Christian customs when driving and in the car

  • Thread starter Thread starter T.A.Stobie_SFO
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

T.A.Stobie_SFO

Guest
I am curious as to the different Christian habits we have while driving and in the car.

For instance, (here is some of mine)

When I make a traffic light, I say “Thank You Jesus” for letting me make the light without stopping.

When I am cut off, I say, “May the Lord bless you.” You refering to the driver who did it. I make the sign of the cross as well, if my hands are free enough to do so.

When leaving parking lots, I try to be considerate of both the drivers trying to get into the main exits lanes as well as thus behing me.

For long trips with my wife, we try to start them with a prayer.
 
That’s funny . . . I was thinking about this question myself earlier today.

I often pray the rosary while driving to work.
 
This is all good stuff to remember. I particularly had a problem with anger when driving. While I still deal with it, its not as bad as it used to be as I often say that short three-word prayer if someone is rude- “Jesus help me.”

Incidentally, I experienced something of a minor miracle in this regard. I had prayed for help in remaining calm while driving. A day or two later during a storm, lightening struck a tree I was parked under causing a branch to fall and snap the antennae off my car. After this, I could only get AM stations. Initially upset at my bad luck, I noticed quickly how I was calmer when not listening to the fast paced music on FM radio. It also helped me to listen more to Catholic radio. Coincidence??? Hmmmm…
 
Let’s face it. Traffic can be a near occasion of sin and requires extra armor. I find praying the Rosary in the car defuses a lot of my frustration and Gibson’s film has given me such vivid images of Our Lord struggling toward Calvary that I find meditating on those helps me deal with stop-and-go traffic.

I also start each drive, however short, by tracing the sign of the cross and each morning ask my guardian angel for his help during the day. (I need all I can get.)

Oh, yes, a blessing on those driving stupidly or rudely, a prayer for those in danger whenever emergency vehicles and police cars pass with sirens blaring, and crossing myself when I pass a Catholic church – other things I try to remember.
 
I too have a problem driving, not quite full blown anger like a few years ago, but I still become irritable. Now when I’m cut off, or someone does something inconsiderate, I always think, “If it’s your will God,” figuring it’s another opportunity to learn patience. I think that is THE thing I need to fix in my life is my lack of patience.

Long trips (many up and down the NJ Turnpike) I pray the Rosary, and it’s quite easy to not curse when a sacramental like that is in your hands, but those of you who drive this stretch of highway know what a test of patience it is. I also have stopped turning the radio on in the car. It seems I’m able to be calmer without it.

JELane
 
I pray the rosary every morning on my way to work, and because I live 65 miles from where I work I then listen to ewtn encore until I get to work. Really starts my day right.
maggiec
 
I drive past a Planned Parenthood slaughter house one my way home from work each day. I always turn down the radio and say a number of Hail Mary’s when I pass the place.

When ever we are going to take a long trip we always pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and ask several saints and Our Lady of the Highways to pray for us.

I will also often pray the rosery while driving.
 
When I’m going to be on the road for a good while I always ask the angels to go before me to clear my path.

I also ask St. Anthony to “find” me a good parking space since I have a bad hip and find it difficult to walk too far.
CPM
 
A good friend of mine always bows her head after she puts the keys in the ignition and before she starts the car. She folds her hands as an example (to her young son in the car seat in back) and as an act of concentration.

She blesses herself, asks God to protect them and the car through their journey and asks St. Christopher to pray for them/us.

When I went to Mexico for a semester I wore a St. Christopher medal my Mom had given me. While in Vera Cruz a journalist we randomly met saw it and said that the Church had debunked “St. Christopher” as a myth.

When I arrived back in Puebla and got “home”, I could not find my medal anymore. I’d had it when I left Vera Cruz, and throughout the rest of my semester there, I continued to pray for St.Christopher’s intercession. I always prayed that the medal went to someone who needed his intercession.

Now, as I am becoming stronger in my faith I am trying to make it a habit to pray before travel anywhere and I always thank God when I can make a left at a busy street, get through a green light, avoid an accident or near miss as the result of a bad driver…etc.

So! what is the deal with St. Christopher? Has he really been…debunked?
 
I pray the rosary if I am in the car more than 10-15 minutes. It doesn’t always work but it helps me stay more calm on the freeway. I also feel like my mind clears better because I often drift off when I pray at home whithout distraction. I someetimes have some really neat revelations during prayer in the car.
 
Here is another (that unfortunately I forget to do most of the time.)

Imagining Jesus as passenger in any car that I drive and treating him as such. “Morning, Jesus. Any special stops, we need to make for You today? How are You doing today? Beautiful day, isn’t it, Jesus. Thank You (this remembers that He is God and made it.)”
 
T.A.Stobie:
When I make a traffic light, I say “Thank You Jesus” for letting me make the light without stopping.
Click to expand...
Not me. I thank him if the light turns red. It means I have a little extra time for prayer.
T.A.Stobie:
For long trips with my wife, we try to start them with a prayer.
Click to expand...
For long trips (or short) with (or without) my wife, I do the same. Even if i am just going down the road to buy milk and bread.

