At times I find it hard to pray in my family. A few days ago, I posted the “Retreat in the life for couples” with every intention to pray and reflect each day with my wife and partner. But. This has not happened.
I ponder – why is this? I can easily pray by myself. Either early in the morning, before anybody else wakes up in my house. Or maybe as the last things before going to bed. But why is it we do not pray together. It seems hard. It seems outside of our normal routine. Life is so busy. Taking care of the kids. Trying to clean the house. Trying to care for a very frail grandmother. Life seems already too packed. How do we expect to add another thing?
Today I will try three things. I will tell my wife well ahead of time, early in the morning, that at 9 pm when the kids have gone to bed, we will pray together. The second thing I will do is not watch any TV or phone. I will see if this frees me up enough. The third thing, I will pray about this. I think I need God’s help.
Why is prayer so important with others? Why can’t I just pray alone? Salvation does not come through what we do from being alone. Salvation comes through God’s power alive in us but also those around us. By inviting God into our lives enables God to come in. The book of revelation says “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me” (3:20). We are called to be brothers and sisters to each other (Pope Francis, 2021, Paragraph 6).
I will let you know how I go…
Bibliography
Pope Francis. (1 January 2021). A Culture of care as a path of peace. Message from his holiness Pope Francis for the celebration of the 54th World Day of Peace. Accessed on January 14 2021 from http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20201208_messaggio-54giornatamondiale-pace2021.html .
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