A thought occurred to me in reading some of the postings on the various threads.... do we spend much time in real deep prayer or are we somewhat preoccupied with reading messages and debating to really be present to the Lord when we do spend time with Him? What does our prayer consist of when we do pray, are our minds focused on ourselves and our worries or on the Lord and His great love and His other attributes...? Like I say, a thought occurred to me....
I think when I spend 9 hours a day at work , that is my duty ,offered through my morning offering. How much time do you think a lay person should spend in ''real deep prayer'' each day?
That is a good question Mac, and it will vary for everybody. But I suppose my question is are our minds and hearts really focused on the Lord when we pray? And if not, why not? I struggle with this... perhaps it comes down to lack of trust? I throw these questions out from time to time because the feedback from people's experiences is invaluable, and one can be comforted and or challenged. Thanks for your reply.
I will say one thing I am guilty of and I would guess others on the board as well. I spend much more time reading about prophecy, keeping up to date on the daily goings on with the synod, reading religious books etc. than praying and living the messages in Our Lady's warnings. For example without all the detail of the messages, we can boil them all down to this: The world is right on the precipice of a worldwide judgement that will cause the death of most people. We must pray, pray with every available moment. Pray for the Pope, clergy, and make reparation for the sins of the world before it's too late. Do I do this? A little, but not nearly enough. We on this forum have been given advantages that probably one in a thousand people, if that, have been given. We are baptized Catholics, with the gift of strong faith and we are given a road-map to the future that few others have. Why did God choose us in particular when he could have chosen anyone? I don't know, but I think part of it is because he created us with the gift that we would respond strongly, spread this message and warn others. I know I don't do this and as such am guilty. I discuss this on the forum,but with few others. I am the person who took the talents given him and hid them until the masters return. To those who have been given much, much will be asked. The bar is higher for us than most people and it would appear we are almost out of time.
I would say I too have hidden talents Praetorian, most of us if we are honest could be in that boat. I find myself listening to the voice of fear more often than the voice of love, which casts out fear. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to speak about Godly matters especially since the ssm result. It's like God is in a twisted version of the prodigal son... The son comes home but evicts the father from his own home (peoples' hearts). The father wishes to return but the door is closed...
Nice advice from http://beginningtopray.blogspot.ie/p/hidden-mountain-secret-garden.html?m=1 1. Consecrate every day by a certain space of time to inward prayer. (I have found that the beginning and end of the day are good for this -- I also like to take time before and after Mass, as well as a few minutes at 3:00pm - the Hour of Mercy.) 2. Interpolate free moments in the course of our day; moments in which we raise our eyes to God, forgetting everything for a second and experiencing his presence. 3. Resist being swallowed up by the immanent logic of our activities and of the diverse situations in which life places us. (Sometimes, the intensity of the workplace makes this more difficult, but this practice has helped me navigate difficult conversations.) 4. Shun everything that appeals to our craving for sensation. We must guard against yielding to our idle curiosity, against cramming our mind with wanton things. (Today, our use of social media and other diversions technology makes available need to be carefully monitored and often renounced.) 5. Silence alone evokes inward calm. Especially in important conversations, frequent intervals of silence allows "the things that have deeply impressed us" to "resound and grow in our soul, and strike root in our being." 6. Solitude is requisite from time to time because "a moment saturated with meaning, a valid 'now' requires a period of calm relaxation for taking effect." (This can be in the form of a periodic weekend retreat or even for longer periods as one's responsibilities allow). 7. Mental alertness needed for prayer requires a certain amount of sleep and simple recreation. (In other words, we need to take care of our basic human needs or we will simply not have the energy to respond to God.)
I feel way too much of my Christianity is given over to prophecy. I do believe prophecy is a great witness and testament to the truth especially now that so much is happening in real-time. But I often wish I was focused more on pure faith, love and gospels much more so than my end times obsession. On the other hand I do feel so many of us crave the return of Christ, crave justice, peace and love so naturally we crave prophecy, what can we do! Prayer must be a happy medium and a solution.
I say the rosary when driving to town, I have a rosary ring . . .no radio on. I say the divine mercy chap let before I get out of bed. I say five Our a Fathers, Five Hail Marys, Five Glory Be's on the way home from town. And many more throughout the day now that I am retired. And simply talking to God and Jesus and Mother Mary, it becomes part of the daily routine.
I find praying right after getting up, with a great cup of coffee, is the best time for me to pray. This is very ironic, given I am a complete night owl. Do I pray deeply? Probably not deeply enough, but my mind does not wander too far in the morning. I say a rosary and I used to say the divine mercy chaplet but lately have been praying to the holy spirit. I try to do this every morning, but am not always successful. When I go to sleep I listen to a rosary app. I do adore weekly. What I really need to do is fast, but that is tough since I work on my feet 40 hours per week in a high energy environment and I honostly think I would faint if I fasted. I also need to read the bible more. I do offer up my day to my mother for whatever she wants. She knows that I hate my job with a passion (under-employed for a long time) and I am sure that suffering is doing some good somewhere. Thankfully I never got bit bad by the prophecy bug. I read this site obviously, but mainly skim over messages from visionaries. I skim the synod thread and don't even know who all those cardinals are being mentioned. I figured it is not a good use of my time now to get wound up or anxious about it, so prayer is really the only way to help influence the synod. I will pray and then read what the outcome is. I read drudge headlines daily and Mark Mallett a few times a month. I don't have much time for anything else right now even though I've got a ton of books I'd like to read...like the 4 volume AC Emmerick book set on Jesus! I think prayer is so key, and I know I don't do enough of it. I remember in one of Mark Mallett's writings, he said that if we are not praying, we will lose our faith during the upcoming storm. That makes me shudder!! It is all about prayer, prayer, prayer!!
Over the past few months, I've wandered away a little from the rosary as I've focused on praying in the Divine Will. I've gotten very clear instruction in the past week that my spiritual assignment is to pray as many rosaries as possible each day, and to assist at daily Mass. Rosaries prayed IN the Divine Will - can't imagine what our Mother can do with such a weapon! And lifting up every person walking the earth in this hour at the moment of consecration, praising and glorifying the Lord for each one of them in the Divine Will, who knows what graces this brings down? I'm also kneeling as an act in the Divine Will on behalf of those who will not bend their knee to the Lord. I've never done much praying with scripture, but I've recently acquired the Navarre New Testament Bible, which has wonderful commentary. I'm trying to spend time with it every day, praying that the WORD will be imbedded in my heart. I have a very strong sense that we are entering the thick of battle, and we all have been instructed regarding our divinely powerful weapon - the rosary!
I pray several hours every day, including daily Mass, Divine Office, the Rosary, Divine Mercy, etc. This is my main task in life. A couple of things that have highly improved my prayer life in the last couple of years are: -THE HOURS OF THE PASSION of Luisa Piccarreta. This continuous reading, daily, of the events, suffering, prayers, responses of Jesus and Mary during the Passion have changed my understanding of God, of God's Love, of Redemption, of the roll of Mary ... and it has been changing me in my response to God and to things of life. So much so that that I've expanded the reading of the Hours of the Passion with the account of the Passion by Ven. Maria of Jesus of Agreda, who wrote the Mystical City of God, which is the Life of the Blessed Virgin dictated by Mary to her. I can't recommend enough these two things to everyone. It doesn't take that much time. But it really takes you to a different world with different priorities and values. Also whenever I'm doing something that doesn't require much attention I'm always praying the scriptural rosary with a recording -from morning shower, to driving, to walking to church, to doing dishes.... The texts of Scripture also sink in and -after a couple of years doing so- are giving me almost a sense of the life of Jesus and Mary being alive now and myself somehow being a part of it. And it is so easy to do. Even for people with 9 hours of work, there is plenty of time to "steal away" and unite to Jesus, whether with a CD of a conference while driving, or some spiritual reading -there are many good audio books. And of course the ROSARY is the very first thing that is requested together with the sacraments. I think that it is suicidal not to pay attention to the constant, constant, constant, constant request for prayer in all prophecies, seers, locutions, the Church etc. We can't forget that because we have been given the privilege of knowing what is coming -with no merit on our part- we are going to be called to account for our response in a way that people who haven't heard or believed the prophecies are not. This is plain gospel. So please, let us all make a little effort since the times are so dire and God is begging us to help HIM with our poor prayer, fasting, and sacrifice.
