ALVAREZ: How often do you pray?

September is full of a variety of preparations. A new season will be around the corner. A change in weather will soon come, and all the while, we will continue our daily lives. There is so much we are called to do and are reminded of in our journey.

First, we just passed the anniversary of September 11, 2001, and the event we witnessed that day with all the lives lost and those affected. I remember I was in college, and our professor dismissed class early that day.

If we go back a little further, over a hundred years ago, on Sept. 13, 1917, in Portugal, Our Lady came to visit three children. She had visited the children four times before then, asking them to pray the Rosary for world peace. But some people who heard of the seers and the apparitions were doubtful and asked for a sign. Soon, Our Lady gave them a great miracle. You will have to research or watch the recent 2020 film Fatima to know what happened at the last apparition on Oct. 13, 1917.

One thing is clear, both occasions call us to prayer. Likewise, both strike a variety of emotions and actions, but what about our prayer life? Where is the quiet and stillness factored into our day for prayer? Where have we planned to make time in our day for that peaceful encounter with our creator?

For some of us, making that time for prayer can be a little tricky, especially when there are young children or a spouse, but that’s a great opportunity for praying. We can pray by incorporating that one-on-one time with Our Lord into our family time.

We are often quick to plan family time with a sports event or movie night, but why not make prayer a time in our day?

And I’m not speaking of praying over the meals of our day — yes, that’s beautiful, and we should do that — but I’m referring to designated time in our day. Here are some helpful tips you might consider when planning for prayer time:
• Wake up 30 minutes before your usual time and pray.
• Pray the Rosary together as a family before or after dinner.
• Arrive 30 minutes early to Mass and pray the Rosary.
• Research Adoration hours at your parish and visit for prayer.
• Research confession hours at your parish and stay for prayer after reconciliation.
• Journal a prayerful letter to God before bedtime.
• Read a prayer book before lunch.
• Play a video of the Rosary or your favorite prayer on a car ride.
• Make an appointment with a spiritual director to help discern prayer practices.
• Journal your prayer during your lunch break.

Putting into practice all that we are called to do while on this earth keeps us close to Our Lord. Therefore, we will notice God’s works when prayer is part of our daily lives.

Melissa Alvarez is an assistant associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.

(Photo by Daniel Gutko/Unsplash)