Why Pray as a Family

 

In my humble opinion, Blue Bloods is the best television program on the air.  At the end of each episode, the family is at the Sunday dinner table, where they start with a prayer over the food, talk, and then forgive one another.

The Blessed Trinity is imaged as a family, as is the Catholic Church, and as is (was?) our country.  The family image is one where people talk to one another and, like the Trinity, love one another.  Love is what you choose to give; it is not something you demand to receive.  Family prayer is to tell the Trinity of our love for God, and our thanks for God’s love of us, which we try to pass on to each other.  “The family that prays together, stays together” is because they choose to love one another --- no matter what. It is their commitment.

In these days of lockdown, it is a great opportunity to begin (or renew) family prayer, to decide to love each other more, and tell God we love Him.  Even if it is only 10 minutes in the morning, it is most important.  Family prayer to God should begin with adoration – it is due God – and then we can voice our petitions, but we must not forget love.  There are lots of ways to express love to God, but however we try to do it, our efforts will make it grow.  Like all things repeated, it builds strength.  More than ever, right now, we need closer ties to God.  Whether we read and discuss Scripture together as family, or we just tell God how our day has gone, prayer builds stronger ties, stronger love, with Him and with our family.

Lent is a good time to start the practice of family prayer.  Maybe after prayer time you can watch an episode of Blue Bloods together, and then share some food with your family.

And when all is done, thank God for His blessings, again.  It is a good habit to get into.  Your family will be the better for it.  I pray our country will be the better for it.

And for those of you who know I have no children and live alone, I consider YOU as my family, all those the Lord puts in my path.  I pray for you each day.  And I write these words as a form of my love of family --- and if you don’t like some of them, that’s okay, leave a nasty comment, I’ll love you anyway.