Private Prayer vs. Public Prayer

  • Thread starter Thread starter KathyA
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
K

KathyA

Guest
I put this in Family Life because my question is really directed at how you find time for prayer in the midst of family life. I have enjoyed stopping by the church for a few minutes after I drop my son off at school and before I go to work. This has worked wonderfully and I have felt a great sense of peace beginning my day this way. Well, now our priest has begun the practice of gathering a handful of folks for Liturgy of the Hours at 8 am every morning. I feel like my quiet time with God has been hijacked! I know this is a very selfish reaction and I’ve tried joining in the group prayer a couple of times or simply praying by myself while the others are praying the LOH. Neither seem to be working.

I will admit that I have been very spoiled by having ready and easy access to our church. It’s close to my home and my office, so I’ve never really developed a ‘prayer space’ at home. I’m really struggling with establishing the right atmosphere (or perhaps it’s just a mindset).

Any suggestions?

Kathy
 
Pop into the parish any time it is open for time spent before our Lord in the Tabernacle. Even 5-10 minutes while going to or from a shopping trip can be the holiest time of the day. If the building is locked, you can park in the lot, since you know that the Lord is right on the other side of that wall. Spend a scheduled holy hour late at night, or early in the morning, when you are likely to be alone. But, I would not be disappointed that others gather, but rather, filled with joy! Find a place at work where you might be alone (or simply detached a bit) and give up a lunchtime to the Lord. There are many ways to find time, and sometimes bits and pieces add up to a satisfying whole.
 
KathyA said:
I put this in Family Life because my question is really directed at how you find time for prayer in the midst of family life. I have enjoyed stopping by the church for a few minutes after I drop my son off at school ayOund before I go to work. This has worked wonderfully and I have felt a great sense of peace beginning my day this way. Well, now our priest has begun the practice of gathering a handful of folks for Liturgy of the Hours at 8 am every morning. I feel like my quiet time with God has been hijacked! I know this is a very selfish reaction and I’ve tried joining in the group prayer a couple of times or simply praying by myself while the others are praying the LOH. Neither seem to be working.

I will admit that I have been very spoiled by having ready and easy access to our church. It’s close to my home and my office, so I’ve never really developed a ‘prayer space’ at home. I’m really struggling with establishing the right atmosphere (or perhaps it’s just a mindset).

Any suggestions?

Kathy
Click to expand...
Similar thing happened to me. I’ll reply with that, later. In the meantime:

If there are practical suggestions:
Is there a statue outside, out of earshot?
Could you approach Father to ask if you could use the rectory chapel since the church us, in use, for the
DO?

And just try, for one week, to participate. I know ours not the private time with the Lord you crave, but consider all of the cloistered religious who were denied living in hermitage. (Perhaps later. I DO understands the need.) You may discover a duality of peace: praying with others and YET alone with the,Lord.
 
I’ll bet you would benefit greatly from having a corner of your home dedicated to prayer. You can customize it with images, candles, rosaries, statues, incense, crucifixes, prayerbooks, and anything else that fits your own spirituality. Make it fun. Make it a continually growing project. Above all, use it. I’ll bet you start finding your private prayer area very conductive to private prayer. It may also help you see your local parish for what it is: God’s house where His people worship as a body.

I’m not saying that your can’t pray privately in a Church, but that is not its primary function. It is there as God’s house for Mass and other liturgical functions. Private prayer is great, but if you have a conflict of scheduling, liturgical worship should trump private prayer in a Church.
 
Couple of thoughts:

You really should try to participate and see the beauty of the LOTH.
Millions of Catholics pray it daily…there is something wonderful about knowing you are praying in communion with people all over the world.

Yet, if you still believe that you must pray alone…you should remember that your life can be a prayer. All of us are called to perform our daily tasks with precision and honor, but also with humility and love for others.
granted, there is nothing like private conversation and listening to God. Perhaps you could have lunch quietly on a park bench. Close the office door, turn the lights out, and pray the rosary. There’s always lights out at night. Some of the most peaceful times are very early in the morning. You’d have to adjust your bedtime, but dawn is glorious and it makes the day hopeful and your promise to live according to God’s will enriches each humdrum day.
God bless you…I hope you kind something that is meaningful for you in the way of a solution.
While at the office, during down time.,…you might check out Sacred Space. www.sacredspace.ie
It’s a meditative site that changes daily with brief Scripture passages, meditations, short prayer, and walks you through…really great. takes about 5 minutes. I find it very calming and yet refreshing as well.
Peace,
pianist
 
KathyA said:
I put this in Family Life because my question is really directed at how you find time for prayer in the midst of family life. I have enjoyed stopping by the church for a few minutes after I drop my son off at school and before I go to work. This has worked wonderfully and I have felt a great sense of peace beginning my day this way. Well, now our priest has begun the practice of gathering a handful of folks for Liturgy of the Hours at 8 am every morning. I feel like my quiet time with God has been hijacked! I know this is a very selfish reaction and I’ve tried joining in the group prayer a couple of times or simply praying by myself while the others are praying the LOH. Neither seem to be working.

I will admit that I have been very spoiled by having ready and easy access to our church. It’s close to my home and my office, so I’ve never really developed a ‘prayer space’ at home. I’m really struggling with establishing the right atmosphere (or perhaps it’s just a mindset).

Any suggestions?

Kathy
Click to expand...
There is a difference in mental prayer and vocal prayer, and both are important. I’m sorry you lost your time/space for mental prayer at your church. I take it they do not have a private/adoration chapel separate from the main church? Often times, churches will have a small alcove set aside for quiet, mental prayer.

Beyond finding a different church for your prayer, there are other things you can do to foster mental prayer at home. First, you must plan when you will do your prayer. If you say that you will do it “sometime” when it is “quiet” or after work is done, it always gets pushed off. Do it before the laundry or dishes or whatever task. God should take priority but make sure to still do the task. I plan for my mental prayer to be just after getting dressed in the morning. The house is still quiet and I can sit for 20-30 minutes and pray. This requires that I shower at night, so all I have to do is get dressed and I’m ready for the day.

You should also have a set place that you pray. This place should have a small statue of Jesus or a picture of Our Lady nearby that you can turn your eye to as you pray. I have a beautiful picture of Our Lady of the Roses where Mary is holding the baby Jesus. When my mind wonders I turn my eyes to her to avoid looking at the dust bunnies and other things that need my attention. My “prayer chair” is just the comfy chair in my front room. It is not a chapel or set away from the home. It’s in the midst of everything, but my kids know what I am doing when I sit quietly. It is also the place I pray my rosary. My girls have been known to hide in the bathroom to get in mental prayer!

A book of meditations is also helpful in focusing my prayer. I read a few paragraphs and then use that to pray upon. Sometimes I have to read a few lines during the prayer to keep my thoughts in order, but it works. Its just a good way to focus my mind. It is easier to do mental prayer before the tabernacle, but when I pray at home, I try to use written words to help me.

My husband can do mental prayer while driving, but I find that too distracting! You will just have to find the time and place that works for you. I hope this helps!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top