How much should we pray?

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coolcatholicguy

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What is the minimum requirement for the amount of prayer we do?
 
According to the Bible we are supposed to pray unceaseingly. This means that we should continue to think about God and pray/talk to Him throughout our day. As Catholics we can do this by offering up our works and sufferings to God that they might advance His will. There are short prayers called “ejaculations” which people pray throughout the day to focus on God. One is “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy On Me A Sinner” or “Jesus, I Trust In You.” There are many more. We must always be TRYING to be more like Jesus throughout the day and focus on Him. I try to pray each day to offer my life to the Lord.
 
When I’m cooking for my family, I offer it up to Jesus. I tell Him, “Jesus, I’m cooking for you. I love you!” Simple things like these are prayers too. 😃

As the person above me mentioned, “Pray without ceasing”. 1 Thessalonian 5:17
 
The short answer is that we should be praying all the time. There are many types of prayer:

Formal prayer (morning and evening prayers, maybe Liturgy of the Hours).
Devotions such as the Rosary, Mass, Adoration, helping the holy souls in Purgatory.
Thanksgiving (meals, when you see something beautiful, or are thankful for something - anything).
Short prayers set off by reminders such as cemeteries, crosses, when passing churches, when you see or hear an ambulance.
Informal prayers such as just ‘talking’ to Jesus or the Father about what’s on your mind.
Just work, working or doing things for the family or yourself, playing music or singing can be offered up as a type of prayer.
Even things like suffering, illness, pain can be offered up… even tough sessions in the gym or running can be offered up.
It is possible that your soul is in communication with God without you actually realizing it.
 
roveau said:
It is possible that your soul is in communication with God without you actually realizing it.
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It’s funny you should say that, as it reminds me of an old story I’d once heard.

There was a man who was dead-set athiest, whose every waking moment, no matter what he was doing, was consumed by one though: “There is no god” He would repeate that phrase in his mind almost unceasingly, reminding himself of his disbelief in God.

One day he died, and to his surprise, he came face-to-face with God, for in his fervent denial of God, he ironically kept God before him all through his life.
 
My parents tell me that Prayer is great but it needs to be in moderation. For example, if I’m playing sports or with my friends, do I have to be thinking about God for every single second?
 
coolcatholicguy said:
My parents tell me that Prayer is great but it needs to be in moderation. For example, if I’m playing sports or with my friends, do I have to be thinking about God for every single second?
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What a strange thing for a parent to say…

I suppose it might depend on what is meant by “thinking about God every second”, but every action that we take needs to be governed by how we view our walk with God.

Do your parents think that when your playing sports or out with your friends it’s OK not think about them every second and to do things they would not want you to do?? My guess is that they would not. Same with God.
While you may not “think of God” directly, your Love for Him and desire to please Him should influence everything you do.
And in this sense every part of your life, and everything that you do becomes a prayer to Him who is your first Love.

Peace
James
 
coolcatholicguy said:
My parents tell me that Prayer is great but it needs to be in moderation. For example, if I’m playing sports or with my friends, do I have to be thinking about God for every single second?
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There is a way of praying without ceasing, sometimes referred to as “practicing the presence of God.” A person who does this constantly keeps in mind the presence of God within them, and when they’ve forgotten God, bring their minds back to Him. In this way a person can work or play and pray at the same time.

Regarding the moderation thing, I once heard a priest say in a homily that lay people living in the world should not devote more than an hour per day to silent, meditative prayer (or vocal prayer that requires you to stop doing everything else) without seeking the advice of a spiritual director. It is possible to fall into the trap of spending so much time in this kind of prayer that the duties of our state in life are neglected. We need to find a balance.
 
coolcatholicguy said:
What is the minimum requirement for the amount of prayer we do?
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St Paul echoing Jesus says we are to pray always, so I guess that takes care of a minimum. If we do not give some set, scheduled, dedicated to time to prayer each day, the rest of our day is never going to go right. If we give God his 1 hour of formal deliberate, intentional prayer, and I never heard of a saint who prayed less, most pray much more, the other 23 will be lived in, with and through him, in conformity with his will, so will be also prayer.
 
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