I’ve been gone for six months from here. Life just got so busy, and full, and complicated, and this was one of the easy things to lay down for a bit. I’ve been thinking about jumping back in, I desperately want to do Advent activities here on New Things…no promises, but it is a strong desire. For now, though, I’ll just share what I am currently learning about prayer. Not anything deeply profound, but just a little something that keeps happening, and I am using it as a reminder to pray.
When I go to Mass, I am often easily distracted and have a hard time focusing on what is going on there. Babies crying, papers shuffling, someone coughing or sneezing…all of these things interrupt my thought process, and distract me from the Mass. I have started looking at these as opportunities to pray. I thank God for the Mommas and Daddies who are bringing their babies to Jesus every week, and pray a special blessing over them, that the Lord would guide those parents as they train their little ones up in His ways. I pray a blessing of health over the chronic cougher, it’s cold and flu season, and Mass is important enough to them to attend, even if they aren’t feeling 100%. I pray for those around them, that they would be protected from the germs, and I pray for the one coughing to feel better soon. These are distractions, but not nearly as distracting to me as seeing someone that reminds me of someone. My mind will wander, thinking about the person they remind me of, wondering where they are, how they are, remembering fun or difficult times with them. I don’t know how much time I’ve wasted with a wandering mind…the devil knows just where to attack, doesn’t he? Well, I think I’ve finally happened upon a successful counter-attack. I pray for the both of them. The person who reminds me of someone, and the person that I am reminded of. At least if I am going to be distracted from the Mass, I can redeem the distraction with a prayer of blessing, protection, forgiveness, or whatever is on my heart. You know what I’m finding? I’m not as often distracted this way. And if I am distracted, it’s not for long, I take that thought captive, say a prayer, and leave it with Jesus.
This reminds me of a lesson I learned and shared here, To Remember Is To Pray.
I think I’m going to start keeping track and passing on notes to far-away friends that show up at Mass when I’ve said a little prayer for them.
New Things 