Praying in the Everyday Like Our Blessed Mother
I’ve had many different experiences with prayer as a Catholic woman. Sometimes, I’m blessed with moments of incredible intimacy with the Lord where conversation with him comes naturally. But honestly, much more often, I’m left scratching my head and wondering what prayer even is.
Maybe you, too, have experienced something similar. Our lives as women are seasonal, and we’d be remiss to think that those changes don’t impact our interior life, too. For instance, my prayer life as a mother today to two toddlers looks radically different than it did when I was a single woman in college. There are many seasons (this one included!) where I’ve felt like I’m having to go back to the basics in my prayer life, and going back to square one has left me feeling frustrated.Recently I read a quote from St. John Damascene, an early Church monk and apologist, that reminded me of the simplicity of prayer that I’d forgotten in my obsession with finding the perfect prayer routine. He described prayer simply as “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God.”
Raising my heart and mind to God seems like something achievable, even in days full of putting my toddlers down for naps and wondering what to make for dinner. When we recognize that prayer is simply placing ourselves in the presence of God, recognizing that he is truly everywhere, we can also recognize that the minutiae of our daily life isn’t a barrier to intimacy with the Lord. In fact, our daily tasks offer countless opportunities to encounter Christ. Whether you’re sitting in a cubicle or changing yet another dirty diaper, Christ is present there.
There isn’t anyone who knows this reality more than the Blessed Mother. Mary’s entire life was a prayer: a raising of her heart and mind to God. For Our Lady, this meant being present to Christ in all seasons and stages of life, from the manger all the way through to the cross and beyond.
Today, Christ is present to us in other ways. We encounter him through Scripture, in the Eucharist, and where two or three are gathered in his name.