Daily Prayer – A Priest’s Perspective
Happy (late) Feast of the Assumption! To mark the great (and late) occasion, I’d like to share some wisdom that a Priest shared with me in confession. One of the greatest gifts of Apostolic Christianity is partaking in the Sacraments – particularly the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
“Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.”
I am a Registered Nurse, and I work with a particularly vulnerable patient population. While my job is a great blessing and filled with rewarding and fulfilling moments, it is at times demanding and demoralizing. When my patients approach me with needs that I can’t fulfill, or come to me with frustration and anger, my compassion easily turns to resentment, contempt, and judgement. Last week was particularly challenging, and at the end of the week, I was thoroughly burnt out and found myself becoming callous and cold with my patients. Following my shift, I felt a stirring in my conscience and decided to visit the Church and confess. The Priest who heard my confession was patient, gentle, and loving - everything that I had failed to be.
“And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
During confession, my ears perked up when he mentioned the Liturgy of the Hours. I can’t remember his exact words, but I will try to capture his message here.
“I’m not sure if you’re familiar with Daytime Prayer, but as a Priest, I’m obligated to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Sometimes, it’s a joy to pray, but other times, it feels more like a duty.”
“Many times, when we give and serve others, what’s demanded of us can be more than we can give.”
“The Hour of Daytime Prayer is like an oasis in the desert and God invites us to drink from this spring. In this hour – it isn’t really an hour, more like seven minutes – we can meditate and soak in the Scriptures that God wants to share with us.”
“I’d recommend trying [Daytime Prayer] when you have a break, or maybe on your lunch. Just take the time to reflect on what God wants to tell you.”
“When we don’t have enough love to give, we can always draw from the infinite love of Jesus and pour it out to others.”
The Hours of Daytime Prayer are fast, easy, and take only a few moments to pray. In a future post, I will discuss how to pray the Daytime Prayers in greater depth. Following this Priest’s counsel, be intentional with your time and consider breaking up the day with a small pause to drink from the spring of Christ’s grace. God bless you.
