Forming Your Foundation

So, I'm always telling you prayer is important and we need to pray, etc. etc. Where do you start though? For me, I started with scripture and the Rosary. You can access daily mass readings at http://www.usccb.org/nab, with that you can reflect on the readings or I'm sure you can find various 30 days of scripture type things to get you started; however, I highly recommend you read the daily readings since they are given out by the church.
How do I meditate on scripture?
First off, start your prayer time by asking the Holy Spirit to come into your heart, and ask that He help you to quiet your heart and mind in order to be able to clearly know what the Lord has to speak to you that night. Then, read the passage once through. After your first reading, read again a second time, slower though, and maybe underline or highlight lines that stand out to you and see how they tie into your life. God will do the work if you give him the time and He will be soooo pleased that you are taking time out of your day to give to him. So don't hesitate to start!
 What do I do after meditation?
Well, it all depends. Sometimes I like to sit in silence and just let the Lord speak to my heart. If you're just getting started I would recommend a decade of the rosary or pray a divine mercy chaplet. Neither one takes long and they, of course, are both great ways of prayer! You can also look up prayers (I'll suggest a few at the end) to say. Also, you can just speak to God saying little lines like "Jesus I love you" "Jesus I trust you" "All I am is your Lord" or whatever comes to mind. It's all about letting the Holy Spirit guide you!

One of my favorite websites from when I first started praying and getting into my faith is: http://christmyhope.com/id17.html. They have many great prayers and sweet photos. It is a website I knwo you will love going to!

And now some prayers to say after meditation!

Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, make me holy.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, fill me with love.
Water from Christ's side, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds, hide me.
 Never let me be parted from you.
From the evil enemy, protect me.
At the hour of my death, call me.
And tell me to come to you.
That with your saints I may praise you.
Through  all eternity. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then,most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.


St. Francis Prayer
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.


If you feel meditation is too much then start even smaller. Start by saying a morning offering prayer such as this:
O Jesus, through the immaculate heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all the apostles of prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month. Amen.

You'll build up once you start small. Don't allow yourself to become content where you are, but push yourself to seek holiness more and more and strive to constantly be growing closer to Christ. Bring the Lord to every task of your day. Stand on the sure, true, firm foundation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and you'll be sure to be caught if you fall. You'll be sure to be helped when you fall.

May God bless you!
Keep praying!

In Jesus&Mary,
amber