Family prayer time is an important call for Catholic families. Many families are not sure where to start or how to introduce family devotions in a way that is not awkward. Finding time to pray as a family is not always easy, but it is always worth it!
Reasons to Pray Together
Through Baptism, each family member is called to walk in closer communion with Christ. This is achieved, in large part, through an active prayer life. Each Catholic Christian is urged to have a lively individual prayer life. But as each family is called to be a Domestic Church, a little church in the home, each family is called to imitate the Church through coming together as a group to pray with and for one another.
Through family prayer, members are brought into the work of the larger Church. The family at home is the introduction to the larger family of God. In addition, by praying for the needs of the community and the world, the family helps the Church to minister to all those around it.
Parents are “the first and foremost educators of their children”. (The Church Family in the Modern World, Familiaris consortio. John Paul II, November 22, 1981.) It is at the gentle hands of parents that children are meant to be introduced to the practice of prayer. In addition, parents who pray with their children come to a deeper understanding of their family. Prayer can bond families together.
How to Pray as a Family
The idea of family prayer can be quite intimidating. However, it does not have to be. There is a well-known saying attributed to St. Francis of Assisi that goes: “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” In family life, the first way to introduce prayer is to simply imitate Christ in actions: practice love, practice forgiveness (both asking for it and granting it), practice hospitality, practice mercy, be peacemakers, be just, be trusting. In doing these things, children learn early on the prayer (words) must be accompanied by actions.
Grace before meals is a simple, non-threatening way to pray as a family. Formal prayers (ie. “Bless us, oh Lord, and these Thy gifts...), informal prayers (ie. “God is great, God is good...), or extemporaneous prayer (made up at the moment) are all acceptable ways of saying grace.
The rosary is a simple, time-honored prayer tradition. A decade of the rosary takes only about ten minutes. Each person can choose their own, unique rosary. This is a form of prayer that even young children can participate it, once they know how to say the “Our Father” and the “Hail Mary”.
Reading the readings for the next Sunday is another way a family can pray together. The faithful are encouraged to read and think about the readings before Mass. A family can do this together, and discuss what they hear. This is a form of ancient prayer called the Lectio Divina, which is simply a reading, meditating, and discussing the Word of God. This type of prayer can encourage lively discussion among family members.
Parents can give their children simple blessings, as a way to pray together. Not all prayer has to be long or involved. A father can simply place his hands on his daughter's head and say, “May Jesus bless you and give you a good day (or night), in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” This quiet, uncomplicated prayer is an excellent way for family members to communicate love through prayer.
Family Prayer as a Calling
Family prayer is an important call for every family. There are many good reasons to pray together and many ways in which a family can live out this calling.The many ways to participate in family devotions gives each family the ability to find what works best for them. Through prayer, families are brought closer to one another, closer to God, and closer to fulfilling their mission in the Church.
Christine Alcott - Christine is an active homeschooling mother of 4 boys in Texas. She holds a BS in Mental Health and Human Services and a MTS in Theology ...