I make sure the daily rosary gets said with the family. Aside from that constant awareness of God is on my mind. A while back I was feeling like a parrot, cause all I could do is keep repeating how much I loved Him. I told him as much and his silent word came back to me, "I like parrots". Sometimes that is all I can say, because that is what my heart wants to speak or rather yell out. There is so much to pray for, sometimes I don't know where to start. Sometimes I don't have to say anything, just rest in his peace and joy. Sometimes when I see endless debate on issues on this forum, I think of how much time we waste in trying to prove out point. It isn't who can out shout the other that is important, it is who is seeking peace that matters. I can say this, because I have been on both sides of the fence and it is only in silence and speaking when it is necessary that brings peace. I am still in training in this regard, but I am far enough along now to know the difference. Being right in a debate is not so important, but being in peace is. No one will enter the New Earth living in the Divine Will unless we understand this. This I am convinced of.
You are very sensible PotatoSack, For taking time to say the rosary and other devotions, leads the soul to deeper prayer. So all things become a prayer. As Mac says saying the morning offering and then living your duties in life is a great prayer. To live my life as a prayer is also what the Lord has been teaching me over the years. By that I mean doing all things with Jesus and Mary and everything becomes a prayer. But I have learnt that there is a great need of the soul to give time to the rosary and other formal prayers otherwise we may think we are living our life as a prayer but really we deceiving ourselves. I think formal prayer is the backbone prayer, and the prayer life needs a backbone, which all other forms of prayer can grow from. If there is no backbone prayer the other forms of prayer become wishywashy and can lead to sin. But Our Dear Lord has a remedy for that too!!! and its the prayer that takes the form of suffering and sacrifice. Suffering and sacrifice are also great prayers when constantly given to God. God allows suffering as it has marvelous effects on the soul, it shows the soul how much it stands in need of God, it cleans the soul of pride and produces fruits and graces that can be distributed by God to areas of your life that need light and love and even to other peoples lives. Sacrifice is so special, I normally find it hard to sacrifice but when I do, I feel the Lord draw closer. I know the evil one hates all forms of sacrifice and usually he will quickly use the little sacrifice you have done to somehow injure you, in the hope that you renounce the sacrifice or that you see no point in undertaking it again this normally comes innocently through a word or act of a family member who has no idea of the sacrifice you have made for them. Little insignificant moments become prayers. Sometimes there is a great opportunity to give your will over to Gods will in moments when all seems strange or wrong and just by doing this the Lord intervenes with little miracles I have a driving prayer routine as well Katfalls and I know this prayer when driving to work sustains me for the day, as like potatosack, I dislike my job immensely. But at the moment I am offering that up. God Bless us all, on our prayer journey.
Josephite; I had to smile when you spoke of how hard it is to make sacrifices. Once I complained to Jesus about how poorly I fasted. (This was when I was caring for my mother and working long hours). To my shock and delight, I heard, "Your life is a fast!" I'm sure He's saying the same to you.
The life of prayer I am on the constant roller coaster...but i think i understand the magic. Lol i might understand it but understanding and following is two different things. 1. Start with a clean slate - confession and/or retreat. 2. Do not over promise but be constant to what you promise. 3. Start with little prayers through out the day. Example thank you Jesus for letting me wake up. Thank you Jesus for letting me wash dishes. I do this act for the love of Jesus Then gradually start expanding your spirituality. Always go slow but be consistent. And if or when you fall...start over and do it all over again. Brother al Note: i knew you were all saints, you guys just don't want to admit it
I think we need to pray for the gift of prayer. Prayer is more than us acknowledging God. It is a two way street. God communicates with us too through the Holy Spirit. Prayer is oxygen for the soul in the same way that breathing is necessary for the lungs. It is the spirit within that intercedes to remind us to be in communion with God like a constant spring welling forth the river of life. Prayer is to love and to be loved in return. Often words are not necessary. We need to learn to bathe in the sunlight of God's omnipresence.
Be careful brother Al, you want us to believe you have fallen [of course we all do] but, your humility belies the sanctifying grace that the Lord has given to you and we can all see the saint that He has given us in you! God Bless Carolyn
