MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE
Make Your Family a
“School of Prayer”
Perseverance and parental teamwork helps to nurture
a home where “God is first” for a lifetime.
Paco Gavrilides
“Magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.”
Psalm 34:3
F
r. Patrick Peyton, founder of the post-World War II
prayer movement called “Family Rosary Crusade,”
coined this expression: “The family that prays together
stays together.” To gather together in the name of the Lord,
mother and father and children, and to joyfully celebrate
his loving presence and seek his help and guidance
establishes a genuine spiritual bond between the family
and God, who is father of us all.
three are gathered in my name, there am I in
the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). God’s loving
presence in the family at prayer is intended
to keep our hearts and minds awakened to
the precious truth that God is among us. He
wants to bless and lead us in our daily lives as
one who journeys with his people until they
all reach the Father’s house.
If parents accomplish this one goal of fostering a bond of trust between the Lord and
their children, they will have served them well
not only in the present but also for a lifetime.
As families, we should never be embarrassed to acknowledge our relationship with
the Lord. On the contrary, we are to take delight in the Lord: “Find your delight in the
LORD who will give you your heart’s desire
(Ps 37:4).
A Multi-splendored Expression
Over the years, I have listened to many parents who have attempted to establish family
prayer in a meaningful way. I know of families
who do gather to pray the Rosary together. I
know other families who pray together more
spontaneously and creatively use the Bible in
their worship. Some other families have the
practice of praying the Liturgy of the Hours.
These and other approaches to prayer can
be spiritually fruitful. Each household will
have to discover their way to express family
prayer most fruitful for them. One size does
not fit all.
I do want to recommend, howeve Ȱ