Six Ways to Incorporate Family Prayer into Your Busy Schedule
Family prayer has always been a topic close to my heart. My dear Irish mother would always say, “A family that prays together, stays together.” I grew up in a family that had a great devotion to the Eucharist and learned that when you put God first in prayer and the sacraments, God will provide for all your needs. While family prayer is never easy, making a plan to pray will help your family begin a habit that will keep everyone united in Christ.
Here are some suggestions for incorporating prayer into your family’s busy schedule:
I hope these ideas help in strengthening your family prayer time. Please share any other suggestions in the comment section.
Mary Birozes is married to husband, Anthony. They have two Pinecrest graduates and four current students. Mary can be reached at birozes@bellsouth.net.
- Pray about it! If you want your family to be closer to Christ, ask our Lord in prayer for help. This is such a pure intention that you can trust Him to guide you. Sitting in the Pinecrest chapel with the Lord for a few minutes on a Thursday (during Adoration) will give you wisdom and grace to make a plan.
- Attend Sunday Mass and an occasional weekday Mass. The Eucharistic celebration as a family will unite you in Christ. Sunday Mass with small children can be difficult, but it can be the greatest gift to God, and He will give us a treasure of graces in return.
- Grace before meals. We pray before meals even though it’s not always possible to eat together.
- Spontaneous prayer for special intentions is another way to incorporate family prayer into a busy schedule. Praying for others (intercessory prayer) and praying for our intentions (petitions) is how our simple faith is strengthened. Our family will stop and pray for small and big intentions. It’s a way to give God our concerns and know that we have asked the ONE who will give us the most help in all circumstances. I encourage my kids to stop into the chapel and talk to God about their concerns. Just a short visit goes a long way with the Lord.
- Sunday Family Prayer time has been one of the most memorable and effective ways our family prays together. Matthew Kelly, a famous Catholic motivational speaker, outlined family prayer time in one of his books. He encouraged families to gather every week to read the upcoming Sunday Gospel. His family prayer method consists of reading the Gospel as a family, and then each person can share their reflection on the passage. We read the Gospel three times so that everyone has time to read and reflect on the passage. We end prayer with special intentions for our family and friends. We have been following our Family Prayer plan for about four years, and there has been great fruit. Our children have learned to share their faith with each other, and they look forward to our time together as a family. When our oldest son left for college, he said he would miss family prayer time. Thank God for all those Sundays when we connected with God and each other!
- Family Rosary. The rosary is a great way to meditate on the life of Jesus, alongside His mother, Mary. Our family is always on the “go,” and we spend many hours in the car. I started saying the rosary with the kids on the way to Mass on Sunday to silence their minds to think about God. We will pray the rosary on car trips and when we have a special intention. While the car is not the perfect setting in which to pray the rosary, it has helped my kids learn to offer the rosary and depend on the Blessed Mother’s maternal protection.
I hope these ideas help in strengthening your family prayer time. Please share any other suggestions in the comment section.
Mary Birozes is married to husband, Anthony. They have two Pinecrest graduates and four current students. Mary can be reached at birozes@bellsouth.net.
