Mental Prayer for September 24­-Necessity of Prayer

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Plant deep in my soul, Father in heaven, a conviction that I must apply my mind to prayer.

The Idea: If you should fall out of a boat into a cold and choppy lake, wouldn't you call for help? ... and eagerly reach for the life preserver cast toward you? Such a picture illustrates our daily need for prayer.

For we will surely sink beneath temptations or be swept along by bad habits un­less we are steadied by God's strong hand. Now it is through mental prayer that we reach out for His help. "No one who is faithful to mental prayer can go on in a state of sin" (St. Theresa).

My Personal Application: Will I wait around until temptation strikes and then pray? Will the reason for being good actually hold me back when I am in the grip of temptation? I know they won't, un­less in calm moments I have soaked my mind well with the reasons for resistance. Then they will spring up and aid me in the moments of need. A bad habit can be overcome only by practicing, making the proper action a habit. Now I won't practice a good habit if I don't think about it often and give my­self reasons for it. This means prayer.

I Speak to God: O my Father, I must honestly say that I am in danger from many temptations: from things I see and hear, from others, from myself most of all. I know that you are ready to help me, but I must do my part. I must think over well the reasons for resisting and for attacking the enemy. Please help me to be so convinced of this that I will go "all out" to pray well.

Thought for Today: "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Matt. 26: 41).
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)