Comments on: What Little Children Can Teach Us About Prayer. http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/ Connecting the dots between Catholic faith and culture Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:25:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Msgr. Charles Pope http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7214 Msgr. Charles Pope Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:47:37 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7214 Thanks I am glad this helps Thanks I am glad this helps

]]> By: Msgr. Charles Pope http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7212 Msgr. Charles Pope Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:45:39 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7212 Thanks for another great testimony Thanks for another great testimony

]]> By: Msgr. Charles Pope http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7211 Msgr. Charles Pope Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:44:23 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7211 Thanks for this great testimony. Thanks for this great testimony.

]]> By: Msgr. Charles Pope http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7210 Msgr. Charles Pope Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:43:13 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7210 Great! Great!

]]> By: Donna http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7209 Donna Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:31:31 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7209 A few years ago there was a dear young family at my old parish. The parents worked diligently to inculcate the Catholic faith in their six children. Invariably, at specific points in the Mass, the parents would be whispering into their children's ears while pointing at the altar and/or the priest. One Sunday at a crowded Mass, during complete utter silence at the raising and adoration of the Host at Consecration, their four-year-old daughter spontaneously intoned very loudly, very expressively, and very solemnly, "MY Lord ... and MY God!". Needless to say there was an enormous outbreak of smiles in the pews - and a priest fighting furiously to maintain composure and solemnity. A few years ago there was a dear young family at my old parish. The parents worked diligently to inculcate the Catholic faith in their six children. Invariably, at specific points in the Mass, the parents would be whispering into their children’s ears while pointing at the altar and/or the priest. One Sunday at a crowded Mass, during complete utter silence at the raising and adoration of the Host at Consecration, their four-year-old daughter spontaneously intoned very loudly, very expressively, and very solemnly, “MY Lord … and MY God!”. Needless to say there was an enormous outbreak of smiles in the pews – and a priest fighting furiously to maintain composure and solemnity.

]]> By: Brian Z. http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7207 Brian Z. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:31:06 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7207 When I returned to confession, the priest encouraged me to talk to God just like I was talking to him. I thought about it and realized God already knows what is in my heart. It's okay to be upset with God, don't be disrespectful about it, but it's okay to be blunt. The trick for me was accepting that the Lord knows better and just because my prayers were not answered as I would have liked, does not mean he wasn't listening. I had to realize that if I truely wanted the Lord to help me, I have to trust in him enough to accept the outcome and not run away or blame him just because things didn't go my way. I also had to learn patience. Once it was a few years before I got my answer, but I did and I instantly knew it was the Lord. I also softened up my approach. Knowing and accepting God's love and mercy I stopped approaching him in anger. I was hurting and I knew he would be there so I approached with more sadness and desire for understanding. I certainly pay attention to the formal prayers too. I enjoy praying the rosary through out the day, but at the end of each one I simply talk to God. I have received some of the greatest and most profound graces and revelations that words can not begin to describe. And it is a real comfort to know that when other people "don't get it" the Lord always does. Sometimes I simply say thank you. It's short, not very formal, but it's from the heart and I think we tend to get caught up in our problems that we forget to just say thank you. God bless you Father and thank you for another wonderful post and for allowing me to share my experiences as I grow and continue to grow closer to our Lord Jesus Christ. When I returned to confession, the priest encouraged me to talk to God just like I was talking to him. I thought about it and realized God already knows what is in my heart. It’s okay to be upset with God, don’t be disrespectful about it, but it’s okay to be blunt. The trick for me was accepting that the Lord knows better and just because my prayers were not answered as I would have liked, does not mean he wasn’t listening. I had to realize that if I truely wanted the Lord to help me, I have to trust in him enough to accept the outcome and not run away or blame him just because things didn’t go my way. I also had to learn patience. Once it was a few years before I got my answer, but I did and I instantly knew it was the Lord. I also softened up my approach. Knowing and accepting God’s love and mercy I stopped approaching him in anger. I was hurting and I knew he would be there so I approached with more sadness and desire for understanding. I certainly pay attention to the formal prayers too. I enjoy praying the rosary through out the day, but at the end of each one I simply talk to God. I have received some of the greatest and most profound graces and revelations that words can not begin to describe. And it is a real comfort to know that when other people “don’t get it” the Lord always does. Sometimes I simply say thank you. It’s short, not very formal, but it’s from the heart and I think we tend to get caught up in our problems that we forget to just say thank you. God bless you Father and thank you for another wonderful post and for allowing me to share my experiences as I grow and continue to grow closer to our Lord Jesus Christ.

