Prayer is Presence

I don’t think I am giving away anything to say that Knights of Columbus are supposed to always carry with them a rosary. Even before I became a Knight, often I would carry a rosary with me. Like most good habits, at times I would slowly become oblivious and forget to have it with me. Many weeks and months of carrying it in my pocket would give way to a couple weeks of wondering where it went. To stick with any practice you have to be intentional and mindful of what you are doing.

A good prayer life requires commitment. Carrying a rosary isn’t really prayer, because the prayers are not being said. However, a rosary or other religious article does serve as a reminder of who we are and to whom we belong. A prayer life should not be one where we simply seek to recite words, but one where we walk in the presence of God at all times. Prayer is about presence.

An everyday steward will find success in cultivating a prayer life by inviting God into all aspects and moments of the day. Recited prayer throughout the day serves as the formal ritual part of our relationship with God. In all relationships we have standard things we say to each other about love, our needs, and our hopes for that person. It is what takes place between the words that sometimes makes the difference.