Bend Your Knees Today

Saint John Paul II recommended Saint Michael the Archangel prayer to be used as a prayer for the Church, when he said, "May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle we are told about in the Letter to the Ephesians, 'Draw strength from the Lord and from His mighty power' (Ephesians 6:10). 

Let us get down on our knees and pray: Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host - by the Divine Power of God - cast into hell, satan and all the other evil spirits, who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

4th Pillar of the Catechism:  How Catholics Pray

1. Pray November prayers. Go to the Apostleship of Prayer web site: apostleshipofprayer.org. Click on the Pray tab. Then, choose 2015 Intentions. Scroll down to pray the November prayer intentions. This is where you can find the Pope's intentions for every month of the year. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for the Pope's visit to the U.S., "Lord, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to host Pope Francis, Successor of St. Peter and Vicar of Christ, in our own country. May his Visit unite Americans in love for their neighbors and draw us all closer to Christ and His Church. Please keep the Holy Father safe during his travels, we ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen."

2. Reflect on the need for prayer. Watch a Youtube video by the Apostleship of Prayer. Scroll down and click on the The Need for Prayer clip. Also, reflect on where the Church needs our prayers, especially on for Vocation Week that ended yesterday and the Year of Consecrated Life.

3. Spend time exploring Catholic prayers. 

• You may want to pray a Family Prayer. Go to EWTN, a Catholic network: ewtn.com. Click on the Faith tab. Scroll down. On the right, watch the video clip on Family Prayer. 
• To find many different Catholic prayers, rollover the Faith tab on the EWTN site. Then, rollover Devotions. Next, click on Prayers. 
• In light of All Souls Day, on November 1, you may want to pray for a loved one. In the Apostleship of Prayer web site, under Prayer and Daily Reflections, click on Daily Video. Watch the For the Deceased or Hands of God videos by Father James Kubicki. 
• For today's prayer, you may want to pray the Prayer of the Day. Or, you may want to scroll all the way down the page and Pick a Prayer based on need or interest.

"If you are seeking God but do not know how to begin,  learn to pray and make the effort to pray everyday," Bl. Teresa of Calcutta. "To know the will of God, three things are required: prayer, waiting, taking counsel," according to St. John Bosco. 


Final Thoughts

As we conclude the final area of study, consider this question:  when do I pray? 

• The Holy Bible says in 1 Th 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." From the earliest times Christians have prayed at least in the morning, at meals, and in the evening. When you get up in tomorrow morning, give the day to God, asking for His blessing and for Him to be there in all your school work and activities. Thank him, especially at lunch. At the end of the day, place everything in His hands, ask Him for forgiveness, and pray for peace for yourself and others. A great day of prayer is full of signals of life that reach out to God (YouCat).

• Anyone who truly seeks God will send Him signals for company and friendship. In fact, St. Gregory said, "One should remember God more frequently than one breathes. Conversely, someone who does not pray regularly will soon not pray at all. "I therefore invite you every day to seek the Lord, who wants nothing more than for you to be truly happy. If you do not know how to pray, ask him to teach you," Pope Emeritus Benedict.

There are so many prayers in the Catholic faith. As you grow in your prayer life, you may wonder about why you don't feel anything or you may be reluctant to pray. Prayer is vitally important. Trust in God and remember, "Prayer is turning the heart toward God. When a person prays, he enters into a living relationship with God." Even St. Therese of Lisieux for a long time could not sense God's love at all. Shortly before her death, her sister found her with her hands clasped together. When asked what she was doing, St. Therese said, "I'm praying." When questioned about what she was praying, she replied, "I do not say anything to him. I love him," (YouCat). 

I pray you continue to use the Catholic sites we explored tonight to expand your prayer life and relationship with God. And I hope that before you go to bed tonight, you will bend your knees, praise God for His blessings, and say your prayers. God bless you!

References:  YouCat

Faith Opportunity: Pray at the Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Elm Grove at St. Mary's Visitation Parish, where someone has been present in the chapel, 24 hours a day, with the Blessed Sacrament for the past 30 years. While in the chapel, you may want to pray the Holy Rosary.