’s a great way to fit in prayers and you find yourself offering short prayers throughout the day for those intentions. It also highlights the importance of community, being together and supporting each other. There are many graces and blessings poured out on us when we unite in prayer like this. A popular prayer on it is Mother Teresa's miracle novena of the ten memoraries (nine in petition and one in thanksgiving). It’s a quick one, but it is very powerful.
As Catholic Mothers it is important to look to Our Lady as the perfect example of motherhood. She was dedicated to Jesus in her daily life, caring for him and nurturing Him. We can reflect on Our Lady and ask her to be with us in the joys and sorrows of our own lives. In doing so, our Blessed Mother will show us that the way of the disciple is the way of prayer and making an offering of all our sufferings with Jesus to the Father. Mary is our mother and mother to all, we must make a permanent place for her in our life. It is important to do this because we can get overwhelmed when we have so much to do. Motherhood is such a rewarding vocation but it can be gruelling at times, we need Mary to be with us and get the graces we need to be the best we can for our families and for ourselves. We’re all different, there’s no one size fits all way to be as a mother. We must find what fits for us in our lives and ask Our lady for help. Praying the Rosary is like holding the hand of Our Lady, she will take us under her maternal care and guide us in our life and our motherhood.
Let us pray….Mary, Mother of Jesus, be a mother to me now!