GRECO: ​​​​​​​​Shifting our perspective on daily prayer

As a youth minister, I spend a great deal of time with middle school and high school youth talking about prayer, helping them develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and the importance of “putting the work in” to cultivate not only a strong bond with Him, but also a reliable source of strength, peace and guidance that we can depend on throughout our lives.

We are called to encourage teens to shift their perspective on daily prayer and to transition their mindset from the “Disneyland God” mentality to a deeper devotion to our Lord and Savior. 

So often, especially when we are young, we can begin to view prayer primarily as a place to ask God for things we want or need. While God absolutely invites us to bring our petitions to Him, He also desires something deeper — a genuine relationship with us.

It is important that we remind the teens that God meets us exactly where we are. He is patient, loving and understanding, and He walks with each of us differently. For some, this deeper understanding of prayer develops quickly; for others, it unfolds slowly over time through life experiences, struggles, joys, disappointments and moments of grace. Faith is not a race, and a strong relationship with Jesus is not built overnight. 

The beauty of daily prayer is that even when we are imperfect, distracted or uncertain, God still welcomes us with open arms. He patiently continues calling us closer to Him, slowly transforming our hearts and teaching us to seek not only His blessings, but His presence.

In the Gospel of Matthew 14:22–33, Jesus calls to Simon Peter and invites him to come to Him and walk on the water. He does not force Peter out of the boat. He does not demand that he come immediately. He simply calls him and waits for Peter to respond in faith. How beautiful is the patience of our Lord as we learn our way toward Him, no matter how long the journey takes.

I once heard a homily in which the priest spoke about daily prayer and the human tendency to immediately ask God for our needs. He said something that deeply struck me, and I have reflected on it often since hearing it. He said that when we pray, we should first reflect on the sacrifice God made by giving us His Son, and on the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made by willingly taking up the cross and dying for our sins.

He explained that our daily prayer should consist of four parts: Praise (acknowledging who God is), Thanksgiving (naming specific graces from their day), Adoration (focusing on Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and presence), and then petition (bringing forward requests and needs). Leaning into this mindset helps us focus on the relationship itself and not solely on the petition. I encourage you to integrate it into your own prayer life and introduce it to your teens.

His homily changed my life. I share it as often as I can in the hope that I might pass along some of his wisdom to the teens I work with, and to anyone else who may need to hear it.
How beautiful it is that we can walk alongside one another on this journey of faith, encouraging each other, praying for one another, and gently leading one another closer to Christ. In a world that often feels hurried and disconnected, daily prayer reminds us that we were never meant to walk alone.

I invite you to normalize praying by anchoring prayer to your existing daily routine with your teens. The drive to school or practice can incorporate a specific prayer petition for the day. At the end of the week, do a spiritual check-in, such as: “Where did you see a moment of grace this week?” or “What’s something heavy you want me to pray for you about?” 

End the time together with prayer, a 30-second prayer in the car or on the walk, specifically for what the teen shared. Create the space for prayer to be spoken out loud by having a designated prayer time every night. 

This also invites a shifting of the focus from “Wishlist” to “Relationship” by teaching them to reframe their prayer, reminding them that faith is not a race. Connection always precedes connection. When they see that you love, just as God does, they will be much more open to the wisdom you want to pass along.

Jennifer Greco is the youth Confirmation and activities coordinator at St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church.