Something else I do is make the sign of the cross and say “Good Morning (afternoon, etc.) Jesus” whenever I pass a Catholic church.

John
 
40.png
maggiec:
I pray the rosary every morning on my way to work, and because I live 65 miles from where I work I then listen to ewtn encore until I get to work. Really starts my day right.
maggiec
Click to expand...
I don’t drive quite as far. It takes me 30 - 35 minutes to get to work. I recently purchased the Still Waters’ version of the Rosary. Each set of 5 mysteries takes 35 minutes. Not only does it help me to meditate as I drive, it also makes me drive more slowly (the speed limit) so I can finish before I get to work (hence my answer to Thomas about saying “Thank you, Jesus” for not missing a red light).

I must say, praying the Rosary while I drive has really calmed me down. I don’t recall the last time I called the driver who cut me off a “no good @#@@$%”. 😃

John
 
I pass several Catholic Churches on my way to work and I always bless myself and say “Thank You Jesus for coming to the world and for being here for us daily”

Oh I have several tapes by fr Groeshel and rosaries that I pray, and thank You God for EWTN
blessings
 
This brings back memories…

I don’t drive anymore (hooray!) I live in Europe where we have excellent public transport, so I can do other things while someone else drives (double hooray) such as…pray my rosary and say my Divine Mercy Chaplet.

I don’t commute (hooray) because I live in the same building where I teach, but when I was growing up, whenever my parents took us on a drive or we went on a family vacation (always by car), we’d get on the road early in the morning and then once we were rolling, Dad and Mom would start a rosary. Dad would announce the mysteries and say the Our Father, and Mom in the passenger seat with her rosary, would do the Hail Marys. Now I travel by train or plane, and wouldn’t think of leaving without my rosary. I always pray the rosary at the start of any ‘big’ trip, and usually whenever I walk or take public transport around town.

I always make the sign of the cross when passing in front of a church on foot or on public transport (I live in Poland, which is 98% Catholic, so I no longer fear some sort of public attack doing this as I did in the States).

Also, one I don’t think people have mentioned here, yet, is praying for the dead whenever you drive past a cemetery: ‘Eternal rest give to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.’

And then there’s praying whenever you hear a siren, so you could do that while you are driving, as well. I used to just say, ‘Lord, help those in need and those who go to their aid.’ But recently I read someone on another thread say that s/he says a Hail Mary whenever s/he hears a siren. This makes sense and I’ve started to do it (’…pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death’ makes sense when you hear a siren. I always think of a siren as the equivalent nowadays of when they rang the church bells to alert everyone in the town/village that there was a fire or other emergency).

Good thread, Mr. Stobie. (Is that surname by any chance derived from the Polish for ‘with you’?)
 
Whenever I see the title of the thread, I keep imagine something like passing through US or Canadian customs when crossing the border. I wonder what kind of questions do they ask when you get to Christian customs. :eek:

Anyway, if I’m driving, I figure the most important thing to do is try to do it safely so that the chances of anybody getting hurt are minimized … 🙂
 
40.png
Nel:
Good thread, Mr. Stobie. (Is that surname by any chance derived from the Polish for ‘with you’?)
Click to expand...
Thanks,

Nope, “Stobie” is a Scottish name meaning trustworthy that originated about 1400 and derives from “stob” which was a large wide hitching post of horses."
 
T.A.Stobie:
Thanks,

Nope, “Stobie” is a Scottish name meaning trustworthy that originated about 1400 and derives from “stob” which was a large wide hitching post of horses."
Click to expand...
Ahhh…which just goes to prove what I’ve been suspecting for a while: I’ve been in Poland too long! Either that, or the early Scots were Polish. (Kidding! I HAVE been here too long - I’m not the least bit Polish [actually, part Scottish - Loudoun], but I sometimes wonder if I’m ‘turning’!)

Nel
 
The Rosary tape comes on immediately as I turn on the ignition and needs rewinding. This week I’ve been praying along with John Paul II’s Latin Rosary tape. It starts with O Sanctissima, a Gloria Patri and then onto the Mysteries, which I repeat as best I can in Latin. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae. Dixit Maria: Ecce ancilla Domini: Fiat mihi secundum verbum Tuum.

I’m happily remembering the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be in Latin. I’ve got the *Ave Marie down cold now but my Pater Noster needs polishing. That will come soon. I drive alot. I have let it drift out the window on occasion. The world needs it more than it needs the rap that assaults me at stop lights. * Oremus…Per Christum Dominum Nostrum. Amen
 
This is not a custom per se, but for my confirmation, I received a little pendant that says “St. Christopher protects us” which I have pinned to my passenger visor. And I am happy to say that I have never gotten a ticket or gotten into an accident.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top