At the start of the Jubilee Year of Hope, the Everyday Evangelization column will focus on topics that could be stumbling blocks for both newcomers to the faith and also for longtime Catholics. These topics can actually lead people into a deeper encounter with God and lead to an increase in hope. The first of our topics is prayer.
Prayer can be tricky. It’s something that many people get hung up on, or wrestle with. It can be a barrier for someone seeking out faith, a struggle for people who have been raised in the Church, or another item on the to-do list for those of us who are over-scheduled.
The flip side is that prayer can be an intimate time with God, a conversation between friends, a cry for help, joyful adoration, or a moment of forgiveness. Prayer strengthens our hope, and it draws us closer to Jesus.
For over 12 years, I worked almost entirely in the world of campus ministry – first on several campuses across Virginia and then supporting campuses from the diocesan level. I cannot tell you how many times I would hear from students in Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), small groups, or one-on-one meetings, about their struggle with prayer.
Everyone is different, so forgive the generalization, but the struggle typically boiled down to one thing: Does prayer even do anything?
In our day-to-day lives, we might not hear that question directly. But there are times that it might come up from people in our lives who are seeking God or have rejected him, and we need to be prepared to answer the question.
Do you really think your prayers work?
Yes, our prayers work! Prayer aligns us with God’s heart and allows us to enter into a deeper relationship with him. The act of praying improves and enhances our encounter with him and allows us to know and love him more; he actually reveals himself through prayer.
Furthermore, our prayers of petition give us a chance to turn – and return – to God, calling upon Our Father. Petitions in and of themselves show that we know we are not our own and that we rely on God. Scripture encourages us to persevere in prayer. By persevering in prayer, we are strengthened, and our hope is renewed.
For Catholics, and all Christians, hope and prayer are not just wild wishes that we toss into the air. They are not a belief that by saying something out loud it will “manifest.” Rather, we believe that hope is a virtue through which we trust in Christ’s promises and rely on the Holy Spirit.
Scripture tells us, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23). Our hope in heaven keeps us going through our everyday tasks and duties, our joys and sorrows.
Prayer is what leads us to that authentic hope, the faith in a Savior who keeps his promises. Through prayer, our will is united to God’s. In prayer, we come to know Jesus and truly encounter him. Through that encounter, our desire for heaven is deepened. So, yes, prayer works, and yes, it’s important for us to strive in prayer – even when it is difficult!
It’s one thing to know that prayer is important and to trust in the power of prayer. It’s a whole other thing to make prayer part of your life. If we’re going to be close to Christ, and if we want to help others encounter him, too, prayer must be the foundation of our day. Here are a few thoughts as to how to make that possible.
- Give God your first fruits. Start the day with prayer. Set aside time 5, 10, 15 minutes – whatever you have – to start with prayer.
- Try different methods to find what works. Maybe it’s the rosary, Liturgy of the Hours, or a daily devotional, like the Magnificat or Word Among Us.
- Set a routine, but have a short-term memory. When you find the time of day, length of prayer, and type of prayer that works for you, make that part of your day and prioritize it. But when the kids are sick, or your car breaks down, or work is crazy and you miss a day – it’s just one day. Forget about it and start again the next day.
- Don’t brag about your prayer, but don’t hide your prayer. If you talk about your prayer routine, it might help others in your life to establish a routine, as well – your kids, spouse, parents, friends, co-workers. You could also pray with these people in your life.
- Begin again. If you have fallen away from prayer, then start simple and start today!
While prayer can be hard, and we might struggle to see its purpose, as Catholics, let’s strive to put prayer first. By doing so, we’re putting our relationship with God first, which will help us to grow in hope.
Andrew Waring has worked for the Diocese of Richmond since 2011 and has served as director of the Office for Evangelization since 2020. He is a graduate of James Madison University (B.A. in History) and Fordham University (M.A. in Religious Education). Andrew, his wife and their five kids attend St. Bridget, Richmond.