Looking Forward to Lent, Part 3: When in Doubt, Bring it Out
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We’re told in Scripture to “pray without ceasing,” but when you actually think about trying to do that, it can seem…well…a little tricky. Especially if you close your eyes when you pray, you don’t want to do it when you’re driving. Right?
Fortunately, there are lots of little ways to “sneak prayer in” painlessly, even into a very busy life. Originally, I wrote this up as a post for Lent, but it’d be a great way to start a new year, too. And then, come Lent...talk about a great new habit to have already formed!
Here are a few I discovered some time ago, that I now do regularly…
Rosary:
1. In the time it takes me to blow-dry my hair in the morning, I can say one complete decade of the Rosary. Yep. Ten Hail Marys, just like that. (If you use extra conditioner or style your hair, you’ll have time for the Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer, too.) And if you go to the gym like I do and end up with your hair wet more than once a day…guess what?
2. Driving somewhere? If your trip will take more than 15-20 minutes, you can pray a whole 5-decade Rosary behind the wheel. Turn off the radio and jump right in the moment you start the engine, and before you get to your destination, you’ll have accomplished a heck of a lot. You can use either use a finger rosary to keep count of the prayers or—wonder of wonders!—use your hands to count off the Hail Marys. (You knew there had to be a good reason our hands have ten digits.)
Other prayers:
1. Have 1 minute? Say these:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
“Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I love you; save souls.”
“We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You—because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.”
And, of course, the Sign of the Cross is good anytime, anywhere.
2. Have 5-6 minutes? Say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It goes by fast, but it’s powerful stuff.
3. Grace before meals should be a habit already, but if it’s not, you can start. Grace after your meal? Extra points!
4. First thing in the morning: “Lord, make me a blessing to someone today.” (Word of warning: when you pray this, be prepared for what may happen!)
5. The Angelus is designed for 6 AM, 12 noon, and 6 PM, but if you can’t say it all three times, lunchtime’s an ideal time—whenever your “lunch break” falls. (Mary won’t mind.)
6. One of my favorite prayers is St. Teresa of Calcutta’s “quick novena”: the Memorare, said nine times in a row. Mother used to have her nuns pray one set for whatever their need was, and immediately follow it with a second set in thanksgiving. Try it and see what happens!
7. Another one I love was a favorite of both Blessed Solanus Casey and St. Pio: “Deo Gratias” (“Thanks be to God.”). Fr. Solanus used to tell all he spoke with, “Thank God ahead of time.” You might find yourself uttering this after you see the results of asking to be a blessing!
And these are just a start. I’m sure, once you begin, you’ll think of lots more. Many people attend daily Mass, while others are Adoration regulars (hand raised). Both of those are excellent, and if you can schedule them, go for it. But for any of us who can’t always make those structured worship opportunities—grab a minute, say a prayer, and you’re still blessed...
...without ceasing.
Janet W. Butler is a writer, editor, and editorial consultant by day and a “small soprano” by night. She is the author of “the best two little books almost no one ever heard of”—sweet romances, both published with small presses, and both orphaned—as well as several more manuscripts presently being shopped. In response to requests from “mentees,” she’s also produced an e-book version of the popular workshop series 12 Weeks to Your First (or Next) Novel, available through Kindle Direct.
A cradle Catholic who briefly “jumped the Tiber,” she spent time on the evangelical side of the fence before “reverting” to the Church again—because she was “dying of malnutrition” without the Eucharist. She’s a member of St. Peter Church in Volo, Illinois, where she serves as a member of the St. Anne Sodality board, and even was a guest on a podcast episode in October of 2020.
She is a Chicago area native, now back home once more after a stint in northeast Indiana (where she was an editor for Our Sunday Visitor Books), and lives near one of the Chain o’ Lakes with Maisie, Fur Diva and Office Cat Extraordinaire. When she’s not writing, she’s baking the annual Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, sampling new wines, or spending quality time at the piano trying to unravel the mysteries of Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Elgar, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, and Schubert. She’s also a member of various choral organizations in the Chicago area, in which occasionally she hits notes only dogs can hear.
