Feast Day May 26

"We must not leave off our prayers because of distractions and restlessness of mind, although it seems useless to go on with them. He who perseveres for the whole of his accustomed time, gently recalling his mind to the subject of his prayer, merits greatly.” - St. Philip Neri

Reflection:

How many times do our minds become distracted? We have so many things going on, and it is hard to focus at times. This is very true when it comes to prayer, as well. We could be ready to take a moment to pray, and all of a sudden we are thinking about what we should have for dinner, when should we sign up for an extracurricular activity, or wondering how many freckles we have on our arm. How quickly our minds wander!

When we experience distractions during prayer, it is important not to give up. It is only human to have many wandering thoughts. The goal is to train our minds to eliminate distractions and focus on the task at hand. One of the first things we can do before we enter into a period of prayer is to ask the Holy Spirit to be with us. We can simply pray, “Holy Spirit, guide me and direct my thoughts as I enter into this prayer time.” 

It is also important to create an atmosphere of peace before prayer. If you are able, find a quiet location with little to no distractions. You can visit an adoration chapel, retreat center, or even an empty church if you are able. Being in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist does help to focus on prayer. If you aren’t able to visit a holy location, create a prayer space in your own home. Close your eyes and focus on your favorite holy image of Jesus in your mind. Imagine talking directly to Him. You can also dim the lights and light a candle to create a peaceful environment.

If your mind does wander, stop and call the Holy Spirit to be with you once again. Do not be discouraged. Continue on in your pursuit of meaningful prayer with our Lord. As St. Philip Neri encourages, we must persevere. Do not stop trying. Our Lord sees our efforts.

So let’s keep praying. Our Lord loves us so!

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for this quiet time to be with You in prayer today. I know that my mind often wanders. Help me to stay focused on You and our conversation. I ask for this time with You to be uninterrupted if You will it. I pray especially that I may grow in further communion with You. I praise You for ________________________. I have so many things on my mind including _______________________. I have failed you at times and I ask Your pardon for _____________________________. I will seek confession here soon. I thank You for _____________________. I pray for the following intentions and for those who have no one to pray for them as well. _______________________________

I love You! Amen.