Follow a prayerful day and your life will change. Prayerfulness becomes as natural as breathing.
The moment you wake up, thank God for that favor and seek his guidance throughout the day. Pray before a holy picture or statue, or visualize something holy in your mind’s eye in order to start your day. If time is of the essence, pray to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit as you shower and dress. Ask for intercession from your guardian angel.
Always pray before and after meals, as well as before sleeping and upon waking. There are prayers that you can say while you read them aloud, or that you memorize, but when time is of the essence, your own words are fine; just do it! Something is always better than nothing.
As you head out the door for school or work, ask God to let your car be safe, to save you from an accident, and to guide the decisions of all drivers. If it starts to rain, or sleet, or snow, ask your guardian angel to be extra alert and ask that God make all drivers extra alert. Lol! I know it sounds crazy, but I also add, “Hail Mary, full of grace, help me find a parking place,” and I almost always find a spot close to the door of my destination! My Aunt Mary Catherine taught me that! God rest her soul!
When you pass a roadside cross indicating that someone died involving a vehicle, and you’re too busy driving to concentrate on anything else, or you can’t remember the standard prayers that we say for the dead, at least say something—“Save their soul(s) and comfort their family(ies)” is better than whizzing on by without a positive thought for them.
When you pass a Catholic Church, a crucifix, a cemetery, a funeral home where people have obviously gathered, a traffic accident, fire trucks, police cars, a hospital, a nursing home, a child care center, a school, priests or nuns walking, a funeral cortege, or anything similar, utter a quick prayer for them. “Please let no one be hurt or killed.” “Please protect them.” “Please accept my plea on their behalf.” “Please grant them emotional strength to deal with this.” “Thank you for sparing my family.”
—You get the idea. I was taught to nod my head and make the Sign of the Cross, or, at least, trace a cross upon my forehead, and say, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” when passing a Catholic Church, cemetery, priests, or nuns.
Use holy water from a font beside the front door or your bedroom door or from a bottle. Each night, study an examination of conscience and your behavior and thoughts for that day. Make a good Act of Contrition. Go to Confession whenever you’ve stained your soul with mortal sin. Whenever it’s possible, receive Holy Communion, visit Jesus in Adoration, and say a rosary.
