Dear Padre Artical - 18th October 2009

Dear Betty Mae,

The keys to a successful prayer life are finding a quiet place to pray and praying at the same time every day.

Saint Alphonsus stressed that it is much more important to find a few minutes each day than to give a whole hour once a week. In fact, he encouraged beginners to start slowly, even only fifteen minutes a day, as long as they were sure to take those fifteen minutes every day.

Alphonsus also liked to say that a prayer is conversation with God about whatever is on our minds or in our hearts. Speak to God as you would your closest friend. Tell him about your day-your preoccupations, your worries, your joys, your hopes. Keep in mind, however, that a true conversation requires listening as well as talking.

In the Gospel stories, we often see Jesus at prayer. These stories offer us a variety of prayer experiences, but two in particular stand out. In the morning, long before dawn, Jesus often goes out to a lovely place to pray. At other times, Jesus goes into the hills after sunset and prays. But whatever time a person prefers, all of us can benefit from taking a few moments to enter more deeply into solitude with Jesus in the Spirit.