I am interested to know how you all pray, personally, to the Lord, and how you listen to Him. I am a lifetime Catholic, but have only recently begun to make Jesus the center of my life and to pray to him on a very frequent basis. Sometimes I pray by reading Scripture, sometimes by working on a Novena, sometimes by just talking to Jesus, or writing to Him in a journal I keep. When I am talking to him, or sometimes when I am not, I feel like He talks to me, but I don't feel confident about whether that is really Him talking, or just myself. Any insights?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 1998

Answers

Response to prayer

I pray mostly just by reminding myself of Jesus - that He is with me. I do this throughout my day and at all my waking hours. I am constantly aware of Jesus Christ with me. He surrounds my very being! He never leaves me!! Hope this helps.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 1998

response to prayer

Patty, it sounds like you're doing all the good stuff, to me...I use all of the tools you do, talking, praying, thinking, writing, contemplating...sometimes even just looking at artwork and kind of getting lost in it...it's all good. Don't lose heart, I don't think there is a "wrong" way to pray...unless you talk about the end of that movie, "The End" where Burt Reynolds is drowning and starts promising God the world, and 50% of all of his earnings, if God will save him....then, as he gets closer to shore, he says...10%!!! 10% God...that's pretty good, I'll give you 10%!!!! :-)

-- Anonymous, June 26, 1998

Response to prayer

I pray most often in the car, which is my only real "alone" time. I have a conversation, usually out loud, with God. Sometimes I feel an answer. Maybe this is my conscience, but that also comes from God. By talking things through with the Lord, I am calmer in the assurance He is listening to me and, if not answering me personally, is guiding my heart in the direction I need to find the answers.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 1998

What I find most beneficial is quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament. If there's an open church or chapel in a Catholic hospital on your way home from work, you can stop in and make a visit.

By saying some "verbal" or "formal" prayers and then spending time saying nothing, but silently adoring Him, you have the chance to tell God you love Him, and He has the chance to respond to you (or, you have the chance to hear Him responding to you).

-- Anonymous, July 10, 1998