How is it possible to pray constantly?
Catechism Meditation:
“Pray constantly . . . always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” St. Paul adds, “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the saints.” For “we have not been commanded to work, to keep watch and to fast constantly, but it has been laid down that we are to pray without ceasing.” This tireless fervor can come only from love. Against our dullness and laziness, the battle of prayer is that of humble, trusting, and persevering love. This love opens our hearts to three enlightening and life-giving facts of faith about prayer. ―No. 2742
REFLECTION. St. Paul exhorts us to “pray constantly” and encourages us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). If you are like most people, you might find this to be a challenge. After all, how is it possible to pray constantly? The word constantly implies that we are doing this on a regular basis. For instance, you might say that you are constantly checking your phone. That means that you are probably checking your phone many times per day including at least several times each hour. But prayer without ceasing does not mean we must be speaking words to God every moment. Yes, it’s important to have a prayer routine — scheduled times in the day to turn to the Lord — but praying without ceasing extends beyond that. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. We can use short aspiration prayers throughout our day to stay connected with God.
Aspiration prayers are short, heartfelt prayers that can be easily memorized and repeated throughout the day, helping to maintain a connection with God. They serve as quick invocations or expressions of trust and gratitude, allowing individuals to pray in moments of need or during daily activities, such as: “Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (The Jesus Prayer); “Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I love you; save souls”; and “Holy Spirit, command me to do your will.” These short prayers can be extracted from Bible verses such as: “What am I to do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10); “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Lk 18:13); and “Here am I, the servant of the Lord.” (Lk 1:38). Some saints used to offer their own one sentence prayers to God throughout the day like: “Jesus, I trust in You.” (St. Faustina); “My God, I wish for You alone and nothing more.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori); and “My God, My all.” (St. Francis of Assisi). You can also say simple sentences like, “Thank you Lord”; “Jesus, be with me now”; “Your will be done”, etc. Incorporating these short prayers into your daily routine can help you stay focused on God and cultivate a spirit of gratitude and devotion.
We can pray short aspirational prayers anywhere and anytime—when someone insults you, dealing with difficult people, when someone cuts you off while driving, stuck in traffic, waiting in a doctor’s office, standing in a grocery store line, getting ready for work, riding the bus, relaxing at home, or resting in bed… The possibilities go on and on. Always involve and ask God for the strength to get through the day. Whispering, “Lord, help me to respond with grace instead of anger,” in a stressful moment is a prayer. Praying aspirations frequently is one way to offer our day to God, to give Him first place in our lives. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of the day, and its joys and sorrows, that we can accidentally neglect to remember Our Lord and His love.
St. Paul’s message meant that being in a state of constant prayerfulness requires an awareness that God is always with us and that He is also engaged in every thought and action. One of most effective ways to do this is through frequent small prayers of aspiration to Him. A good sign of a holy life in Christ is frequently making these small prayers, whether they are words you come up with on the spot or are actual written prayers. When you frequently make these prayers, you are frequently in conversation with Our Savior. This a great place to find yourself in, because just as frequent conversation with people draws you closer to them and makes you friends, frequent conversation with God brings you closer to Him, who loves you tremendously.
PRAYER. My Jesus, I believe in You, I hope in You, I love You and give myself to You.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The more we love our business, the more we talk about it; the more we love God the more we pray.” ― Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen