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Nah, I don’t really need to pray.

By Jared Dees

Or “I already prayed today.”

Or “I pray in the mornings and at night. Praying again isn’t necessary.”

These are the thoughts that pop into our heads. I know because I think them sometimes.

From just a moment ago:

“I spent ten minutes praying the examen this morning, do I really need to pray it again? St. Ignatius required the examen to be prayed twice, but I’m no Jesuit and I’m certainly not a priest. I have lots of other things I need to do. And my girls could wake up from their naps at any moment!”

Yes, We Need to Pray

But is prayer only an obligation? Do we only pray when it is necessary–when we need it the most?

Prayer has to be habitual–and habits only form from conscious choices. This is how any virtue is formed.

“All virtue consists in the free-will, and hence virtue is called an elective or voluntary habit.”

St. Thomas Aquinas, On Prayer and Contemplative Life

Choose prayer. We need to choose prayer.

There is a voice in our heads (not our own) that fights against our call to prayer. Fight back.

If you have a few minutes, don’t be afraid to spend it in prayer. Make prayer habitual, but don’t hide in your habits.

April 28, 2012 Filed Under: On Spirituality, Prayer, When

About Jared Dees

Jared Dees is passionate about sharing practical resources to teach faith. He is best known for his website The Religion Teacher and is the author of many books including 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, Christ in the Classroom, and Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stephen Martin

    April 30, 2012 at 8:31 pm

    Well said and inspiring, Jared. I’ve been experimenting lately with a lot of forms of prayer (centering, examen, lectio, etc.) and am still trying to find the right combination. Your words here are a good reminder of why it’s so important to keep at it.

    • Jared Dees

      April 30, 2012 at 8:33 pm

      Thanks Stephen! I’m doing a lot of experimenting too mostly in things that make me feel uncomfortable. I think the discomfort can go a long way to finding more effective forms of prayer for us.

      • Jared Dees

        May 3, 2012 at 12:25 pm

        I just realized how ironic my response was to your comment, Stephen, considering your new book! Thanks for the encouragement to explore and live in the margins!

  2. Zero Passive Income

    May 8, 2012 at 3:49 pm

    I believe prayer is an integral part of life. Far too often, I’m not devoting enough time for it. Thanks for the reminder!

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Jared Dees is passionate about sharing practical resources to teach faith. He is best known for his website The Religion Teacher and is the author of many books including 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, Christ in the Classroom, and Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children. See all of Jared's Books →

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