Praying in public

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Kathrin

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How do you feel about praying in public?

Didn’t Jesus say it is better to pray in private? On the other hand, we are not to be ashamed of Him either…

Before I start playing my music in the street I like to say a prayer, sometimes I make the sign of the cross. Today somebody was standing right there waiting for me to start, and I felt kind of embarrassed to cross myself so I just hinted at it, kind of… and I wonder if that was cowardly of me?
It’s not like I am ashamed of being a Christian, but of doing things like that publicly, sometimes.

Kathrin
 
I think its as simple as why are you doing it. Are you doing it to draw attention to yourself or to give praise to God? Do you do it as though no one is watching? There is nothing wrong with publicly witnessing your love for our Lord and Saviour.
 
I want to give praise to the Lord. 🙂

Was that sinful, that I felt embarrassed when the man was staring at me, to make the sign of the cross?

Kathrin
 
Kathrin said:
How do you feel about praying in public?

Didn’t Jesus say it is better to pray in private? On the other hand, we are not to be ashamed of Him either…

Kathrin
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I believe Jesus was referring to public prayer whose main purpose was to impress others.
 
I have given this some more thought, wondering what exactly the issue was… you know, I think maybe it also depends on the moment… if I “dare” myself to pray in public - to prove that I am not embarrassed or something - even though the moment might be awkward, that’s when I have a problem. (With my scrupulosity, again, I guess.)

Kathrin
 
I was saying grace before lunch at work the other day, and as I crossed myself, I saw several people look over at me a bit wistfully. One of my co-workers who is a lapsed Catholic approached me later and said, “Were you praying at lunch?” When I said I had indeed been, he got a thoughtful look. I say grace because it makes me feel closer to God as I go through my day, especially when I overhear things that are ungracious or occasions for sin. Many times we don’t realize that we are the leaven in the world, we must express our Faith without aggrandizing ourselves, it encourages others. I am a sinner for sure, and I agonize over my faults, but I thank the Lord for his mercy, and trust myself to Jesus. His sacrifice made our salvation possible, praise God !
 
I want to be stronger too.

Whenever I feel strongly about something (and I do feel strongly about my faith!) I tend to get embarrassed when I want to express it openly and out of context.

It happened again today. I was praying before I started playing/singing one of my songs. I folded my hands in prayer. A woman walked by and we had eye contact. I don’t know if she realized I was praying. I hope she did. But I felt too embarrassed to openly cross myself while she was looking straight at me. Like it might have been ambarrassing for her?
I felt very guilty afterwards. But as I said, it’s not like I want to deny Christ!! I just feel this ambarrassement about expressing things like that openly sometimes. Not always. Just when I think other people wouldn’t expect it and it might be embarrassing for them.

Kathrin
 
Kathrin said:
How do you feel about praying in public?

Didn’t Jesus say it is better to pray in private? On the other hand, we are not to be ashamed of Him either…

Before I start playing my music in the street I like to say a prayer, sometimes I make the sign of the cross. Today somebody was standing right there waiting for me to start, and I felt kind of embarrassed to cross myself so I just hinted at it, kind of… and I wonder if that was cowardly of me?
It’s not like I am ashamed of being a Christian, but of doing things like that publicly, sometimes.

Kathrin
Click to expand...
I know exactly how you feel. Try to make sure that people can see you praying. Maybe it’ll lead to a conversion of an observer.
 
cgirl4ever said:
I know exactly how you feel. Try to make sure that people can see you praying. Maybe it’ll lead to a conversion of an observer.
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That’s exactly hwy I also feel it is very important.

I feel very bad about feeling embarrassed sometimes.

How do other people here do it? If you were outside praying, and somebody was staring straight at you, would you feel embarrassed to cross yourself?

And if yes, how do you deal with it?

Kathrin
 
For some reason, I"m getting into a phase of life where I don’t seem to care as much as a I should about these things. Mind you, I"ve always been a thin-skinned person, so it’s been difficult.

I cross myself when we go out to eat, but I don’t look at people before, during, or after. I just keep looking at the table or focus on the person I may be with at the time. It’s odd to say, but it helps if you smile when you’re doing it, too.

Yesterday in traffic I crossed myself as a funeral procesion rolled by. A man in the next car looked at me, looked at his steering wheel, looked at the hearse, and crossed himself, too. We exchanged conspirational glances before we drove on. It was just weird timing.
 
I just remembered a story I would like to share. Last year a couple of monks from France visited my city. In the very center of the city we have a big market, next to the Cathedral.
It was noon when they were shopping for vegetables at the market. The bell from the cathedral tower rang, and the ladies who sell on the market immediately started praying Hail Mary.
The monks loved it! They never stopped talking about how beautiful it was to see those women praying together in the market.

My country is 95 percent Catholic, but when I come to the student restaurant and do a sign of cross before I go to eat, everyone looks at me :eek:
I do not pray in public. Never had the urge.
 
Kathrin said:
That’s exactly hwy I also feel it is very important.

I feel very bad about feeling embarrassed sometimes.

How do other people here do it? If you were outside praying, and somebody was staring straight at you, would you feel embarrassed to cross yourself?

And if yes, how do you deal with it?

Kathrin
Click to expand...
I feel embarrased to sometimes. I’m in highschool and i prayed at my bus stop but I very cautiously crossed myself. But I told my friend in school that I prayed at the bus stop and she gave me a weird look and said that it was wierd. Just remember that tge people you see in public don’t know you. It’s something that we both have to work on. Let’s just pray for each other that we won’t feel embarraes anymore.
 
Yeah let’s pray for each other! 🙂

I think it’s also a matter of getting used to it. After a while you’re not so self-conscious anymore.

Kathrin
 
There should be no shame in public prayer if it is genuine and not just for show. More public prayer would be ideal!
 
You know what I have to be cautious about though?
As somebody who has struggled with OCD/scrupulosity… sometimes I have found telling myself I HAD TO cross myself exactly WHEN it was a kind iof embarrassing moment…:o

Kathrin
 
Let me ask you this…if you notice someone else praying, do you have any negative thoughts about them?

Most people go about their day and might take a quick mental note that you are praying but really don’t care what you do.
I was so shy when I was younger that it was very freeing for me to realize that most people could care less what I do, as long as I am not interfering with them.🙂
 
Deb, that is very true!👍

Kathrin

p.s. And those who are open to be touched by it in a positive way, I am sure they will notice.🙂
 
Good point made by Deb…if I see someone bless themselves for some reason (which is the extent of what I have seen others do regards praying in public) I think it is lovely to see it.
One cannot win them all, but it is sure great to win a few…and it reminds me of what Jesus said if one gets some sort of negative reaction from one or two or more “Blessed are you when men revile you because of Me”…To pray in public is a witness, much as Moslem women witness to their faith through wearing the veil. I think these women look lovely and it is absolutely feminine too.
It all boils down in the end to motivation…and some have an inbuilt shyness which makes it more difficult for them to pray publicly than it does for others…
 
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