The Family That Prays Together Stays Together
Family prayers are very important for a Christian family. The saying goes that ‘the family that prays together stays together.’
Prayer, of course, brings a family together in God’s presence for a certain period of the day. This can only be a good thing. I do not have any data to offer on the adage, but I’m sure that where God is involved, the odds are good on the family staying together. Jesus himself also said, (Mt 28:20) ‘For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’ I can also add that where Jesus is, the other persons of the trinity will not be far, neither will our blessed Mother Mary.
It is also a duty as Christian parents to teach our children how to pray. What better way than for them to come together with parents and siblings to spend time with God speaking to him (CCC 2685). This is how we learn to develop a personal relationship with Jesus, with God. Knowing that He is always there, especially in those difficult times, that we will generally all come against. I’m not saying it is easy, but parents will have to ‘firm up,’ so to speak, because the children may not be in the best of moods to leave what they are doing to come and pray for a while, but as this becomes a norm, they will get used to it. The same applies to parents. You may come back from work tired and wish to do something else, but when that time comes, you will need to have the discipline to call the family together.
I’ve been called to bless homes on quite a few occasions. Sometimes I’m told there are strange goings-on in the house. Even though I’ve blessed the house, the habit of prayer must be maintained or commenced. The powers of evil do not go away never to return. They try to return at the earliest convenience. Remember when Jesus was tempted by the devil, the devil tried a number of times and even when Jesus saw him off, we are told he left him to await ‘an opportune time’ (to try again), Luke 4:13. The battle does not end with the blessing of the family’s home. It is continued and won by a habit of prayer, best learnt in the family home, our first church. The use of sacramentals such as Holy water and candles to pray.
The more substantial, the longer lasting relationships I think are those where the persons have grown up together. Met maybe at school or university and have known each other over years. Shared experience, shared joys and difficulties. This is how our relationship with God develops. From when we were children. We get to know God as part of our family
