A family prays the rosary in 2012 in their Phoenix home. (CNS photo/J.D. Long-Garcia)
THE MARRIED LIFE
“The family that prays together, stays together.” Let’s take this wisdom to heart.
When our children were little we had family prayer every night after dinner. It usually involved a Bible story, appropriate for children, maybe a song, some thank you prayers and some petitions. Children’s prayers are so without guile.
Children can be grateful for many things we sometimes take for granted: the flowers, the birds, the water, for mommy and daddy. In many ways, their prayer is so profound. And they are dogged in their intentions. Sometimes they will pray for the same intention for a year. Then all of a sudden it will change to something else.
One time our youngest daughter prayed every night for a little girl named Lisa whom we met at Kapiolani Hospital. Lisa was 7 years old and had leukemia and shared a room in the pediatric ward with our older daughter who was having surgery. Lisa was very sick. About a month later we went to visit Lisa and learned she had died just two days earlier. That night, my younger daughter stopped praying for Lisa and I asked her why. She said, “We don’t need to pray for her anymore, she’s in heaven now.” Children seem to know.
A father blessing his children is so important. When Tom was away on a ship with the Navy he recorded a blessing for the children and we played it each night before they went to bed. There certainly is comfort and protection in a father’s blessing.
As the children grew, we adapted our prayer time to make it age appropriate. Sometimes we had them read the Scripture, light a candle or whatever they could. One thing we started was a prayer board. We wrote big prayer intentions on the board such as “buy a home” or “safe delivery for baby.” When the intention was answered we would write the date below the intention. We were amazed at how our prayers were answered! We have restarted this practice and are so grateful for what God does in our lives.
When our children grew up and left home, dwindling the ranks to just Tom and I, it was easy to forget about praying together as a couple. But two is enough. “Where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst of them.” (Mt. 18:20) Couple prayer is precious. It brings unity and peace and is pleasing to the Lord.
Now is a good time to start praying together with whoever is in your household. As the coronavirus is forcing us back to basic family units, Pope Francis encourages us to use this time to build family affection, and pray for those less fortunate than ourselves.
Not being able to celebrate Mass as a community is such a shock. But the Lord has not abandoned us and is with us in the domestic church as well. Let us pray for one another in this time of need.
“Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.” (Joel 2:12-13)
Mary Duddy is moderator of the Tribunal for the Diocese of Honolulu.
