SHORT COMMUNICATION 215
The Importance of Prayer
By
Roger Behra
A great multitude of people around the world do not have any idea about prayer that prayer can do in their lives, or how to pray effectively. They wander through life oblivious to the importance and power of prayer in their lives hand how prayer can change a life. They do not know how to pray or to whom to pray.
Prayer is a formal request that can be written or spontaneous that asks God, His Blessed Mother, or the Saints for special help, guidance, or gives thanks for a request answered. Prayers can be said at any time, but prayers usually begin the day or at night before retiring. They are also said at church services and before and after meals. And they are certainly said in time of danger and catastrophe.
Recently a survey was taken asking Americans of bringing God back into people’s lives would help in restoring America’s honor and future. Remember, the counter-culture movement started in the 1960’s pushed God out of the way. Fifty-percent of Americans said they did not think so. That reply nearly coincides with the sixty-percent of Americans who do not practice religious living. And the greatly degenerated, immoral, chaotic, and disturbing condition of America’s culture is a direct result of the thinking of 56%-60% of Americans. It is not a coincidence, folks. It is a direct result.
The honor and future of America requires direct involvement with God, prayer, good morals, and with efficient execution of civil function. And the direct involvement with God comes through prayer-individual and group prayer.
Prayer not only brings God into the situation directly, which is most necessary, it will help American’s daily lives to maintain good morality and ethical principles individually. As long as Americans do not think God is most important in improving individual lives and therefore the honor and future of America, it will never happen. All humans are flawed and imperfect, and without God’s help directly through prayer improvement is never possible. We need as much of God’s graces as possible. God puts us on the path to that when He said, “Ask, and you will receive.” Unfortunately, if we do not ask, we do not receive. It’s so very simple.
The following prayer can be said at anytime but especially at bedtime, during a dangerous time, before surgery, or at the point of death. If it is said with true sorrow it means the difference between a happy or unhappy eternity. Memorize it. “Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for all my sins, and I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who is worthy of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, sin no more and to avoid all the occasions of sin. Amen.
R. B.
11-7-10