The Importance of Family Prayer

Matthew 18:20 Jesus says “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

The importance of family prayer was taught by Our Lord himself.  What a pleasing sight it must be to God, therefore, to see the family unit - Father, Mother & Children which He ordained, gathered together as one to worship Him.

God our Father wants us to have strong, loving, tight knit families and he has given us a way to achieve it: family prayer. All of us, single or married, whatever age we are, are eternally part of some family and much of our joy in life comes as we recognize and properly develop those family relationships with our close family as well our extended family. There is real power in family prayer. Without doubt families can be brought together and can help and strengthen one another through family prayer.

We come to this earth charged with a mission: to learn to love and serve one another. To best help us accomplish this, God has placed us in families, as we learn to love, serve and sacrifice at home- after all charity begins at home. Home is our first classroom, our learning ground for life where we need to learn to overcome selfishness, pride and to sacrifice for others beginning with our family, to make the Fruit of the Holy spirit the very essence of our character. This is all possible when we all pray together as one family.

Friends and neighbors come and go but family is forever, and as we learn this, we find that we are eternally our brother’s keeper! The bonds that develop when a family meaningfully prays for each other, with each other together can never be developed through any other means. We should thus praise and thank God for the opportunity of family prayer.

CCC 2685 states: The Christian family is the first place of education in prayer. Based on the sacrament of marriage, the family is the "domestic church" where God's children learn to pray "as the Church" and to persevere in prayer. For young children in particular, daily family prayer is the first witness of the Church's living memory as awakened patiently by the Holy Spirit.

This is precisely why the Church has always and continually promoted family and prayer and even dedicated the year of 2009 as the Year of the Family.

Pope Benedict XVI himself says “ Prayer itself, born in Catholic families, nurtured by programs of Christian formation , strengthened by the grace of the sacraments, is the first means by which we come to know the Lord’s will for our lives. To the extent that we teach young people to pray, and to pray well, we will be cooperating with God’s call. Programs, plans and projects have their place; but the discernment of a vocation is above all the fruit of an intimate dialogue between the Lord and his disciples. Young people, if they know how to pray, can be trusted to know what to do with God’s call."

Blessed Mother Teresa said it is necessary that families pray all together - father, mother and children. For the family that prays together stays together, and if they stay together they will love one another as Jesus loves each one of them. The presence of Jesus is a source of blessing to the home where parents and children unite to offer up prayer in common. The spirit of piety which this custom develops sanctifies the bonds of family love. 

There are various methods of family prayer. A custom of some homes consists of the rosary followed by reading of the Bible. Prayers are said before and after the reading, and a discussion of the particular passages read. Another worth-while custom is the reading of the Gospel and Epistle for the particular Mass of the day and some even sing hymns of Praise. Bottom line is that the usage of the time by the family to fervently pray for one another and thus, in righteousness, feel the needs of others and then fills those needs.

Also every member of the family will have a greater feeling of participation in the Rosary if a different person leads the prayer every day. Children more preferably should be made to lead the rosary and the bible reading as well. They should be taught to meditate on the mysteries of the rosary so that they do not say the prayers without thinking.

I know of no single activity that has more potential for unifying our families, removing misunderstandings, bringing love, forgiveness and divine direction into homes than consistent, fervent family prayer. Of course, our prayers must be more than words, for the value of our prayers, depends on how we care for one another. With increased love and understanding

If we show our Father on a regular basis through prayer how much we love him , how much we appreciate him, how much we need his help, and how much we rely on His protection, there will be tremendous transformation in all our lives , we receive his blessings or he gives us the strength to bear what we are going through . Therefore Don’t let anything stand in the way of consistent, fervent family prayer!.

Organize your priorities so that God is first in your lives and to show this by having regular family prayer. There may be exceptional circumstances occasionally; but as a rule, family prayer is a must every day. Family unity in prayer can also be achieved if the family attends Mass together. The Eucharist is undoubtedly the greatest prayer and worship!! One of the most inspiring memories I have is that of going for Sunday Mass with my Mum, Dad and sister and then returning home for a delicious breakfast!!

There is no doubt that there is great power in loving, consistent, fervent family prayer. Don’t deny your families this blessing. Don’t allow the strength that comes from family prayer to slip away from you and your loved ones through neglect. No matter what other inheritance you leave your family, give them the inheritance of knowing that, forever, you will be praying for them and they for you.

Sunith D'souza
HSI Media