Every day here at Graymoor, we receive prayer requests from people asking the Friars to remember them and their intentions in our prayers. Often, people share that they are struggling to pray, feeling disconnected or unsure of how to communicate with God. So, let’s talk about prayer.
For many of us, prayer can be a difficult practice. What does it really mean to “pray”? A song from a few years ago called “Reach Out and Touch” beautifully sums up prayer. Prayer is reaching out to touch someone – and that someone is God, along with all that God involves and includes. One of the best ways of reaching out to God is through the Mass. While it’s not our only form of prayer, the Liturgy, the Mass, stands as the central prayer for the Christian community. It’s the prayer Jesus gave us – the memorial, the link and the connection to the spark of life between ourselves and our Creator.
Then there’s private prayer, when we are alone with God. There are no set patterns or rules. During these times, we simply talk to God in our own words, as we would to a close friend. It’s a time to express whatever is in our hearts, whether it’s about our lives, our struggles, our joys, or to reflect on His life and the things He did.
Whatever you choose to talk to Jesus about, don’t forget to pause now and then to listen. He might want to talk to you. When He does speak, it won’t be in a voice you hear with your ears, but through an inner feeling. Always remember that prayer is not a monologue; it’s a dialogue. God wants to speak to us just as much as we want to speak to Him. You can’t have a relationship with anyone without communication, and it’s the same with God. You must make time to speak to Him and, just as importantly, to listen.
Prayer is also not just a personal matter. While there will be times when we pray for our own needs, our prayers must also reach out to others – those we know and those we don’t. That’s why we say “Our Father” and not “My Father.” Often, we try to make our prayers productive, expecting something in return or trying to change God’s mind. Ideally, we should place ourselves in God’s presence, open ourselves to Him, and be receptive, allowing Him to change us.
Private prayer is incredibly important. Jesus showed us the way when He would go off by Himself to pray, especially when He was exhausted, overwhelmed, or facing challenges. He drew strength and renewal from those quiet moments alone with God. His disciples saw this and, feeling frazzled themselves, asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Perhaps we should all ask the Lord the same thing: “Lord, teach us how to pray.” Teach us how to pray to find peace and wholeness. Teach us to pray from the heart, whether we’re experiencing joy or sorrow. Teach us to pray when life is going well and when things feel difficult. But, above all, teach us how to pray in every situation – when it’s convenient and when it’s not, in season and out of season. For God’s sake, Lord, “Teach us how to pray.”
As we seek God’s direction in our prayer lives, we also take time this month to honor our mothers – not only our maternal mothers, but also Mary, our Blessed Mother in Heaven. The devotion to the Blessed Mother throughout May is a cherished tradition that has spanned centuries.
At Graymoor, we join the Church in honoring Mary during this special month. Our founder, Servant of God Father Paul Wattson, SA, held a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother throughout his life and was the first to bestow the name Our Lady of the Atonement upon her. In April of 1919, Pope Benedict XV formally approved the recognition of the Blessed Mother under this title.
And, as we approach Mother’s Day, let us pause to honor the incredible mothers who have shaped our lives. For those of us blessed with loving, nurturing mothers, we offer our thanks for their guidance and the example of their love. For those whose mothers have entered into eternal life, we hold them in prayer, and keep them in our hearts with love and gratitude.
We also recognize all women who have been spiritual mothers to others – those who have offered care, compassion, warmth and wisdom. The Friars pray that this Mother’s Day brings a special blessing to all women who have mothered in their unique ways.
May this Mother’s Day be a time of joy and gratitude as we celebrate the love and sacrifice that define motherhood in all its forms.