praying – Santuario de San Antonio Parish

Paul and I met through common friends while I was on my summer vacation from college in San Francisco in 1997. We had a long distance relationship for two and a half years and finally got married in Feb. 27, 2001 in this parish.

I wish I could say we lived happily ever after but that was not the case. A month before getting married, I found out he was heavily into drugs. I tried to stop the wedding. Paul promised to change. One month after the wedding, I found his drugs in our home and a few other things. I packed my bags and left him. Being the stubborn and proud person that I was, I wanted to end everything. I did not want to be with him anymore. Having a sibling who was also into drugs, I did not want a husband who was an addict.

I approached two priests and told them that I wanted to end my marriage. Fr. Dave Clay, from our Discovery Weekend and Fr. Prex, a close family friend, both advised me to just pray. Pray? What do you mean pray? Crazy as it sounded at that time, I did just that. I prayed.

Paul hit rock bottom after a month and came home. He entered rehab to show my family and me that he wanted to change. He said he wanted to just get it over and done with. He did not intend to stay clean after rehab, but while he was in rehab he met and saw people willing to kick the habit for good. He had a change of heart, we both did.

Our lives changed as we welcomed our first daughter, Bianca. Bianca was the focus of his recovery. As the years passed, even through life’s ups and downs, we have remained together. We now have three kids. Paul has been clean for 15 years and we just celebrated our 15th year of marriage. Today, we serve God by serving in our parish ministries: SYA, Luke 18, Prison and Hospital Ministries. Just recently, I was asked to join the Parish Pastoral Council under the Worship Committee. They made me head of “Novenas and Devotions” because I love to pray so much. Paul and I now recite the rosary in Church every Wednesday before the 12:15 pm Mass. We do all these things to give thanks to God for all the blessings He has given us and continues to give our family.

We would like to invite you to recite the rosary with us before the 6:00am, 7:30am and 6:00pm Mass from Monday-Friday and before the 12:15pm Mass from Monday to Saturday.

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Isn’t praying a flight from reality?
Someone who prays does not flee from reality; rather, he opens his eyes for reality as a whole. From Almighty God himself he receives the strength to cope with reality. Prayer is like going to a gas station where we get free fuel for our long journeys and extreme challenges. Praying does not lead out of reality but, rather, deeper into it. Praying does not take time away from other things but, rather, doubles the remaining time and fills it with intrinsic meaning.

Is it possible to pray always?
Prayer is always possible. Prayer is vitally necessary. Prayer and life cannot be separated. You cannot keep God content with a few words in the morning or evening. Our life must become prayer, and our prayers must become life. Every Christian life story is also a story of prayer, one long attempt to achieve ever greater union with God. Because many Christians experience a heartfelt longing to be with God constantly, they turn to the so-called “Jesus prayer”, which has been an age-old custom particularly in the Eastern Churches. The person who prays it tries to integrate a simple formula – the most well-known formula is “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” – into his daily routine in such a way that it becomes a constant prayer.

Can you pray anywhere?
Yes, you can pray anywhere. Nevertheless a Catholic will always look also for those places where God “dwells” in a special way. Above all these are Catholic churches, where our Lord is present in the tabernacle under the appearance of bread. It is very important for us to pray everywhere: in school, on the subway, during a party, in the midst of our friends. The whole world has to be drenched with blessings. But it is also important for us to visit sacred places, where God waits for us, so to speak, so that we can rest in his presence, be strengthened, replenished, and sent forth by him. A genuine Christian is never just sightseeing when he visits a church. He lingers a moment in silence, adores God, and renews his friendship and love for him.

When should a person pray?
From the earliest times Christians have prayed at least in the morning, at meals, and in the evening. Someone who does not pray regularly will soon not pray at all. Anyone who loves another person and all day long never gives that person a sign of his love does not really love him. So it is with God, too. Anyone who truly seeks him will keep sending him signals of his longing for his company and friendship. Get up in the morning and give the day to God, asking for his blessing and to “be there” in all your meetings and needs. Thank him, especially at mealtimes. At the end of the day, place everything into his hands, ask him for forgiveness, and pray for peace for yourself and others. A great day full of signs of life that reach God.