]]> By: Katherine G ERT http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7204 Katherine G ERT Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:04:11 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7204 I struggled with prayer for years, and sometimes I still do. In answering the question of what changes our prayer from little kids to teenagers to adults....well, it's life. When I was a kid, my world was a nice, safe world. Things I saw on the news thankfully did not happen to me until I was a teenager. I was exposed to the trials of the world, but had never experienced it until I was about 15 or 16. Then, let me say it was a rude awakening. My personal life and my hospital life completely shattered the world I had known as a kid. I became unsure of things, wondering how God could let all this bad stuff happen. When things in my personal life were really bad (and because of them) I drifted away from the Church and God for quite some time. Eventually I realized that my life was safer, happier, and more bearable with God in it. While things are still not great now, and I struggle on a daily basis with my ER vocation being an all-the-time thing, I am better able to handle things with God. Things don't seem so bad or unbearable with God there looking out for me. And what I mean with my ER vocation being an all-the-time thing, I mean that I can't leave being a medical person at the hospital. Actually, in accordance with the Good Samaritan law (as a firefighter friend balefully told me), we have to stop for car accidents and things we see on the street, instead of doing a "drive-by 911 call," which a lot of us are guilty of if we have to be somewhere. I also constantly have family asking me for medical advice, because I am the only ER person in my family. Some days I just want to be me, and not this medical person all the time. But, I've since realized that since this is my vocation, might as well as God for help :) I struggled with prayer for years, and sometimes I still do. In answering the question of what changes our prayer from little kids to teenagers to adults….well, it’s life. When I was a kid, my world was a nice, safe world. Things I saw on the news thankfully did not happen to me until I was a teenager. I was exposed to the trials of the world, but had never experienced it until I was about 15 or 16. Then, let me say it was a rude awakening. My personal life and my hospital life completely shattered the world I had known as a kid. I became unsure of things, wondering how God could let all this bad stuff happen. When things in my personal life were really bad (and because of them) I drifted away from the Church and God for quite some time.

Eventually I realized that my life was safer, happier, and more bearable with God in it. While things are still not great now, and I struggle on a daily basis with my ER vocation being an all-the-time thing, I am better able to handle things with God. Things don’t seem so bad or unbearable with God there looking out for me. And what I mean with my ER vocation being an all-the-time thing, I mean that I can’t leave being a medical person at the hospital. Actually, in accordance with the Good Samaritan law (as a firefighter friend balefully told me), we have to stop for car accidents and things we see on the street, instead of doing a “drive-by 911 call,” which a lot of us are guilty of if we have to be somewhere. I also constantly have family asking me for medical advice, because I am the only ER person in my family. Some days I just want to be me, and not this medical person all the time. But, I’ve since realized that since this is my vocation, might as well as God for help :)

]]> By: Mike Smith http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7194 Mike Smith Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:05:59 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7194 Monsignor, Thank you for this wonderful post. I've been struggling with my own personal prayer for the last several months (maybe years?) and this post really sheds some light for me. I'd never thought of telling God my favorite ghost story, maybe now I will! I do get caught up the "formula" of the way I've been praying lately. I'm afraid I'm almost bordering on superstition. Guess that's something I need to talk to God about too. Thanks again. This is a wonderful blog. Really enjoyed the article on the 100 questions too. Any other tips you have on personal prayer would be greatly appreciated! Peace, Mike Monsignor,

Thank you for this wonderful post. I’ve been struggling with my own personal prayer for the last several months (maybe years?) and this post really sheds some light for me. I’d never thought of telling God my favorite ghost story, maybe now I will! I do get caught up the “formula” of the way I’ve been praying lately. I’m afraid I’m almost bordering on superstition. Guess that’s something I need to talk to God about too. Thanks again. This is a wonderful blog. Really enjoyed the article on the 100 questions too. Any other tips you have on personal prayer would be greatly appreciated!

Peace,

Mike

]]> By: Jon Zimmer http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/kids-and-prayer/comment-page-1/#comment-7186 Jon Zimmer Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:49:47 +0000 http://blog.adw.org/?p=5956#comment-7186 Our priest at mass told us in his homily that when he goes to hear the confessions of the 2nd and 3rd graders at the parish elementary school, he asks them at the end "do you think God loves you any less for all of that?" And they always say no. When he hears the confessions of the high schoolers preparing for confirmation, and he asks them that, most aren't sure, and a few even say yes. (Had I been asked that question at that age, I wouldn't have been sure either.) God, what does the world do to us in those 10 years to make us change our answers so? Our priest at mass told us in his homily that when he goes to hear the confessions of the 2nd and 3rd graders at the parish elementary school, he asks them at the end “do you think God loves you any less for all of that?” And they always say no. When he hears the confessions of the high schoolers preparing for confirmation, and he asks them that, most aren’t sure, and a few even say yes. (Had I been asked that question at that age, I wouldn’t have been sure either.)

God, what does the world do to us in those 10 years to make us change our answers so?

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